Izikiel 44
1 Mgbe ahụ, o mere ka m laghachi nʼụzọ, nʼọnụ ụzọ ama nke ebe nsọ ahụ, nke dị nʼezi, nke na-eche ihu nʼọwụwa anyanwụ, ma a gbachiri ya agbachi.
Then [in the vision] the man brought me back to the outer entryway to the temple [area], the one on the east side, but the outer entrance was shut.
2 Ma Onyenwe anyị sịrị m, “Ọnụ ụzọ ama nke a ga-abụ ihe e mechiri emechi. A gaghị emeghe ya ọzọ, ọ dịghị onye ọbụla ga-esi na ya bata. Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị, bụ Chineke Izrel esitela na ya bata. Ya mere, ọ bụ ihe emechiri emechi.
Yahweh said to me, “This entrance must remain shut. It must not be opened [by anyone]; no one will be permitted to enter it. It must remain shut because [I], Yahweh, the God of Israel, have [caused it to be sacred by] entering through it.
3 Naanị nwa eze, naanị ya onwe ya, bụ onye ga-anọdụ ala nʼime ya, iri nri nʼihu Onyenwe anyị. Ọ ga-esite na mpụta ọnụ ụlọ nke ọnụ ụzọ bata, ọ bụkwa ebe ahụ ka ọ ga-esi pụọ.”
Only the king [of Israel] will be permitted to sit inside this entryway to eat food in the presence of Yahweh. But he will must enter and leave [the temple area] through the entry room of this entryway.”
4 Mgbe ahụ, o mere ka m bịaruo nʼọnụ ụzọ ama dị nʼugwu, nʼihu ụlọnsọ ukwu ahụ. Elere m anya hụ na ebube nke Onyenwe anyị jupụtara nʼụlọnsọ nke Onyenwe anyị. Nʼihi ya, adara m nʼala kpugide ihu m nʼaja.
Then the man brought me through the north entryway to the front of the temple. I looked and saw that the glory of Yahweh filled his temple, and I prostrated myself on the ground.
5 Onyenwe anyị sịrị m, “Nwa nke mmadụ, leruo anya nke ọma, gee ntị nke ọma nʼihe niile m na-agwa gị banyere iwu m niile na usoro niile nke ụlọnsọ ukwu nke Onyenwe anyị. Leruo anya nke ọma banyere ọnụ ụzọ ịbata nʼụlọnsọ ukwu a, na nke ọpụpụ niile nke ebe nsọ a.
Yahweh said to me, “You human, look carefully, and listen carefully to everything that I tell you about all the regulations concerning the temple. Note carefully the temple entrance and all the exits.
6 Ị ga-agwa ndị Izrel bụ ndị ụlọ nnupu isi, ‘Otu a ka Onye kachasị ihe niile elu, bụ Onyenwe anyị sịrị, o zuola bụ ibi ndụ arụ unu niile ahụ, unu ndị Izrel!
Say this to the rebellious Israeli people: ‘This is what [I], Yahweh the Lord, say: You Israeli people, I will no longer endure the detestable things that you do!
7 Nʼihi na ọ bụghị naanị na ihe arụ unu mere dị ukwu, kama unu mekwara ihe arụ kachasị site nʼịkpọbata ndị ala ọzọ a na-ebighị anụ ahụ ha na obi ha ugwu nʼime ụlọnsọ, si otu a merụọ ụlọnsọ mgbe unu na-ewetara m nri nsọ, nke bụ abụba na ọbara. Nʼụzọ dị otu a, unu emebiela ọgbụgba ndụ m.
In addition to all the other detestable things that you do, you brought into my temple foreign men who had not been circumcised and who were godless [IDM]. By doing that, you caused my temple to be an unacceptable place to worship me, while you offered food and fat and blood, and you disobeyed my agreement with you.
8 Unu edebeghị iwu m nyere unu banyere ihe m ndị dị nsọ, kama unu goro ndị ọzọ ka ha bụrụ ndị na-elekọta ebe nsọ m.
Instead of doing what I commanded you to do in regard to my holy things, you appointed foreigners to be in charge of my temple.
9 Ihe ndị a ka Onye kachasị ihe niile elu, bụ Onyenwe anyị kwuru, o nweghị onye ala ọzọ ọbụla a na-ebighị anụ ahụ ya na obi ya ugwu kwesiri ịbata nʼụlọnsọ m. Ọ bụladị ndị ọbịa ndị bi nʼetiti ụmụ Izrel.
But this is what [I], Yahweh, have said: No foreigners, no men who are not circumcised, no godless people are permitted to enter my temple, not even foreigners who live among you [Israelis permanently].
10 “‘Ndị ikom agbụrụ Livayị niile, ndị sitere nʼijere m ozi wezuga onwe ha mgbe Izrel bidoro ịgbaso arụsị niile ha, ga-ata ahụhụ nʼihi ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi ha.
