Ezera 10

1 Awo Ezera bwe yali ng’asaba, ng’ayatula ebibi mu lwatu, ng’akaaba, era ng’avunnamye mu maaso g’ennyumba ya Katonda, ekibiina ekinene eky’Abayisirayiri, abasajja, n’abakyala, n’abaana ne bakuŋŋaana gy’ali, nabo nga bakaaba nnyo nnyini.

While I was kneeling down in front of the temple and praying and crying, I was confessing [the sins that the Israeli people had committed]. Many people, men and women and children, gathered around me and also cried very much.

2 Awo Sekaniya mutabani wa Yekyeri, omu ku bazzukulu ba Eramu n’agamba Ezera nti, “Tetubadde beesigwa eri Katonda waffe, kubanga twawasa abakazi bannaggwanga ab’oku mawanga agatwetoolodde. Naye newaakubadde nga twakola bwe tutyo, wakyaliwo essuubi eri Isirayiri.

Then Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel from the clan of Elam, said this to me: “We have disobeyed God. [Some of] us have married women who are not Israelis. But we can still confidently expect [Yahweh to be merciful to] us Israeli people.

3 Noolwekyo tukole endagaano ne Katonda waffe tuve ku bakazi abo bonna n’abaana be twabazaalamu, ng’okuteesa kwa mukama wange n’abo abatya ebiragiro bya Katonda waffe bwe kuli, era kikolebwe ng’etteeka bwe litulagira.

We will do what you, and the others who have an awesome respect for what our God has commanded, tell us to do. We will do what God told us in his laws. We will make an agreement with our God, saying that we will divorce our wives who are not Israelis, and we will send them away with their children.

4 Golokoka kubanga obuvunaanyizibwa obwo buli mu mukono gwo era tuli beeteefuteefu okukuwagira, noolwekyo guma omwoyo okikole.”

(It is your responsibility to/Because you are our leader, you must) [tell us what to do]. So get up, and be courageous, and do [what is necessary]. We will (support you/tell people to do what you say).”

5 Awo Ezera n’agolokoka n’alayiza bakabona abakulu n’Abaleevi ne Isirayiri yenna okukola nga bwe kyateesebwa. Ne balayira.

So I stood up and demanded that the leaders of the priests, the [other] descendants of Levi, and all [the other] Israeli people solemnly declare that they would do what Shecaniah said that they should do. So they all solemnly promised to do that.

6 Ezera n’agolokoka n’ava mu maaso g’ennyumba ya Katonda n’agenda mu kisenge kya Yekokanani mutabani wa Eriyasibu, naye n’atalya mmere newaakubadde okunywa amazzi ng’akyanakuwalidde obutali bwesigwa bw’abaawaŋŋangusibwa.

Then I went away from the front of the temple and went to the room where Jehohanan lived. I stayed there that night, but I did not eat or drink anything. I was still sad because some of the Israelis who had returned [from Babylonia] had not faithfully obeyed [God’s laws].

7 Awo ekirango ne kiyisibwa mu Yuda yonna ne mu Yerusaalemi nti abawaŋŋangusibwa abaakomawo bakuŋŋaanire mu Yerusaalemi.

Then we sent a message to all [the people in] Jerusalem and [in other towns in] Judah, saying that all those who had returned [from Babylonia] should come to Jerusalem immediately.

8 Era ne kigambibwa nti omuntu yenna aliba tazze mu nnaku ssatu, alifiirwa ebintu bye byonna, ate n’agobebwa ne mu kuŋŋaaniro lya baawaŋŋangusibwa.

We said that if any of them did not arrive within three days, the leaders of the people would order that all the property of those people would be taken from them, and that they would no longer be considered to belong to the Israeli people; [they would be considered to be foreigners].

9 Mu nnaku ssatu, abasajja bonna aba Yuda ne Benyamini ne bakuŋŋaanira e Yerusaalemi. Awo ku lunaku olw’amakumi abiri olw’omwezi ogw’omwenda abantu bonna ne batuula mu luggya olugazi mu maaso g’ennyumba ya Katonda nga banakuwavu olw’ensonga eyo ate era n’olw’enkuba eyatonnya.

