Neemi 13

1 Yon jou, pandan yo t'ap li nan liv lalwa Moyiz la pou pèp la, yo rive yon kote ki di: Moun Amon yo ak moun Moab yo pa janm gen dwa mete pwent pye yo kote pèp Bondye a sanble.

On that day they read in the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and it was found written in it that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God forever,

2 Paske moun Amon ak moun Moab yo te refize bay moun pèp Izrayèl yo pen ak dlo lè yo t'ap soti kite peyi Lejip la. Okontrè, yo bay Balaram lajan pou l' te ka madichonnen yo. Men, Bondye fè tou, li vire madichon an, li fè l' tounen benediksyon.

because they didn’t meet the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them; however, our God turned the curse into a blessing.

3 Lè moun pèp Izrayèl yo tande sa yo te li nan liv lalwa a, yo pran tout moun lòt nasyon ki t'ap viv nan mitan yo, yo mete yo deyò.

It came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.

4 Anvan tout bagay sa yo, se Elyachib, yonn nan prèt yo, yo te mete reskonsab chanm depo magazen tanp lan. Li te fanmi prèt Tobija.

Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the rooms of the house of our God, being allied to Tobiah,

5 Se konsa li pran yonn nan gwo chanm depo kote yo te konn mete ofrann yo, lansan an, veso ki sèvi nan tanp lan, ofrann ladim sou ble a, sou diven nivo a ak sou lwil, ofrann yo te fè pou moun Levi yo, pou mizisyen yo ak pou gad pòtay yo, ansanm ak pòsyon yo mete apa pou prèt yo, li fè ranje chanm lan pou Tobija.

had prepared for him a great room, where before they laid the meal offerings, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the wave offerings for the priests.

6 Pandan tout bagay sa yo t'ap pase, mwen pa t' lavil Jerizalèm paske, lè wa Atagzèsès te rive sou tranndezan depi l' t'ap gouvènen, nou te fè yon vwayaj al bò kote l'. Kèk tan apre sa, li ban m' otorizasyon ankò,

But in all this, I was not at Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king; and after some days I asked leave of the king,

7 epi m' tounen lavil Jerizalèm. Se lè sa a mwen vin konnen move bagay Elyachib te fè a, lè li te pran yon chanm nan lakou tanp Bondye a pou l' te bay Tobija rete.

and I came to Jerusalem, and understood the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing him a room in the courts of God’s house.

8 Mwen te fache anpil poutèt sa. Mwen pran tout mèb ki te lakay Tobija yo, mwen jete yo deyò nan lari.

It grieved me severely. Therefore I threw all Tobiah’s household stuff out of the room.

9 Lèfini, mwen bay lòd pou yo fè sèvis pou mete chanm depo yo nan kondisyon pou fè sèvis Bondye, apre sa pou yo mete tout veso ki pou sèvis tanp lan, ansanm ak ofrann yo ak lansan an nan plas yo ankò.

Then I commanded, and they cleansed the rooms. I brought into them the vessels of God’s house, with the meal offerings and the frankincense again.

10 Mwen vin konnen tou pèp la pa t' bay sa pou yo te bay pou moun Levi yo, kifè moun Levi yo ak mizisyen yo te leve kite travay yo lavil Jerizalèm, yo tounen nan jaden yo.

I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had each fled to his field.

11 Mwen rale zòrèy chèf yo, mwen mande yo poukisa yo pa okipe tanp la ankò. Mwen voye chache moun Levi yo ak mizisyen yo, m' fè yo tounen nan tanp lan vin fè travay yo.

Then I contended with the rulers, and said, “Why is God’s house forsaken?” I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

12 Lè sa a, tout moun pèp Izrayèl yo pote ofrann ladim ble, ladim diven ak ladim lwil vin mete nan depo a.

Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the oil to the treasuries.

13 Mwen chwazi twa moun: Chelemya, yon prèt, Zadòk, yon direktè lalwa, ak Pedaja, yon moun Levi, mwen mete yo reskonsab chanm depo yo. Mwen chwazi yon lòt moun, Anan, pitit gason Zakou, pitit pitit Matanya, pou ede yo nan travay la. Mwen konnen mesye sa yo te nèg serye. Se yo ki te reskonsab separe pwovizyon yo bay prèt ak moun Levi parèy yo.

I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were counted faithful, and their business was to distribute to their brothers.

14 Se poutèt sa, O Bondye mwen, pa bliye m', tanpri! Pa bliye tout bagay sa yo mwen te fè pou tanp ou a ak pou regleman ou bay yo, paske mwen bay lavi m' nèt pou sèvi ou!

Remember me, my God, concerning this, and don’t wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its observances.

15 Lè sa a tou, mwen wè kèk moun nan peyi Jida a ki t'ap fè ji rezen gwo jou repo a. Gen lòt menm ki t'ap chaje pakèt ble, diven, rezen, fig frans ak anpil lòt chay toujou sou bourik pou yo ale lavil Jerizalèm jou repo a. Mwen avèti yo pou yo pa vann jou sa a.