[Most of] the descendants of Levi abandoned me along with [most of] the Israeli people, and started to worship idols. They must be punished for their sin.
11 Ha ga-abụ ndị na-eje ozi nʼime ebe nsọ m, ndị nlekọta nke ọnụ ụzọ ama nke ụlọnsọ ukwuu, na-ejekwa ozi nʼime ya; ha ga-egburu ndị m anụ e wetara maka ịchụ aja nsure ọkụ na nke aja ndị ọzọ, ha ga-eguzokwa nʼihu ha jeere ha ozi.
They are [still] permitted to work in my temple and to be in charge of the entrances of the temple, and they are permitted to slaughter the animals that will be completely burned on the altar, and [to burn other] sacrifices for the people, and they will [be able to] help the people.
12 Ma nʼihi na ha guzoro nʼihu arụsị jeere ha ozi, mee ka ụlọ Izrel daba na mmehie ikpere arụsị, nʼihi nke a, eweliela m aka elu na-aṅụ iyi na ha aghaghị ịta ahụhụ mmehie ha. Otu a ka Onye kachasị ihe niile elu, bụ Onyenwe anyị kwubiri.
But because they helped the people to worship idols and caused [many of] the Israeli people [MTY] to sin [by worshiping idols], I have lifted up my arm and solemnly declared that they must be punished for their sin.
13 Ha agaghị abịakwute m nso ije ozi dịka ndị nchụaja, maọbụ bịaruo nso ihe nsọ m niile ọbụla maọbụ onyinye m dị nsọ karịchasịa onyinye nsọ niile, ha aghaghị ibu ọnọdụ ihere nke ihe arụ niile ha mere.
They must not come near me to serve as priests. They must not come near any sacred things or the holy offerings. They must be ashamed of the shameful things that they did.
14 Ma aga m ahọpụta ha ka ha bụrụ ndị ilekọta ụlọnsọ m dị nʼaka, nʼihi ịrụ ọrụ niile na ije ozi niile dị nʼime ya.
But I will still put them in charge of the work in the temple and allow them to do all the work that needs to be done there.
15 “‘Ma ndị nchụaja, bụ ụmụ Zadọk, ndị Livayị, ndị chegidere ebe nsọ m nche, mgbe Izrel niile sitere nʼebe m nọ kpafuo, ga-abịa nso ijere m ozi, ha ga-eguzo nʼihu m chụọ aja abụba na ọbara. Otu a ka Onye kachasị ihe niile elu, bụ Onyenwe anyị kwubiri.
But [most of] the priests who are descendants of Levi and from the clan of Zadok worked in my temple when the [other] Israelis abandoned me. [So they] are permitted to come near to me to work for me. They will stand in my presence to offer [sacrifices of animals’] fat and blood.
16 Ọ bụ naanị ha ga-abanye nʼime ebe nsọ m, naanị ha ga-abịakwa na tebul m ije ozi nʼihu m, na ife m dịka ndị nche.
They [are the only ones who] are permitted to enter my temple. They are [the only ones who are] permitted to come near my altar to serve me and do what I tell them to do.
17 “‘Mgbe ha na-abata nʼọnụ ụzọ ama nke ogige dị nʼime, ha ga-eyi naanị akwa ọcha. Ha agaghị eyi uwe ọbụla e ji ajị anụ kpaa mgbe ha na-eje ozi nʼogige ime nke ụlọnsọ ukwu m.
When they enter [one of] the entrances into the inner courtyard, they must wear linen clothes. They must not wear any clothes [made] of wool while they do their work at the entrances of the inner courtyard or inside [the temple].
18 Ha ga-eji akwa ọcha kee nʼisi ha, yirikwa uwe ọcha nʼukwu ha. Ha agaghị eyi ihe ọbụla ga-eme ka ọsịsọọ gbaa ha.
They must have linen turbans [wrapped] around their heads and wrap linen undergarments around their waists. They must not wear anything that would cause them to perspire.
19 Mgbe ha na-apụ nʼogige dị nʼezi ebe ndị mmadụ nọ, ha ga-eyipụ uwe ha yi mgbe ha na-eje ozi, hapụkwa ha nʼime ọnụụlọ nsọ ndị a, yiri uwe ọzọ, ka ha ghara ime ka ndị mmadụ bụrụ ndị e doro nsọ site nʼimetụ uwe ha ahụ.
Before they go out into the outer courtyard where [other] people are, they must take off the clothes that they have been wearing and leave them in the sacred rooms, and they must put on other clothes, in order that the other people are not punished because of [their touching] the sacred clothes.
20 “‘Ha agaghị ekwe ka agịrị isi ha too ogologo, ha agakwaghị akpụchapụ ya. Naanị mkpacha ka ha ga na-akpacha isi ha.
