Nehemaya 13

1 Nʼụbọchị ahụ, a gụpụtara okwu Chineke na ntị ndị Izrel site nʼakwụkwọ iwu Mosis. Mgbe a na-agụpụta ya, a chọpụtara na o megidere iwu na onye Amọn, maọbụ onye Moab, ga-eso nʼofufe ụlọnsọ ukwu Chineke.

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 Nʼihi na ha bụ ndị iro ụmụ Izrel. Ha enyeghị ha ihe oriri na ihe ọṅụṅụ kama ha zụrụ Belam ka ọ bụọ ụmụ Izrel ọnụ. (Ma Chineke anyị gbanwere ịbụ ọnụ ahụ mee ka ọ ghọọ ngọzị.)

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 Mgbe a gụpụtara iwu a, ndị Izrel chụpụrụ ndị mba ọzọ niile nọ nʼọgbakọ ha.

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

4 Ma tupu ihe ndị a niile emee, Eliashib onye bụ onye nchụaja, onye e doro nʼisi ilekọta ime ụlọ a na-achịkọba ihe nʼụlọ Chineke anyị, ya na Tobaya nwee ezi mmekọrịta,

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

5 o weere otu ọnụụlọ buru ibu a na-achịkọba ihe nye ya. Na mbụ, ọ bụ ọnụụlọ ebe a na-achịkọta onyinye ọka na ụda na-esi isi ụtọ, na ngwongwo ụlọnsọ, na efere mmanya ọhụrụ, na mmanụ oliv. Mosis enyelarị ya nʼiwu na ọ bụ ndị Livayị na ndị ọbụ abụ na ndị nche nwe onyinye ndị ahụ. Ndị nchụaja nwekwa oke nʼihe ndị a.

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 Mgbe ihe ndị a na-eme, anọghị m na Jerusalem, nʼihi na nʼiri afọ atọ na abụọ nke ọchịchị Ataksekses, eze Babilọn, a lọghachikwutere m eze. Ma e mesịrị m nata ya ike

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 laghachikwa na Jerusalem. Nʼebe a ka m nọ mata banyere ihe ọjọọ ahụ Eliashib mere, inye Tobaya otu ọnụụlọ nke dị nʼogige ụlọ Chineke ka ọ bụrụ ebe izuike ya.

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 Iwe were m nke ukwuu, nke mere na m sitere nʼọnụụlọ ahụ tụpụsịa ngwongwo Tobaya niile nʼezi.

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

9 Enyere m iwu ka e doo ọnụụlọ ndị ahụ niile ọcha, a chighachikwara m ngwongwo ụlọ Chineke niile nʼime ha, ha na onyinye mkpụrụ ọka, na ụda na-esi isi ụtọ ndị ahụ.

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 A chọpụtakwara m na-enyebeghị ndị Livayị oke ihe ruru ha, nke mere na ndị ọbụ abụ, na ndị nche ndị ọ bụ ọrụ ha i doo ofufe, alaghachila nʼubi ha dị iche iche.

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 Nʼihi ya, abaara m ha mba jụọ ha si: “Gịnị mere unu jiri gbakụta ụlọnsọ ukwu Chineke azụ?” Mgbe ahụ akpọghachiri m ndị Livayị nyekwa ha ọrụ ha nʼụlọnsọ.

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 Ndị Juda niile bidokwara iweta ụtụ ha, na onyinye ọka, na mmanya vaịnị na mmanụ oliv ha nʼụlọ ịchịkọba ihe dị nʼụlọnsọ.

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

13 E tinyere m Shelemaya onye nchụaja, na Zadọk ode akwụkwọ, na Pedaia onye Livayị, ka ha bụrụ ndị na-elekọta ụlọ ịchịkọba ihe niile ahụ. Emekwara m Hanan nwa Zakua, nwa Matanaya, onye ga na-enyere ha aka, nʼihi na a gụrụ ha dịka ndị kwesiri ntụkwasị obi. Ọrụ ha bụ ikere ndị Livayị ibe ha niile oke.

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 Chineke m, biko cheta m nʼihi nke a, ehichapụkwala ihe niile m ji obi m niile rụọ nʼụlọnsọ gị na ije ozi niile ya.

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 Nʼụbọchị ndị ahụ, ka m hụrụ na Juda ndị na-azọcha mmanya vaịnị nʼụbọchị izuike, ndị ji ịnyịnya ibu na-ebubata ogbe ọka, na-ebokwasị ha nʼelu ịnyịnya ibu, tinyekwara mmanya, na mkpụrụ vaịnị na fiig, na ibu niile ọbụla. Ha na-ebubatakwa ha nʼime Jerusalem nʼụbọchị izuike. Nke a mere m ji dọọ ha aka na ntị megide ire nri nʼụbọchị ahụ.

