Yehezkiel 44

1 Kemudian laki-laki itu menuntun aku lagi ke gerbang luar di sebelah timur lingkungan Rumah TUHAN. Gerbang itu tertutup,

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 TUHAN berkata kepadaku, "Gerbang ini harus tetap tertutup dan tak boleh dibuka. Tak seorang pun boleh memasukinya, sebab Aku, TUHAN Allah Israel, telah masuk ke Rumah-Ku melalui gerbang ini. Jadi, gerbang ini harus tetap tertutup.

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 Akan tetapi penguasa yang memerintah boleh pergi ke gerbang itu untuk memakan makanan suci di hadapan-Ku. Dia harus masuk melalui ruang besar dan kembali melalui jalan itu juga."

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 Kemudian laki-laki itu membawa aku ke gerbang utara yang berhadapan dengan Rumah TUHAN. Aku memperhatikan, dan aku melihat Rumah TUHAN itu diliputi oleh cahaya kemilau yang menandakan kehadiran TUHAN. Lalu aku merebahkan diri dan sujud,

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 dan TUHAN berkata kepadaku, "Hai manusia fana, perhatikanlah baik-baik apa yang kaulihat dan yang kaudengar. Aku akan memberitahu kepadamu segala peraturan dan hukum mengenai Rumah-Ku ini. Catatlah baik-baik siapa-siapa yang diizinkan masuk Rumah-Ku dan siapa-siapa yang dilarang.

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 Katakanlah kepada umat Israel yang suka memberontak itu bahwa Aku, TUHAN Yang Mahatinggi, tidak mau lagi membiarkan mereka berbuat najis.

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 Mereka telah mencemarkan Rumah-Ku, sebab sementara lemak dan darah kurban dipersembahkan kepada-Ku, mereka mengizinkan masuk ke dalamnya orang-orang asing yang tidak disunat, dan yang tidak mentaati Aku. Dengan perbuatan-perbuatan mereka yang menjijikkan itu, mereka telah melanggar perjanjian-Ku dengan mereka.

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 Bukannya mereka sendiri yang mengadakan upacara-upacara suci dalam Rumah-Ku, melainkan orang-orang asing yang mereka tugaskan untuk melakukannya.

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 Aku, TUHAN Yang Mahatinggi, mengumumkan bahwa orang asing yang tidak disunat dan orang yang tidak taat kepada-Ku, tidak diperbolehkan masuk Rumah-Ku. Itu berlaku juga untuk orang asing yang tinggal menetap di tengah-tengah bangsa Israel."

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 TUHAN berkata kepadaku, "Aku akan menghukum orang-orang Lewi yang bersama-sama dengan orang-orang Israel lainnya, telah meninggalkan Aku dan menyembah berhala.

[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 Di dalam Rumah-Ku, mereka hanya boleh melayani Aku sebagai karyawan dan penjaga gerbang. Mereka boleh memotong binatang-binatang untuk kurban bakaran dan persembahan, dan mereka wajib untuk selalu melayani umat.

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 Tetapi karena mereka telah melakukan upacara penyembahan berhala untuk bangsa Israel, dan dengan cara itu menyeret bangsa itu ke dalam dosa, maka Aku, TUHAN Yang Mahatinggi, bersumpah bahwa mereka harus dihukum.

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 Mereka tidak boleh lagi melayani Aku sebagai imam atau menyentuh apa yang suci bagi-Ku, atau memasuki tempat Yang Mahasuci. Itulah hukuman atas perbuatan-perbuatan najis yang telah mereka lakukan.

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 Sekarang mereka Kutugaskan untuk melakukan pekerjaan kasar yang perlu dilaksanakan di Rumah-Ku."

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 TUHAN Yang Mahatinggi berkata, "Pada waktu bangsa Israel meninggalkan Aku, imam-imam Lewi dari keturunan Zadok tetap setia melayani Aku di Rumah-Ku. Sebab itu merekalah yang sekarang harus melayani Aku dan datang ke hadapan-Ku untuk mempersembahkan lemak dan darah dari kurban-kurban.

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 Hanya mereka saja yang boleh masuk ke Rumah-Ku, melayani Aku di mezbah-Ku, dan memimpin kebaktian di Rumah-Ku.

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 Pada waktu mereka memasuki pintu gerbang menuju ke pelataran dalam, mereka harus memakai pakaian linen. Tak boleh mereka memakai pakaian dari wol jika sedang bertugas di pelataran dalam, atau di dalam Rumah-Ku.

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 Supaya tidak kepanasan dan berkeringat, mereka harus memakai celana linen tanpa ikat pinggang, dan ikat kepala dari linen.

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 Kalau mereka pergi ke halaman luar, di mana umat berkumpul, imam-imam itu harus menanggalkan pakaian dinas mereka di dalam kamar-kamar suci di Rumah-Ku, lalu memakai pakaian lain, supaya pakaian khusus itu tidak mencelakakan umat.

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 Para imam tidak boleh mencukur gundul kepala mereka, atau membiarkan rambutnya gondrong. Rambut itu harus dipotong pendek menurut aturan yang ditetapkan.

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 Mereka tidak boleh minum anggur kalau mau masuk ke pelataran dalam.

Priests must not drink wine before they enter the inner courtyard.

22 Para imam hanya boleh mengawini gadis-gadis Israel yang masih perawan atau seorang janda imam. Mereka tak boleh mengawini wanita yang diceraikan.

[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 Para imam harus mengajarkan kepada umat-Ku untuk membedakan mana yang dikhususkan untuk-Ku dan mana yang tidak, mana yang bersih menurut agama dan mana yang najis.

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 Kalau timbul perselisihan perkara hukum, mereka harus menyelesaikannya sesuai dengan hukum-hukum-Ku. Mereka harus merayakan pesta-pesta agama, menurut aturan-aturan dan hukum-hukum-Ku, serta menghormati Sabat sebagai hari yang khusus untuk-Ku.

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 Seorang imam tidak boleh menajiskan diri dengan menyentuh mayat, kecuali jenazah orang tuanya, anaknya, saudaranya laki-laki atau saudaranya perempuan yang belum kawin.

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 Setelah ia bersih kembali, ia harus menunggu tujuh hari lagi,

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 lalu pergi ke pelataran dalam Rumah-Ku, dan mempersembahkan kurban untuk membersihkan dirinya supaya ia boleh bertugas lagi di Rumah-Ku. Aku, TUHAN Yang Mahatinggi telah berbicara.

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 Para imam menerima jabatan imam itu sebagai bagian bagi mereka dari apa yang Kuberikan kepada Israel turun-temurun. Mereka tidak boleh memiliki apa-apa di Israel: Akulah harta mereka.

The priests are not permitted to own any property. They will have only what I [provide for them].

29 Mereka harus hidup dari persembahan gandum, kurban penghapus dosa, dan kurban ganti rugi; dan segala sesuatu yang telah dikhususkan untuk-Ku, harus diberikan kepada mereka.

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 Para imam harus diberi bagian yang paling baik dari segala macam hasil panen yang pertama, dan dari apa saja yang dipersembahkan kepada-Ku. Setiap kali bangsa Israel membuat roti, maka roti yang pertama adalah untuk para imam. Maka Aku akan memberkati rumah-rumah bangsa Israel.

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 Burung dan binatang-binatang lain yang mati dengan sendirinya, atau yang diterkam oleh binatang buas, tidak boleh dimakan oleh para imam."

Priests must not eat the flesh of any bird or animal that was found dead or that has been killed by wild animals.’”