So within three days, on December 19, all the people of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem. They were there, sitting in the courtyard in front of the temple. They were trembling because it was raining hard and because they were worried [that they would be punished for what they had done].

10 Awo Ezera kabona n’ayimirira n’abagamba nti, “Mwayonoona bwe mwawasa abakazi bannamawanga ne mwongera ku musango gwa Isirayiri.

Then I stood up and said to them, “[Some of] you men have committed a very bad sin. You have married women who are not Israelis. By doing that, you have made us Israeli people more guilty [than we were before].

11 Kaakano mwatule ebibi byammwe eri Mukama Katonda wa bajjajjammwe, mukole ebyo by’asiima. Mweyawule ku mawanga agabeetoolodde era muleke n’abakazi bannamawanga.”

So now you must confess to Yahweh, the God whom your ancestors [worshiped/belonged to], the sin which you have committed, and you must do what he wants. Separate yourselves from the people of other nations and from the women from those nations whom you have married.”

12 Awo ekibiina kyonna ne kiddamu n’eddoboozi ery’omwanguka nti, “Oli mutuufu, tuteekwa okukola nga bw’ogambye.

The whole group answered, shouting loudly, “Yes, what you have said is right! We will do what you have said.”

13 Naye abantu bangi, era n’ekiseera kya nkuba, tetuyinza kuyimirira bweru. N’ensonga eyookubiri, omulimu guno teguyinza kukolebwa mu lunaku lumu oba mu nnaku bbiri, kubanga twonoonye nnyo nnyini mu kigambo ekyo.

But then [one of] them said, “But we are a very large group, and it is raining hard. Also, there are many of us who have committed this bad sin. This is something that we cannot (take care of/handle) in one or two days, and we cannot stand here in this rain.

14 Abakulu baffe beeyimirire olukuŋŋaana lwonna, na buli muntu awamu n’abakadde n’abalamuzi aba buli kibuga mu bibuga byaffe eyawasa omukazi omunnaggwanga, ajje mu kiseera ekiragaane alongoose ensonga eyo, okutuusa obusungu bwa Katonda waffe lwe bulituvaako olw’ekigambo ekyo.”

So allow our leaders to decide for all of us what we should do. Tell everyone who has married a woman who is not Israeli to come at a time that you decide. They should come with the elders and judges from each city. If we do that, our God will stop being angry with us [because of what we have done].”

15 Yonasaani mutabani wa Asakeri ne Yozeya mutabani wa Tikuva, nga bawagirwa Mesullamu ne Sabbesayi Omuleevi be bokka abawakanya ekiteeso ekyo.

Jonathan the son of Asahel, Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah, Meshullam, and Shabbethai, a descendant of Levi, were the only ones who objected to this.

16 Awo abaava mu buwaŋŋanguse ne bakola ng’ekiteeso bwe kyali. Ezera kabona n’abaalondebwa ku bakulu b’ennyumba, omu mu buli nnyumba ne baawulibwa mu mannya gaabwe. Ku lunaku olw’olubereberye olw’omwezi ogw’ekkumi ne batuula okunoonyereza ku bigambo ebyo;

All the others who had returned from Babylonia said that they would do it. So I chose leaders of each of the clans, and I wrote down their names. On December 29, these men came and sat down to investigate the matter.

17 ku lunaku olw’olubereberye olw’omwezi ogw’olubereberye ne bamaliriza ensonga eyo ey’abasajja bonna abaali bawasizza abakazi abannamawanga.

By March 27 of the next year they finished determining which men had married women who were not Israelis.

18 Mu lulyo olwa bakabona, abaali bawasizza abakazi bannamawanga baali: Maaseya, ne Eryeza ne Yalibu ne Gedaliya bazzukulu ba Yesuwa mutabani wa Yozadaki ne baganda be.

This is a list of the names of the priests who had married non-Israeli women, and the clans to which they belonged. From the clan of Jeshua and his brothers, who were sons of Jehozadak, there were Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.

19 Ne bamalirira okulekayo bakazi baabwe abo, n’omutango gwe baawaayo olw’omusango gwali ndiga nnume.

They solemnly promised to divorce their wives, and they each sacrificed a ram to be an offering [to atone] for their sins.

