Nehemia 13
1 Siku hiyo walisoma Kitabu cha Musa katika masikio ya watu. Ilionekana imeandikwa ndani yake kwamba hakuna Mwamoni au Mmoabu anapaswa kuja katika kusanyiko la Mungu, milele.
On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and there was found written in it that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;
2 Hii ilikuwa kwa sababu hawakuja kwa watu wa Israeli na mkate na maji, bali walikuwa wamemwajiri Balaamu kulaani Israeli. Hata hivyo, Mungu wetu aligeuza laana kuwa baraka.
because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and with water, and had hired Balaam against them, to curse them; but our God turned the curse into blessing.
3 Mara tu waliposikia sheria, waliwatenga Israeli toka kwa kila mgeni.
And it came to pass, when they heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
4 Sasa kabla ya hapo Eliashibu kuhani akawekwa juu ya vyumba vya nyumba ya Mungu wetu. Alikuwa na uhusiano na Tobia.
And before this, Eliashib the priest, who had the oversight of the chambers of the house of our God, a kinsman of Tobijah,
5 Eliashibu alimuandalia Tobia chumba kikubwa, ambako hapo awali waliweka sadaka ya nafaka, uvumba, makala, na sehemu ya kumi ya nafaka, divai, na mafuta, ambazo ziliwekwa kwa ajili ya Walawi, waimbaji, walinzi wa mlango, na michango kwa makuhani.
had prepared for him a great chamber, where formerly they laid the oblations, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine and the oil, which was commanded for the Levites and the singers and the doorkeepers, and the heave-offerings of the priests.
6 Lakini wakati huu wote sikuwepo Yerusalemu. Kwa mwaka wa thelathini na mbili wa Artashasta mfalme wa Babeli, nilikwenda kwa mfalme. Baada ya muda nikamwomba mfalme ruhusa ya kuondoka,
And during all that [time] I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two-and-thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I came to the king; and after some time I obtained leave of the king.
7 na nikarudi Yerusalemu. Nikafahamu mabaya ambayo Eliashibu alikuwa amefanya kwa kumpa Tobia chumba cha kuhifadhi katika mahakama ya nyumba ya Mungu.
And I came to Jerusalem, and observed the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobijah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.
8 Nilikuwa na hasira sana na nikatupa vitabu vya nyumba ya Tobia nje ya chumba cha kuhifadhi.
And it grieved me much, and I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobijah out of the chamber.
9 Niliamuru kwamba watakase vituo vya kuhifadhi, nami nikarudisha ndani yao makala ya nyumba ya Mungu, sadaka ya nafaka, na uvumba.
And I commanded, and they purified the chambers; and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, the oblation and the frankincense.
10 Niligundua kwamba sehemu zilizotolewa kwa ajili ya kuwapa Walawi hazikutolewa kwao, ili waweze kuondoka haraka hekaluni, kila mmoja kwenda shambani kwake, kama waimbaji waliofanya walivyoondoka.
And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given, and that the Levites and the singers that did the work had fled every one to his field.
11 Kwa hiyo nikawasiliana na maafisa na kusema, 'Kwa nini nyumba ya Mungu imeachwa?' Niliwakusanya pamoja na kuwaweka kwenye nafasi zao.
Then I contended with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together and set them in their place.
12 Kisha Yuda wote wakaleta zaka ya nafaka, divai mpya, na mafuta kwenye vituo vya kuhifadhi.
And all Judah brought the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil into the storehouses.
13 Nikawaweka kama watunza hazina juu ya hazina, Shelemia kuhani, na Sadoki mwandishi, na Walawi, Pedaya. Hanani, mwana wa Zakuri, mwana wa Matania, alikuwa na wafuasi wao, kwa sababu walihesabiwa kuwa waaminifu. Kazi yao ilikuwa kusambaza vifaa kwa washirika wao.
And I made storekeepers over the storehouses: Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah; and subordinate to them, Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were esteemed faithful, and their office was to distribute to their brethren.
14 Nikumbuke, Ee Mungu wangu, juu ya hili, wala usiondoe matendo mema niliyoyatenda kwa ajili ya nyumba ya Mungu wangu na huduma zake.
Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds which I have done for the house of my God, and for the charges thereof!
15 Siku hizo nikaona watu wa Yuda waliokanyaga mvinyo siku ya Sabato, na kuleta makundi ya nafaka, na kuwapakia punda, na divai, na zabibu, na tini, na kila aina ya mizigo nzito, waliyoleta Yerusalemu siku ya Sabato. Nikashuhudia kuwa walikuwa wakiuza chakula siku hiyo.
