Nehemia 13
1 Siku hiyo, Kitabu cha Mose kilisomwa kwa sauti kuu, na watu wote wakasikia. Humo ilionekana imeandikwa kwamba hakuna Mwamoni wala Mmoabu atakayeruhusiwa katika kusanyiko la watu wa Mungu,
In that day they read in the book of Moses in the ears of the people; and it was found written in it, that the Ammonites and Moabites should not enter into the congregation of God for ever;
2 kwa sababu hawakuwalaki Waisraeli kwa chakula na maji. Badala yake walimwajiri Balaamu kuwalaani (lakini hata hivyo Mungu wetu aligeuza laana kuwa baraka).
because they met not the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them: but our God turned the curse into a blessing.
3 Watu waliposikia sheria hii, waliwatenga watu wote wasio Waisraeli waliokuwa wa uzao wa kigeni.
And it came to pass, when they heard the law, that they were separated, [even] every alien in Israel.
4 Kabla ya hili, kuhani Eliashibu alikuwa amewekwa kuwa msimamizi wa vyumba vya ghala ya nyumba ya Mungu wetu. Alikuwa na uhusiano wa karibu na Tobia,
And before this time Eliasib the priest lived in the treasury of the house of our God, connected with Tobias;
5 naye alikuwa amempa Tobia chumba kikubwa ambacho mwanzo kilikuwa kikitumika kuweka sadaka za nafaka, uvumba na vyombo vya Hekalu, pamoja na zaka za nafaka, divai mpya na mafuta waliyoagizwa Waisraeli kwa ajili ya Walawi, waimbaji na mabawabu wa lango, pamoja na matoleo kwa makuhani.
and he made himself a great treasury, and there they were formerly in the habit of bestowing the offerings, and the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithe of the corn, and the wine, and the oil, the ordered portion of the Levites, and singers, and porters; and the first fruits of the priests.
6 Lakini wakati haya yote yalipokuwa yakitendeka, sikuwa Yerusalemu, kwa kuwa katika mwaka wa thelathini na mbili wa utawala wa Artashasta mfalme wa Babeli nilikuwa nimerudi kwa mfalme. Baadaye nilimwomba ruhusa,
But in all this [time] I was not in Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Arthasastha king of Babylon I came to the king, and after a certain time I made my request of the king;
7 nikarudi Yerusalemu. Hapo niligundua jambo la uovu alilofanya Eliashibu kwa kumpa Tobia chumba katika nyua za nyumba ya Mungu.
and I came to Jerusalem, and I understood the mischief which Eliasib had done in the case of Tobias, in making for him a treasury in the court of the house of God.
8 Nilikasirika sana na nikavitupa nje vyombo vyote vya Tobia.
And it appeared very evil to me: so I cast forth all the furniture of the house of Tobias from the treasury.
9 Nilitoa amri kutakasa vyumba, kisha nikavirudisha vifaa vya nyumba ya Mungu, pamoja na sadaka za nafaka na uvumba.
And I gave orders, and they purified the treasuries: and I restored there the vessels of the house of God, [and] the offerings, and the frankincense.
10 Pia niligundua kuwa mafungu yaliyopangwa kupewa Walawi hawakuwa wamepewa, nao Walawi wote na waimbaji waliowajibika kwa huduma walikuwa wamerudi katika mashamba yao.
And I understood that the portion of the Levites had not been given: and they had fled every one to his field, the Levites and the singers doing the work.
11 Basi niliwakemea maafisa na kuwauliza, “Kwa nini nyumba ya Mungu imepuuzwa?” Kisha niliwaita pamoja na kuwaweka kwenye nafasi zao.
And I strove with the commanders, and said, Therefore has the house of God been abandoned? and I assembled them, and set them in their place.
12 Yuda wote walileta zaka za nafaka, divai mpya na mafuta kwenye ghala.
And all Juda brought a tithe of the wheat and the wine and the oil into the treasuries,
13 Nikamweka kuhani Shelemia, mwandishi Sadoki, na Mlawi aliyeitwa Pedaya kuwa wasimamizi wa ghala, na kumfanya Hanani mwana wa Zakuri, mwana wa Matania kuwa msaidizi wao, kwa sababu watu hawa walionekana kuwa waaminifu. Walipewa wajibu wa kugawa mahitaji kwa ndugu zao.
to the charge of Selemia the priest, and Sadoc the scribe, and Phadaea of the Levites: and next to them [was] Anan the son of Zacchur, son of Matthanias; for they were accounted faithful: [it was] their office to distribute to their brethren.
14 Ee Mungu wangu, unikumbuke kwa hili, wala usifute kile nilichokifanya kwa uaminifu kwa ajili ya nyumba ya Mungu wangu na kwa ajili ya huduma yake.
Remember me, O God, in this, and let not my kindness be forgotten which I have wrought in [regard to] the house of the Lord God.
15 Siku hizo nikaona watu katika Yuda wakikanyaga mashinikizo ya divai siku ya Sabato na kuleta nafaka wakiwapakiza punda, pamoja na divai, zabibu, tini na aina nyingine za mizigo. Nao walikuwa wakileta haya yote Yerusalemu siku ya Sabato. Kwa hiyo niliwaonya dhidi ya kuuza vyakula siku hiyo.
