Neyemi 12
1 Tala Banganga-Nzambe mpe Balevi oyo bawutaki na bowumbu elongo na Zorobabeli, mwana mobali ya Shealitieli, mpe Jozue: Seraya, Jeremi, Esidrasi,
[Many] priests and [other] descendants of Levi returned (from Babylonia/to Jerusalem) with Zerubbabel and Jeshua. They included Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2 Amaria, Maluki, Atushi,
Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
3 Shekania, Rewumi, Meremoti,
Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4 Ido, Ginetoyi, Abiya,
Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah,
5 Miyamini, Maadia, Biliga,
Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah,
6 Shemaya, Yoyaribi, Yedaeya,
Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,
7 Salu, Amoki, Ilikia, Yedaeya. Bango nde bazalaki bakambi ya Banganga-Nzambe elongo na baninga na bango na tango ya Jozue.
Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. All those men were leaders of the priests during the time that Jeshua [was the Supreme Priest].
8 Kati na Balevi, ezalaki na Jozue, Binuwi, Kadimieli, Sherebia, Yuda mpe Matania oyo, elongo na baninga na ye ya mosala, azalaki mokambi ya banzembo ya matondi.
[Some of the other] descendants of Levi who returned were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah. They were in charge of singing songs to thank [God].
9 Bakibukia mpe Uni, baninga na bango ya mosala, bazalaki kosala mosala na bango na ngambo mosusu.
Bakbukiah, Unni, and other descendants of Levi formed a choir that stood opposite the other group [and sang in reply to them].
10 Jozue abotaki Yoakimi, Yoakimi abotaki Eliashibi, Eliashibi abotaki Yoyada,
Jeshua [who was the Supreme Priest] was the father of Joiakim, who was the father of Eliashib, who was the father of Joiada,
11 Yoyada abotaki Jonatan, Jonatan abotaki Yaduwa.
who was the father of Jonathan, who was the father of Jaddua.
12 Tala bato oyo bazalaki bakambi ya mabota ya Banganga-Nzambe tango Yoakimi azalaki mokonzi: mpo na libota ya Seraya: Meraya; mpo na libota ya Jeremi: Anania;
When Joiakim was the Supreme Priest, these were the leaders of the clans of priests: Meraiah, from [the clan of] Seraiah; Hananiah, from [the clan of] Jeremiah;
13 mpo na libota ya Esidrasi: Meshulami; mpo na libota ya Amaria: Yoanani;
Meshullam, from [the clan of] Ezra; Jehohanan, from [the clan of] Amariah;
14 mpo na libota ya Meluki: Jonatan; mpo na libota ya Shebania: Jozefi;
Jonathan, from [the clan of] Malluch; Joseph, from [the clan of] Shecaniah;
15 mpo na libota ya Arimi: Adina; mpo na libota ya Merayoti: Elikayi;
Adna, from [the clan of] Harim; Helkai, from [the clan of] Meremoth/Maraioth;
16 mpo na libota ya Ido: Zakari; mpo na libota ya Ginetoni: Meshulami;
Zechariah, from [the clan of] Iddo; Meshullam, from [the clan of] Ginnethon;
17 mpo na libota ya Abiya: Zikiri; mpo na libota ya Minyamini: Moadia, Pilitayi;
Zicri, from [the clan of] Abijah. There was also a leader from [the clan of] Miniamin; Piltai, from [the clan of] Moadiah;
18 mpo na libota ya Biliga: Shamuwa; mpo na libota ya Shemaya: Jonatan;
Shammua, from [the clan of] Bilgah; Jehonathan, from [the clan of] Shemaiah;
19 mpo na libota ya Yoyaribi: Matinayi; mpo na libota ya Yedaeya: Uzi;
Mattenai, from [the clan of] Joiarib; Uzzi, from [the clan of] Jedaiah;
20 mpo na libota ya Salu: Kalayi; mpo na libota ya Amoki: Eberi;
Kallai, from [the clan of] Sallu/Sallai; Eber, from [the clan of] Amok;
21 mpo na libota ya Ilikia: Ashabia; mpo na libota ya Yedaeya: Netaneeli.
Hashabiah, from [the clan of] Hilkiah; and Nethanel, from [the clan of] Jedaiah.
22 Na tango ya Eliashibi, Yoyada, Yoanani mpe Yaduwa, bakomaki bakombo ya Balevi oyo bazalaki bakambi ya mabota mpe bakombo ya Banganga-Nzambe na tango ya Dariusi, mokonzi ya Persi.
During the years that Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua [were Supreme Priests], they (wrote/kept a list of) the names of the clans who were descendants of Levi. When Darius was the king of Persia, they stopped writing that list.
23 Bakomaki bakombo ya bakitani ya Levi oyo bazalaki bakambi ya mabota kino na tango ya Yoanani, mwana mobali ya Eliashibi, kati na buku ya bokoko.
They wrote the names of the leaders of the clans who were descendants of Levi in the Book of Events [in Israel], but they stopped writing those names when Eliashib’s grandson Johanan [was the Supreme Priest].
