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,
On that day there was read in the scroll of Moses, in the ears of the people, and it has been found written in it that an Ammonite and Moabite does not come into the assembly of God for all time,
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 have not come before the sons of Israel with bread and with water, and hire against them Balaam to revile them, and our God turns the reviling into a blessing.
3 Watu waliposikia sheria hii, waliwatenga watu wote wasio Waisraeli waliokuwa wa uzao wa kigeni.
And it comes to pass, at their hearing the Law, that they separate all the mixed people from 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 Eliashib the priest, appointed over chambers of the house of our God, [is] a relation of Tobiah,
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 makes for him a great chamber, and there they were formerly putting the present, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the oil—the commanded thing of the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers—and the raised-offering 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,
And during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I came to the king, and at the end of days I have asked 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 come to Jerusalem, and understand concerning the evil that Eliashib has done for Tobiah, to make to him a chamber in the courts of the house of God,
8 Nilikasirika sana na nikavitupa nje vyombo vyote vya Tobia.
and it is very displeasing to me, and I cast all the vessels of the house of Tobiah outside, out of the chamber,
9 Nilitoa amri kutakasa vyumba, kisha nikavirudisha vifaa vya nyumba ya Mungu, pamoja na sadaka za nafaka na uvumba.
and I command, and they cleanse the chambers, and I bring back there the vessels of the house of God with the present 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 know that the portions of the Levites have not been given, and they flee each 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 strive with the prefects, and say, “Why has the house of God been forsaken?” And I gather them, and set them on their station;
12 Yuda wote walileta zaka za nafaka, divai mpya na mafuta kwenye ghala.
and all Judah has brought in the tithe of the grain, and of the new wine, and of the oil, to 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.
And I appoint treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites; and by their hand [is] Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they have been reckoned steadfast, and on them [it is] to give a portion to their brothers.
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.
Be mindful of me, O my God, for this, and do not blot out my kind acts that I have done, for the house of my God, and for its charges.
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 have seen in Judah those treading wine-vats on Sabbath, and bringing in the sheaves, and loading on the donkeys, and also, wine, grapes, and figs, and every burden, indeed, they are bringing into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, and I testify in the day of their selling provision.
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 the Tyrians have dwelt in it, bringing in fish, and every ware, and selling on Sabbath to the sons of Judah and in Jerusalem.
17 Niliwakemea wakuu wa Yuda na kuwaambia, “Ni uovu gani huu mnaofanya wa kuinajisi siku ya Sabato?
And I strive with the nobles of Judah, and say to them, “What [is] this evil thing that you are doing, and defiling 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.”
Thus did not your fathers do? And our God brings in on us all this evil, and on this city, and you are adding fierceness on Israel, to defile 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 comes to pass, when the gates of Jerusalem have been dark before the Sabbath, that I command, and the doors are shut, and I command that they do not open them until after the Sabbath; and of my servants I have stationed at the gates; there does not come in a burden on the Sabbath day.
20 Mara moja au mbili wachuuzi na wauzaji wa bidhaa za aina zote walilala usiku nje ya mji wa Yerusalemu.
And they lodge—the merchants and sellers of all ware—at the outside of 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.
and I testify against them, and say to them, “Why are you lodging in front of the wall? If you repeat [it], I put forth a hand on you”; from that time they have not come in 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 command to the Levites that they be cleansed, and coming in, keeping the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Also, this, remember for me, O my God, and have pity on me, according to the abundance of Your kindness.
23 Zaidi ya hayo, niliona Wayahudi waliokuwa wameoa wanawake kutoka Ashdodi, Amoni na Moabu.
Also, in those days, I have seen the Jews [who] have settled women of Ashdod, of Ammon, of Moab.
24 Nusu ya watoto wao walizungumza lugha ya Kiashidodi au lugha ya watu wengine, bali hawakuweza kuzungumza Kiyahudi.
And of their sons, half are speaking Ashdoditish—and are not knowing to speak Jewish—and according to the language of people and people.
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 strive with them, and declare them vile, and strike certain of them, and pluck off their hair, and cause them to swear by God, “You do not give your daughters to their sons, nor do you take of their daughters to your sons, and to yourselves.
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.
By these did not Solomon king of Israel sin? And among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God makes him king over all Israel—even him [whom] the strange women caused to sin.
27 Je, tulazimike sasa kusikia kwamba ninyi pia mmefanya uovu huu mkubwa na kutokuwa waaminifu kwa Mungu wetu kwa kuoa wanawake wa kigeni?”
And do we listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God, to settle strange women?”
28 Mmoja wa wana wa Yoyada mwana wa Eliashibu kuhani mkuu alikuwa mkwewe Sanbalati Mhoroni. Nami nilimfukuza mbele yangu.
And [one] of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest, [is] son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, and I cause him to flee from off me.
29 Ee Mungu wangu, uwakumbuke, kwa sababu wamenajisi ukuhani, na agano la kikuhani na la Walawi.
Be mindful of them, O my God, for the redeemed of the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.
30 Kwa hiyo niliwatakasa makuhani na Walawi kutokana na chochote kilichokuwa cha kigeni, na kuwapa wajibu, kila mmoja katika kazi yake.
And I have cleansed them from every stranger, and appoint charges to priests and to Levites, each in 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 for the wood-offering at appointed times, and for first-fruits. Be mindful of me, O my God, for good.