In those days I saw in Juda [men] treading wine presses on the sabbath, and carrying sheaves, and loading asses with both wine, and grapes, and figs, and every [kind of] burden, and bringing them into Jerusalem on the sabbath-day:
16 Watu kutoka Tiro waliokuwa wakiishi Yerusalemu walileta samaki na aina nyingi za bidhaa na kuziuza Yerusalemu siku ya Sabato kwa watu wa Yuda.
and I testified in the day of their sale. Also their lived in it [men] bringing fish, and selling every [kind of] merchandise to the children of Juda and in Jerusalem on the sabbath.
17 Niliwakemea wakuu wa Yuda na kuwaambia, “Ni uovu gani huu mnaofanya wa kuinajisi siku ya Sabato?
And I strove with the free children of Juda, and said to them, What [is] this evil thing which you do, and profane the sabbath-day?
18 Je, baba zenu hawakufanya mambo kama haya, hata wakamsababisha Mungu wetu kuleta maafa haya yote juu yetu na juu ya mji huu? Sasa bado mnazidi kuchochea ghadhabu yake dhidi ya Israeli kwa kuinajisi Sabato.”
Did not your fathers thus, and our God brought upon them and upon us and upon this city all these evils? and do you bring additional wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath?
19 Wakati vivuli vya jioni vilipoangukia juu ya malango ya Yerusalemu kabla ya Sabato, niliamuru milango ifungwe, wala isifunguliwe mpaka Sabato iishe. Nikawaweka baadhi ya watu wangu mwenyewe kwenye malango ili pasiwepo mzigo utakaoingizwa ndani siku ya Sabato.
And it came to pass, when the gates were set up in Jerusalem, before the sabbath, that I spoke, and they shut the gates; and I gave orders that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and I set [some] of my servants at the gates, that none should bring [in] burdens on the sabbath-day.
20 Mara moja au mbili wachuuzi na wauzaji wa bidhaa za aina zote walilala usiku nje ya mji wa Yerusalemu.
So all [the merchants] lodged, and carried on traffic without Jerusalem once or twice.
21 Lakini niliwaonya na kuwaambia, “Kwa nini mnalala karibu na ukuta? Kama mkifanya hivi tena, nitawaadhibu.” Kuanzia wakati ule hawakuja tena siku ya Sabato.
Then I testified against them, and said to them, Why do you lodge in front of the wall? if you do so again, I will stretch out my hand upon you. From that time they came not on the sabbath.
22 Kisha nikawaamuru Walawi kujitakasa na kwenda kulinda malango ili kutunza Sabato iwe takatifu. Ee Mungu wangu, unikumbuke kwa ajili ya hili pia, nawe unionyeshe wema wako sawasawa na upendo wako mkuu.
and I told the Levites who were purifying themselves, and came and kept the gates, that they should sanctify the sabbath-day. Remember me, O God, for these things, and spare me according to the abundance of your mercy.
23 Zaidi ya hayo, niliona Wayahudi waliokuwa wameoa wanawake kutoka Ashdodi, Amoni na Moabu.
And in those days I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, [and] of Moab:
24 Nusu ya watoto wao walizungumza lugha ya Kiashidodi au lugha ya watu wengine, bali hawakuweza kuzungumza Kiyahudi.
and their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod, and did not know how to speak in the Jewish language.
25 Niliwakemea na kuwalaani. Niliwapiga baadhi ya watu na kungʼoa nywele zao. Niliwaapisha kwa jina la Mungu na kusema: “Msiwaoze binti zenu kwa wana wao, wala binti zao wasiolewe na wana wenu wala ninyi wenyewe.
And I strove with them and cursed them; and I struck some of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, [saying, ]You shall not give your daughters to their sons, and you shall not take of their daughters to your sons.
26 Je, Solomoni hakutenda dhambi kwa sababu ya wanawake wa namna hiyo? Miongoni mwa mataifa mengi hapakuwepo mfalme kama yeye. Alipendwa na Mungu wake. Naye Mungu alimweka kuwa mfalme juu ya Israeli yote, lakini hata yeye, wanawake wa mataifa mengine walimfanya atende dhambi.
Did not Solomon king of Israel sin thus? though there was no king like him among many nations, and he was beloved of God, and God made him king over all Israel; yet strange women turned him aside.
27 Je, tulazimike sasa kusikia kwamba ninyi pia mmefanya uovu huu mkubwa na kutokuwa waaminifu kwa Mungu wetu kwa kuoa wanawake wa kigeni?”
So we will not listen to you to do all this evil, to break covenant with our God, —to marry strange wives.
28 Mmoja wa wana wa Yoyada mwana wa Eliashibu kuhani mkuu alikuwa mkwewe Sanbalati Mhoroni. Nami nilimfukuza mbele yangu.
and Elisub the high priest, [one] of the sons of Joada, [being] son-in-law of Sanaballat the Uranite, I chased him away from me.
29 Ee Mungu wangu, uwakumbuke, kwa sababu wamenajisi ukuhani, na agano la kikuhani na la Walawi.
Remember them, O God, for their [false] connection with the priesthood, and [the breaking] the covenant of the priesthood, and [for defiling] the Levites.
30 Kwa hiyo niliwatakasa makuhani na Walawi kutokana na chochote kilichokuwa cha kigeni, na kuwapa wajibu, kila mmoja katika kazi yake.
So I purged them from all foreign connection, and established courses for the priests and the Levites, [every] man according to his work.
31 Pia nilihakikisha kwamba matoleo ya kuni yaliletwa kwa wakati unaopaswa, na malimbuko kwa wakati wake. Ee Mungu wangu, unikumbuke, unitendee mema.
And the offering of the wood-bearers [was] at certain set times, and in the [times of the] first fruits. Remember me, O our God, for good.