In those days I saw in Judah some treading winepresses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading them on asses; as also wine, grapes and figs, and all manner of burdens; and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; and I protested in the day on which they sold the victuals.
16 Watu kutoka Tiro waliokaa Yerusalemu walileta samaki na kila aina ya bidhaa, na wakawauza siku ya Sabato kwa watu wa Yuda na katika mji!
Men of Tyre also dwelt therein, who brought fish and all manner of ware, and sold it on the sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
17 Kisha nikawaambia viongozi wa Yuda, “Je! ni ubaya gani huu mnafanya, kuinajisi siku ya Sabato?
And I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this which ye do, profaning the sabbath day?
18 Je! Baba zenu hawakufanya hivyo? Je, Mungu wetu hakuleta mabaya haya juu yetu na juu ya mji huu? Sasa unaleta ghadhabu zaidi juu ya Israeli kwa kudharau Sabato.”
Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this city? And ye will bring more wrath against Israel by profaning the sabbath.
19 Mara ilipokuwa giza kwenye milango ya Yerusalemu kabla ya Sabato, niliamuru milango ifungwe na kwamba haifai kufunguliwa hadi baada ya Sabato. Niliwaweka baadhi ya watumishi wangu kwenye malango ili mzigo wowote usiweze kuletwa siku ya Sabato.
And it came to pass, that when it began to be dark in the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut; and I commanded that they should not be opened till after the sabbath. And I set [some] of my servants at the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the sabbath day.
20 Wafanyabiashara na wauzaji wa kila aina ya bidhaa walikimbia nje ya Yerusalemu mara moja au mbili.
And the dealers and sellers of all kind of ware passed the night without Jerusalem once or twice.
21 Lakini niliwaonya, “Mbona mnakaa nje ya ukuta? Ikiwa mtafanya hivyo tena, nitakuweka mikononi!” Kutoka wakati huo hawakuja siku ya sabato.
And I testified against them, and said to them, Why do ye pass the night before the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth they came not on the sabbath.
22 Nikawaamuru Walawi kujitakasa, na kuja kulinda milango, ili kutakasa siku ya Sabato. Nikumbuke kwa hili pia, Mungu wangu, na kunipatia huruma kwa sababu ya uaminifu wa agano ulilonalo kwangu.
And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to hallow the sabbath day. Remember this also for me, my God, and spare me according to thy great loving-kindness!
23 Katika siku hizo niliona Wayahudi waliokuwa wameoa wanawake wa Ashdodi, Amoni na Moabu.
In those days also I saw Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, [and] of Moab.
24 Nusu ya watoto wao walizungumza lugha ya Ashdodi, lakini hawakuweza kuzungumza lugha ya Yuda, lakini lugha ya mmoja wa watu wengine.
And their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.
25 Nami nikawasiliana nao, na mimi niliwaadhibu, na nikawapiga baadhi yao na kuvuta nywele zao. Naliwaapisha kwa Mungu, nikisema, Msiwape wana wao binti zenu, wala msiwachukue binti zao kwa ajili ya wana wenu, wala ninyi wenyewe.
And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them and plucked off their hair, and adjured them by God [saying], Ye shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.
26 Je, Sulemani mfalme wa Israeli hakufanya dhambi kwa sababu ya wanawake hawa? Miongoni mwa mataifa mengi hapakuwa na mfalme kama yeye, na alipendwa na Mungu wake. Mungu akamfanya awe mfalme juu ya Israeli wote. Hata hivyo, wake zake wa kigeni walimfanya atende dhambi.
Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among the many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel; but even him did foreign wives cause to sin.
27 Je, tunapaswa kukusikiliza na kufanya uovu huu hata kumhalifu Mungu wetu na kuwaoa wanawake wageni?
And should we hearken to you to do all this great evil, to act unfaithfully to our God by marrying foreign wives?
28 Mmoja wa wana wa Yoyada, mwana wa Eliashibu, kuhani mkuu, alikuwa mkwewe na Sanbalati Mhoroni. Kwa hiyo nilimondoa kutoka mbele yangu.
And [one] of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; and I chased him from me.
29 Wakukumbushe, Mungu wangu, kwa sababu wameunajisi ukuhani, na agano la ukuhani na Walawi.
Remember them, my God, for they are polluters of the priesthood, and of the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites!
30 Kwa hiyo nimewatakasa kutoka kila kitu kigeni, na kuimarisha kazi za makuhani na Walawi, kila mmoja kwa kazi yake mwenyewe.
And I purified them from all foreigners, and appointed the charges of the priests and the Levites, every one in his service;
31 Nilitoa sadaka za kuni wakati uliowekwa na matunda ya kwanza. Nikumbuke, Mungu wangu, kwa mema.
and for the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the first-fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good!