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 Ndị si obodo Taịa, bụ ndị birila na Jerusalem nọ na-ebubata azụ na ngwa ahịa ndị ọzọ dị iche iche, na-ere ha na Juda, nakwa na Jerusalem nʼụbọchị izuike.

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 A baara m ndị a na-asọpụrụ na Juda mba, si ha, “Gịnị bụ ihe ọjọọ nke a unu na-eme, na-emerụ ụbọchị izuike?

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 Ọ bụghị otu ihe a ka nna nna unu ha mere, nke mere na Chineke wetara ọdachi a tụkwasị anyị nakwa obodo a? Ugbu a, unu na-akpali ọnụma tụkwasị na nke dị megide Izrel site nʼimerụ ụbọchị izuike?”

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 Nʼihi nke a, enyere m iwu na a ga-emechi ọnụ ụzọ ama Jerusalem nʼuhuruchi tupu ụbọchị izuike, ruo mgbe ụbọchị izuike gafesịrị. Emere m ka ụfọdụ ndị ohu m na-anọ na nche nʼebe ahụ, ịhụ na ọ dịghị onye ahịa ọbụla ga-abata nʼime obodo Jerusalem nʼụbọchị izuike.

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 Ya mere, ndị na-azụ ahịa na ndị na-ere ụdị ngwa ahịa dị iche iche, na-anọ ọnọdụ abalị nʼazụ Jerusalem, otu gboro maọbụ ugboro abụọ.

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

21 Ma a dọrọ ha aka na ntị, sị, “Gịnị ka unu ji na-anọ ọnọdụ abalị nʼakụkụ mgbidi a? Ọ bụrụ na unu eme ya ọzọ, aga m enye iwu ka e jide unu.” Site nʼụbọchị ahụ gaa nʼihu, ha abịakwaghị ọzọ nʼụbọchị izuike.

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 Mgbe ahụ, enyere m ndị Livayị iwu ka ha doo onwe ha ọcha, nọọkwa na nche nʼọnụ ụzọ ama, ịhụ na onye ọbụla doro ụbọchị izuike nsọ. Chineke m, biko, cheta m nʼihi ihe ọma ndị a niile, nwee amara nʼebe m nọ, dịka ịba ụba nke obi ebere gị si dị.

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 Ọzọ, nʼụbọchị ndị ahụ a hụrụ m ndị ikom Juda ndị lụtara ndị inyom site nʼetiti ndị Ashdọd, na ndị Amọn, na ndị Moab,

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

24 chọpụtakwa na ọkara nʼetiti ụmụ ha na-asụ naanị asụsụ ndị Ashdọd, maọbụ otu asụsụ nke ndị mba ọzọ, ma ha amaghị asụsụ Juda ma ọlị.

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 Ya mere, abaara m ha mba, bụkwaa ha ọnụ. Ụfọdụ ha ka m tiri ihe, dọọkwa ha nʼagịrị isi. Emesịa, emere m ka ha ṅụọ iyi nʼaha Chineke si: “Unu agaghị ekwekwa ka ụmụ ndị ikom na ndị inyom unu lụọ ndị mba ọzọ ma unu onwe unu agakwaghị alụtara ụmụ unu, maọbụ onwe unu, ndị inyom ndị mba ọzọ.

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 Ọ bụghị ọlụlụ di na nwunye dị otu a wetara ọdịda Solomọn? O nweghị eze ọzọ dị na mba ọbụla a pụrụ iji tụnyere Solomọn, nʼihi na Chineke ya hụrụ ya nʼanya mee ya eze ndị Izrel niile. Ma ọ bụ ndị nwunye mba ọzọ ọ lụrụ dubara ya na mmehie ikpere arụsị.

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 Ugbu a, ọ bụ ka anyị gere na ntị na unu onwe unu na-emekwa ajọ ihe dị otu a, na unu ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi nye Chineke anyị, site nʼịlụ ndị inyom ndị mba ọzọ?”

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

28 Ya mere, esitere m nʼebe m nọ chụpụ otu nʼime ụmụ ndị ikom Joiada, nwa Eliashib, onyeisi nchụaja, onye bụ ọgọ Sanbalat onye Hor.

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 Cheta ha, Chineke m, nʼihi na ha merụrụ ọrụ nchụaja, na ọgbụgba ndụ ọrụ nchụaja, na nke ndị Livayị.

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

30 Ya mere, e doro m ndị nchụaja, na ndị Livayị ọcha, wezugakwa ihe ọbụla nke na-ekwesighị nʼebe ha nọ. E kenyere m ha ọrụ, onye ọbụla nʼije ozi ya.

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

31 Emekwara m ka a na-ebubata nkụ nke ebe ịchụ aja nʼoge kwesiri, meekwa ka a na-ewebata onyinye mkpụrụ mbụ niile nʼoge ha. Cheta m Chineke, gosi m ihuọma gị.

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