24 Tala bato oyo bazalaki bakambi ya Balevi: Ashabia, Sherebia mpe Jozue, mwana mobali ya Kadimieli, mpe baninga na bango ya mosala. Batelemaki boye: bamoko bazalaki kotalana na bamosusu, mpo na kokumisa mpe kosanzola Yawe kolanda mitindo ya Davidi, moto na Nzambe. Soki bamoko batindi mongongo, bamosusu bazalaki kozongisa.
These are the leaders of the clans [who are] descendants of Levi: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel and others who were divided into two groups. The two groups faced each other, one group replying to the other, during the time that they praised and thanked God. They did that just as King David, the man who served God well, had instructed.
25 Matania, Bakibukia, Abidiasi, Meshulami, Talimoni mpe Akubi, bazalaki bakengeli ya bibombelo oyo ezalaki pene ya bikuke ya Ndako ya Nzambe.
These singers included Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, and Obadiah. The men who guarded the storerooms close to the gates [of the temple] were Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub.
26 Bazalaki kosala mosala na bango na tango ya Yoakimi, mwana mobali ya Jozue mpe koko ya Yotsadaki, mpe na tango ya moyangeli Neyemi mpe Esidrasi, molakisi ya Mobeko mpe Nganga-Nzambe.
They did that work during the time that Joiakim, who was the son of Jeshua and the grandson of Jehozadak, [was the Supreme Priest, ] and I was the governor, and Ezra was the priest who knew the Jewish laws very well.
27 Tango babulisaki mir ya Yelusalemi, babengisaki Balevi na Yelusalemi longwa na bisika oyo bazalaki kovanda, mpo na kosepela na esengo makasi feti ya libulisi na nzela ya banzembo ya kozongisa matondi epai ya Nzambe mpe na nzela ya mindule ya manzanza, ya lindanda mpe ya lire.
When we dedicated the wall around Jerusalem, we summoned the descendants of Levi [who help the priests] from the nearby places where they [were living]. We asked them to [join with us to] celebrate when we dedicated the wall. We wanted them to sing songs to thank [Yahweh] and make music by playing cymbals and harps and other stringed instruments.
28 Babengisaki lisusu bayembi longwa na etuka oyo ezalaki zingazinga ya Yelusalemi, longwa na bamboka mike-mike ya bato ya Netofa,
We summoned the descendants of Levi who habitually sang together. They came to Jerusalem from nearby areas [where they had settled], and from places around Netophah [town southeast of Jerusalem],
29 longwa na Beti-Giligali mpe longwa na etuka ya Geba mpe ya Azimaveti, pamba te bayembi batongaki bamboka na bango ya mike-mike zingazinga ya Yelusalemi.
and from three places [northeast of Jerusalem]—Beth Gilgal [city] and the areas around Geba and Azmaveth. Those singers had built villages to live in near Jerusalem.
30 Tango Banganga-Nzambe mpe Balevi bamipetolaki, bapetolaki mpe bato, bikuke mpe mir.
[When they came to Jerusalem], the priests and [other] descendants of Levi [who help the priests] performed rituals to cause themselves to be acceptable to God, and then they performed similar rituals to purify the [other] people, the gates, and the wall.
31 Namatisaki bakambi ya Yuda likolo ya mir mpe nasalaki masanga mibale ya bayembi mpo na kotonda Nzambe. Lisanga ya liboso ezalaki kotambola na likolo ya mir na ngambo ya loboko ya mobali, na nzela ya Ekuke ya Fulu.
Then I gathered together the leaders of Judah on top of the wall, and I appointed them to lead two large groups to march around the city [on top of the wall], thanking God. [As they faced the city, ] one group walked to the right toward the Dung Gate.
32 Na sima na bango, bato oyo bazalaki kolanda: Oze mpe ndambo ya bakambi ya Yuda,
Behind their leaders marched Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah.
33 Azaria, Esidrasi, Meshulami,
Behind them marched a group of priests who were blowing trumpets. They were Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah. Next came Zechariah, the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, a descendant of Asaph.
34 Yuda, Benjame, Shemaya, Jeremi,
35 ndambo ya Banganga-Nzambe oyo bazalaki na bakelelo na bango, Zakari, mwana mobali ya Jonatan, mwana mobali ya Shemaya, mwana mobali ya Matania, mwana mobali ya Mishe, mwana mobali ya Zakuri, mwana mobali ya Azafi;
36 mpe baninga na ye ya mosala: Shemaya, Azareyeli, Milalayi, Gilalayi, Mayi, Netaneeli, Yuda mpe Anani, oyo bazalaki kobeta bibetelo mindule oyo Davidi, moto na Nzambe, atindaki. Esidrasi, molakisi ya Mobeko, azalaki liboso na bango.
Behind them marched other members of Zechariah’s clan: Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani. They all were playing the same kinds of musical instruments that King David had played [many years previously]. Ezra, the man who knew the Jewish laws very well, marched in front of this group.
37 Na Ekuke ya Etima, liboso na bango, bamataki bibutelo oyo ezalaki komema na engumba ya Davidi, na esika oyo bamatelaka na mir, mpe balekaki likolo ya ndako ya Davidi kino na Ekuke ya Mayi, na ngambo ya este.