In those days I saw some men treading wine presses on the Sabbath in Judah, bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; and I testified against them in the day in which they sold food.

16 Te gen kèk moun lavil Tir ki te rete lavil Jerizalèm pou fè kòmès. Yo te konn pote pwason ak tout lòt kalite machandiz pou yo te vann moun Jida yo jou repo a.

Some men of Tyre also lived there, who brought in fish and all kinds of wares, and sold on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

17 Mwen rale zòrèy chèf peyi Jida yo, mwen di yo: -Ki kalite bagay lèd n'ap fè la a konsa! Gade jan n'ap derespekte jou repo Bondye a non!

Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day?

18 Se sa menm zansèt nou yo te konn fè, kifè Bondye nou an te pini nou, li te kite tout malè sa yo tonbe sou nou ak sou lavil la. Koulye a n'ap fè Bondye pi fache toujou lè nou pa respekte jou repo li a!

Didn’t your fathers do this, and didn’t our God bring all this evil on us and on this city? Yet you bring more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

19 Se konsa mwen bay lòd pou yo toujou fèmen tout batan pòtay lavil la pou tout jou repo a, depi lavèy lè solèy fin kouche, epi pou yo kite yo fèmen pou jouk nan denmen lè solèy la va kouche ankò. Mwen mete kèk moun pa m' menm ap veye bò pòtay yo pou ankenn chay pa antre nan lavil la jou repo a.

It came to pass that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I set some of my servants over the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the Sabbath day.

20 Yonn ou de fwa, kèk machann k'ap fè trafik vann tout kalite machandiz te blije pase nwit lavèy jou repo a, deyò lòt bò pòtay lavil Jerizalèm.

So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside of Jerusalem once or twice.

21 Mwen avèti yo, mwen di yo: -Sa nou bezwen rete pase nwit lan deyò bò miray la fè? Si nou fè sa ankò, m'ap fè mete men sou nou. Depi lè sa a yo pa janm vini jou repo a ankò.

Then I testified against them, and said to them, “Why do you stay around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they didn’t come on the Sabbath.

22 Mwen bay moun Levi yo lòd pou yo fè sèvis pou mete tèt pa yo nan kondisyon pou fè sèvis Bondye, apre sa pou yo vin veye pòtay yo pou nou te ka fete jou repo a jan Bondye vle l' la. Poutèt sa tou, o Bondye mwen, pa bliye mwen! Pou jan ou gen bon kè, tanpri, pitye pou mwen!

I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me for this also, my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.

23 Se lè sa a tou, mwen vin wè te gen anpil jwif ki te marye ak fanm ki te moun peyi Asdòd, moun peyi Amon osinon moun peyi Moab.

In those days I also saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab;

24 Mwatye nan timoun yo te pale lang peyi Asdòd la ase ou ankò yon lòt kalite lang. Yo pa t' konn pale lang nou an.

and their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people.

25 Mwen rale zòrèy mesye yo, mwen mande pou madichon tonbe sou yo. Mwen fè bat anpil ladan yo, mwen fè rache cheve nan tèt yo. Mwen fè yo fè sèman devan Bondye pou yo pa janm pran pitit fi yo pou yo marye yo ak mesye lòt nasyon yo, ni tou pou yo pa janm pran fi nan mitan fi lòt nasyon yo pou madanm pa yo osinon pou madanm pitit gason yo.

I contended with them, cursed them, struck certain of them, plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves.

26 Mwen di yo: -Se peche sa a menm wa Salomon te fè! Atout pa t' gen tankou l' nan tout wa lòt nasyon yo, atout Bondye l' la te renmen l', atout se Bondye menm ki te mete l' wa sou tout pèp Izrayèl la, se madanm lòt nasyon yo ki te pran tèt li pou fè l' fè sa ki mal.

Didn’t Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless foreign women caused even him to sin.

27 Koulye a nou ta renmen tout moun vin konnen n'ap fè menm gwo peche sa a, n'ap trayi Bondye nou an, n'ap marye ak medam ki moun lòt nasyon?

Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?”

28 Jojada te pitit Elyachib, granprèt la. Yonn nan pitit gason l' yo te marye ak pitit fi Sanbalat, nèg lavil Bèt-Owon an. Mwen mete l' deyò pou m' pa janm wè l' devan je m' ankò.

One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I chased him from me.

29 O Bondye mwen, pa janm bliye moun sa yo pou jan yo avili travay prèt yo ak kontra ou te siyen ak prèt yo ansanm ak moun Levi yo!

Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.

30 Mwen te wete tout bagay ki pou moun lòt nasyon yo nan mitan pèp la pou yo te ka nan kondisyon pou sèvi Bondye. Mwen fè regleman pou prèt yo ak moun Levi yo. Konsa, chak moun te gen travay pa yo.

Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners and appointed duties for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work;

31 Mwen bay lè pou yo fè ofrann bwa yo ak ofrann premye grenn ak premye fwi ki mi nan jaden lè rekòt. O Bondye mwen, pa bliye m' tande! Pa bliye se mwen menm ki fè tou sa!

and for the wood offering, at appointed times, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.