The priests must not shave their heads or allow their hair to become long; but they must regularly trim [the edges of] their hair.
21 Onye nchụaja ọbụla agaghị aṅụ mmanya vaịnị mgbe ọ na-abata nʼogige dị nʼime.
Priests must not drink wine before they enter the inner courtyard.
22 Ha agaghị alụ nwanyị nke di ya nwụrụ anwụ, maọbụ nwanyị gbaara di ya alụkwaghị m. Kama ọ bụ naanị ụmụ agbọghọ ndị sitere nʼagbụrụ Izrel ndị na-amaghị nwoke, maọbụ nwunye ndị nchụaja nwụrụ anwụ.
[Also], priests must not marry widows [of men who were not priests] or women who have been divorced. [Priests are permitted to marry only] Israeli [MTY] virgins or widows of [other] priests.
23 Ha ga-akụziri ndị m ihe dị iche nʼetiti ihe dị nsọ na ihe na-adịghị nsọ; gosi ha otu esi amata ihe dị iche nʼetiti ihe na-adịghị ọcha na nke dị ọcha.
Priests must teach the people the difference between things that are holy/sacred and things that are not, and they must teach them the difference between things that are acceptable to me and things that are not.
24 “‘Ha ga-abụ ndị ikpe, idozi esemokwu dapụtara nʼetiti ndị m. Usoro iwu m niile ka ha ga-eji kpee ikpe. Ndị nchụaja nʼonwe ha kwa ga-erube isi nʼiwu m niile nʼoge mmemme ọbụla dị nsọ. Ha ga-ahụkwa na e doro ụbọchị izuike nsọ.
When there are disputes [between people], the priests are the ones who must be the judges and decide according to my laws what must be done. They must obey all my laws and decrees concerning the sacred festivals, and they must keep my Sabbath days (holy/set apart).
25 “‘Onye nchụaja agaghị emerụ onwe ya site nʼije nʼebe ozu dị, karịakwa maọbụ ozu nna ya maọbụ nne ya, ma o bụ nwa ya, maọbụ nwanne ya nwoke, maọbụ nwanne ya nwanyị na-enweghị di.
A priest is permitted to go near the corpse of his father or his mother or his son or his daughter or his brother or his unmarried sister; but he is still defiled by doing that. But a priest must not defile himself by going near a corpse of anyone else.
26 Mgbe e mechara ka ọ dị ọcha ọzọ, ọ ga-echere ruo ụbọchị asaa.
But [even] if a priest touches the corpse [of a close relative, he must perform the rituals to become acceptable to serve me again]. After he performs those rituals, he must wait seven days.
27 Ma nʼụbọchị ahụ, ọ ga-alọghachi nʼụlọ ukwu ahụ ịbanye nʼime ebe nsọ, ọ ga-ebu ụzọ chụọ aja mmehie nʼihi onwe ya. Otu a ka Onye kachasị ihe niile elu, bụ Onyenwe anyị kwubiri.
Then, on the day that he enters the inner courtyard [again] to serve me in the temple, he must give an offering to remove his guilt for his sin. [That is what I], Yahweh the Lord, declare.
28 “‘Ọ bụ naanị mụ onwe m bụ ihe nketa nke ndị nchụaja ga-enweta. Unu agaghị enye ha ihe nweta ọbụla nʼIzrel. Mụ onwe m bụ ihe nketa ha.
The priests are not permitted to own any property. They will have only what I [provide for them].
29 Ha ga-eri onyinye ịnata ihuọma, ihe aja mmehie, ihe aja ikpe ọmụma, ihe niile dị nʼIzrel e doro nsọ nye Onyenwe anyị ga-abụ nke ha.
They will eat the offerings [other people make] from grain, offerings to remove people’s guilt for having sinned, and offerings made when people fail to give to Yahweh the things that they are required to give. Everything [else] in Israel that is completely dedicated to [me], Yahweh, will belong to the priests.
30 Mkpụrụ mbụ kachasị mma site na mkpụrụ ubi ọbụla na onyinye niile pụrụ iche ga-abụ nke ndị nchụaja. Ọka mbụ a kwọrọ akwọ, nke a na-eweta nʼihe ubi ga-abụkwa nke ndị nchụaja, ime ka ngọzị dịkwasị nʼụlọ unu.
The best fruits of the first part of each harvest and all the [other] special gifts that are given to me will belong to the priests. You must give them the first part of your finely-ground flour, in order that I will bless [the people who live in] [MTY] your houses.
31 Ndị nchụaja agaghị ata nnụnụ ọbụla, maọbụ anụ nke nwụrụ ọnwụ chi ya, maọbụ nke anụ ọzọ dọgburu.
Priests must not eat the flesh of any bird or animal that was found dead or that has been killed by wild animals.’”