When they reached the Fountain Gate, they went up the steps to David’s City, past his palace, and then to the wall at the Water Gate, on the east side [of the city].
38 Lisanga ya mibale ya bayembi ezalaki kotambola na nzela ya ngambo ya loboko ya mwasi. Nazalaki kolanda bango na likolo ya mir elongo na ndambo ya bato, longwa na ndako molayi ya Fulu kino na mir ya monene,
The other group of those who were thanking [Yahweh] marched to the left on top of the wall. I followed them with half of the people. [We marched] past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall.
39 na likolo ya Ekuke ya Efrayimi, ya Ekuke ya Yelusalemi, ya Ekuke ya Mbisi, ya ndako molayi, ya Ananeyeli mpe ya ndako molayi ya Meya kino na Ekuke ya Bameme. Basukelaki na Ekuke ya Boloko.
[From there we marched] past Ephraim Gate, Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, the Tower of the Hundred Soldiers, to the Sheep Gate. We finished marching near the gate into the temple.
40 Masanga nyonso mibale ya bayembi, oyo ezalaki kotonda Nzambe ezwaki esika kati na Tempelo ya Nzambe. Nasalaki mpe lolenge moko mpo na kati-kati ya bakambi ya bato
Both the groups reached the temple while they were thanking God. They stood in their places there. The leaders who were with me [also stood with me in our places].
41 mpe mpo na Banganga-Nzambe oyo: Eliakimi, Maaseya, Minyamini, Mishe, Eliowenayi, Zakari mpe Anania oyo bamemaki bakelelo na bango.
My group included these priests who were [all blowing] trumpets: Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, Hananiah,
42 Ezalaki mpe na Maaseya, Shemaya, Eleazari, Uzi, Yoanani, Malikiya, Elami mpe Ezeri. Masanga ya bayembi ezalaki koyemba na mongongo makasi na bokambami ya Yiziraya.
[another] Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers, whose leader was Jezrahiah, sang loudly.
43 Na mokolo wana, bato babonzaki bambeka ebele mpe bazalaki na esengo mpo ete Nzambe apesaki bango esengo monene. Bongo ezala basi mpe bana, batondaki na esengo mpe koganga ya esengo ya Yelusalemi ezalaki koyokana kino na mosika.
[After we went outside the temple, ] we offered many sacrifices. We men all rejoiced because God had caused us to be very happy. The women and the children also rejoiced. People far away could hear the noise that we made there in Jerusalem.
44 Na tango wana, baponaki mibali mpe bapesaki bango mokumba ya kobatela bibombelo ya makabo, ya bambuma ya liboso mpe ya biteni ya zomi; bapesaki bango mpe mokumba ya kokongola biloko oyo Mobeko ekataki ete ezali mpo na Banganga-Nzambe mpe Balevi, biloko yango esengeli kowuta na bilanga oyo ezingeli bingumba. Solo, bato ya Yuda bazalaki kosepela makasi komona ete Banganga-Nzambe mpe Balevi bazongeli penza mosala na bango,
On that day, men were appointed {they appointed men} to be in charge of the storerooms where they kept the money that people contributed [for the temple]. They also kept there [the other things that the people contributed—] the tithes and the first part of the grain and fruit that was harvested each year. Those men collected those things from the fields/farms near the cities, and [took them to Jerusalem and] gave them to the priests and the [other] descendants of Levi, as [Moses had said in his] laws that they should do. All the Israeli people were happy about the work that the priests and the descendants of Levi did,
45 bazali kosala mosala ya Nzambe na bango mpe mosala ya kopetola, mpe bayembi elongo na bakengeli bikuke bazali kosala mosala na bango kolanda mitindo ya Davidi mpe ya Salomo, mwana na ye ya mobali.
because they performed the rituals to purify things, and the other rituals that God had commanded. The musicians in the temple also did their work as King David and his son Solomon had declared that they should do.
46 Na tango ya Davidi mpe ya Azafi, ezalaki na bakambi ya babeti mindule mpe ya banzembo mpo na kokumisa mpe kozongisa matondi epai ya Nzambe.
Ever since the time that David had been the king and Asaph had been his chief musician, the musicians had led the people while they sang songs to praise and thank God.
47 Na tango ya Zorobabeli mpe ya Neyemi, bato nyonso ya Isalaele bazalaki kopesa, mikolo nyonso, biloko oyo ekatama mpo na babeti mindule mpe bakengeli bikuke; bazalaki mpe kopesa biloko ya bule epai ya Balevi, bongo Balevi mpe, na ngambo na bango, bazalaki kopesa biloko ya bule epai ya bakitani ya Aron.
During the years that Zerubbabel and I governed the Israeli people, they all contributed the food that the singers and temple gatekeepers needed each day. They gave (a tithe/10%) of their crops to the descendants of Levi [who helped the priests], and those descendants of Levi gave (a tithe/10%) of that to [the priests, who were] descendants of Aaron [the first Supreme Priest].