20 Ku bazzukulu ba Immeri: Kanani ne Zebadiya.

From the clan of Immer there were Hanani and Zebadiah.

21 Ku bazzukulu ba Kalimu: Maaseya, ne Eriya, ne Semaaya, ne Yekyeri ne Uzziya.

From the clan of Harim there were Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.

22 Ku bazzukulu ba Pasukuli: Eriwenayi, ne Maaseya, ne Isimayiri, ne Nesaneri, ne Yozabadi ne Erasa.

From the clan of Pashhur there were Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

23 Ku Baleevi: Yozabadi, ne Simeeyi, ne Keraya (era ye Kerita), ne Pesakiya, ne Yuda ne Eryeza.

The [other] descendants of Levi [who had married non-Israeli women] were Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (whose other name was Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

24 Ku bayimbi: Eriyasibu, ne ku baakuumanga wankaaki: Sallumu, ne Teremu ne Uli.

There was Eliashib the musician. From the temple guards there were Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

25 Mu Bayisirayiri abalala: Ku bazzukulu ba Palosi: Lamiya, ne Izziya, ne Malukiya, ne Miyamini, ne Eriyazaali, ne Malukiya ne Benaya.

This is a list of the names of the other Israelis who had married foreign wives: From the clan of Parosh there were Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, and Benaiah.

26 Ku bazzukulu ba Eramu: Mattaniya, ne Zekkaliya, ne Yekyeri, ne Abudi, ne Yeremoosi ne Eriya.

From the clan of Elam there were Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.

27 Ku bazzukulu ba Zattu: Eriwenayi, ne Eriyasibu, ne Mattaniya, ne Yeremoosi, ne Zabadi, ne Aziza.

From the clan of Zattu there were Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.

28 Ku bazzukulu ba Bebayi: Yekokanani, ne Kananiya, ne Zabbayi ne Asulaayi.

From the clan of Bebai there were Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

29 Ku bazzukulu ba Bani: Mesullamu, ne Malluki, ne Adaya, ne Yasubu, ne Seyaali ne Yeremoosi.

From the clan of Bani there were Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.

30 Ku bazzukulu ba Pakasumowaabu: Aduna, ne Kerali, ne Benaya, ne Maaseya, ne Mattaniya, ne Bezaleeri, ne Binnuyi ne Manase.

From the clan of Pahath-Moab there were Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.

31 Ku bazzukulu ba Kalimu: Eryeza, ne Isusiya, ne Malukiya, ne Semaaya, ne Simyoni,

From the clan of Harim there were Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 ne Benyamini, ne Malluki, ne Semaliya.

Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

33 Ku bazzukulu ba Kasumu: Mattenayi, ne Mattata, ne Zabadi, ne Erifereti, ne Yeremayi, ne Manase, ne Simeeyi.

From the clan of Hashum there were Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

34 Ku bazzukulu ba Baani: Maadayi, ne Amulaamu, ne Uweri,

From the clan of Bigvai there were Maadai, Amram, Uel,

35 ne Benaya, ne Bedeya, ne Keruki,

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi,

36 ne Vaniya, ne Meremoosi, ne Eriyasibu,

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 ne Mattaniya, ne Mattenayi, ne Yaasu,

Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.

38 ne Bani, ne Binnuyi, ne Simeeyi,

From the clan of Binnui there were Shimei,

39 ne Seremiya, ne Nasani, ne Adaya,

Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

40 ne Makunadebayi, ne Sasayi, ne Salaayi,

Macnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 ne Azaleri, ne Seremiya, ne Semaliya,

Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 ne Sallumu, ne Amaliya ne Yusufu.

Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

43 Ku bazzukulu ba Nebo: Yeyeri, ne Mattisiya, ne Zabadi, ne Zebina, ne Iddo, ne Yoweeri ne Benaya.

From the clan of Nebo there were Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.

44 Abo bonna baali bawasizza abakazi bannamawanga, n’abamu ku bo nga babazaddemu abaana.

Each of those men had married a woman who was not an Israeli. [But immediately] they divorced those women and sent them and their children away.