Nehemaia 13

1 ‌ʻI he ʻaho ko ia naʻa nau lau ʻi he fono ʻa Mōsese ʻi he ʻao ʻoe kakai; pea naʻe ʻilo ʻi ai, ʻe ʻikai hoko ki he fakataha ʻoe ʻOtua ʻae kakai ʻAmoni, mo e kakai Moape ʻo taʻengata;

On that day they read in the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. It was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should come into the assembly of God, forever.

2 Koeʻuhi naʻe ʻikai tenau fakafetaulaki ki he fānau ʻa ʻIsileli ʻaki ʻae mā mo e vai, ka naʻa nau tuku totongi kia Pelami ke tuʻu kiate kinautolu, koeʻuhi ke ne tukiʻi ʻakinautolu: ka naʻe liliu ʻe hotau ʻOtua ʻae tuki ko e tāpuaki.

This was because they had not come to the people of Israel with bread and with water, but they had hired Balaam to curse Israel. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing.

3 Pea naʻe hoko ʻo pehē, ʻi heʻenau fanongo ki he fono, naʻa nau fakamavae mei ʻIsileli ʻae ngaahi kakai kehekehe kotoa pē.

As soon as they heard the law, they separated out from Israel every foreign person.

4 Pea ki muʻa ʻi he meʻa ni, ko Iliasipi ko e taulaʻeiki, ʻaia naʻe pule ki he fale ʻe taha ʻi he fale ʻoe ʻOtua, naʻe kaumeʻa ia kia Topaia:

Now before this Eliashib the priest was appointed over the storerooms of the house of our God. He was related to Tobiah.

5 Pea naʻa ne teuteu moʻona ʻae fale lahi, ʻaia naʻa nau tuku ki ai ʻi muʻa ʻae ngaahi feilaulau meʻakai, mo e meʻa namu kakala, mo e ngaahi ipu, mo e ngaahi meʻa ʻoe tukuhau, mo e uaine foʻou, mo e lolo, ʻaia naʻe fekau ke foaki ki he kau Livai, mo e kau hiva, mo e kau leʻo matapā; mo e ngaahi feilaulau ʻoe kau taulaʻeiki.

Eliashib prepared for Tobiah a large storeroom, where previously they kept the grain offering, the incense, the articles, and the tithes of the grain, new wine, and the oil, which were designated for the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.

6 Ka ʻi he ngaahi kuonga ni kotoa pē naʻe ʻikai te u ʻi Selūsalema: he naʻaku haʻu ki he tuʻi, ʻi hono taʻu ʻe tolungofulu ma ua ʻo ʻAtakisekisi ko e tuʻi ʻo Papilone, pea hili ʻae ʻaho niʻihi naʻaku maʻu ʻae fekau mei he tuʻi:

But in all this time I was not in Jerusalem. For in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. After some time I asked the king for permission to leave,

7 Pea ne u haʻu ki Selūsalema, pea u hoko ʻo ʻilo ʻae kovi naʻe fai ʻe Iliasipi maʻa Topaia, ʻi heʻene teuteu moʻona ʻae fale ʻi he ngaahi potu fale ʻoe fale ʻo hotau ʻOtua.

and I returned to Jerusalem. I understood the evil that Eliashib had done by giving Tobiah a storeroom in the courts of the house of God.

8 Pea naʻaku mamahi lahi ai: ko ia naʻaku lī kituʻa ʻae ngaahi ngaʻotoʻota kotoa pē ʻo Topaia mei he fale.

I was very angry and I threw all Tobiah's household articles out of the storeroom.

9 Pea naʻaku fekau, pea naʻa nau fakamaʻa ʻae ngaahi fale: pea naʻaku toe fetuku ki ai ʻae ngaahi ipu ʻoe fale ʻoe ʻOtua, mo e ngaahi feilaulau meʻakai mo e meʻa namu kakala.

I ordered that they purify the storerooms, and I put back in them the articles of the house of God, the grain offerings, and the incense.

10 Pea ne u vakai naʻe ʻikai faʻa ʻatu ki he kau Livai honau ngaahi ʻinasi he ko e kau Livai mo e kau hiva, ʻaia naʻe fai ʻae ngāue, kuo hola taki taha ki heʻene ngoue.

I learned that the Levites' portions had not been given to them, and they had run away, each to his own field, the Levites and the singers who did the work.

11 Pea naʻaku valoki ʻae kau pule, ʻo pehē, Ko e hā kuo liʻaki ai ʻae fale ʻoe ʻOtua? Pea ne u tānaki ʻo fakataha ʻakinautolu, ʻo fokotuʻu ʻakinautolu ʻi honau potu.

So I confronted the officials and said, “Why is the house of God neglected?” I gathered them together and stationed them at their posts.

12 Pea naʻe ʻomi ai ʻe Siuta kotoa pē ʻae tāuvao ʻoe uite mo e uaine foʻou mo e lolo ki he ngaahi feleoko.

Then all Judah brought in the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the oil to the storerooms.

13 Pea ne u fakanofo ʻae kau leʻo koloa ki he ngaahi fale koloa, ko Selemaia ko e taulaʻeiki, mo Satoki ko e tangata tohi, pea ʻi he kau Livai, ko Pitaia: pea naʻe hoko mo kinautolu, ʻa Hanani, ko e foha ʻo Sakuli, ko e foha ʻo Matania: he naʻe ongolelei ʻakinautolu ko e angatonu, pea ko ʻenau ngāue ia ke tufaki ki honau ngaahi kāinga.

I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and from the Levites, Pedaiah. Next to them was Hanan son of Zaccur son of Mattaniah, for they were counted as trustworthy. Their duties were to distribute the supplies to their associates.

14 ‌ʻE hoku ʻOtua, ke ke manatuʻi au koeʻuhi ko e meʻa ni, pea ʻoua naʻa ke holoholo ke mole ʻeku ngaahi ngāue lelei ʻaia kuo u fai maʻae fale ʻo hoku ʻOtua, pea maʻae ngaahi lakanga ngāue ʻi ai.

Call me to mind, my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out the good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and its services.

15 Pea naʻaku mamata ki he niʻihi ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho ko ia naʻe malakaki ʻae ngaahi tataʻoʻanga uaine ʻi he ʻaho tapu, pea fetuku ʻae ngaahi ū uite, pea fakaheka ki he fanga ʻasi, pea mo e uaine foki, mo e ngaahi kālepi, mo e ngaahi fiki, mo e ngaahi kavenga kehekehe, ʻaia naʻa nau fetuku ki Selūsalema ʻi he ʻaho tapu: pea naʻaku valoki ʻakinautolu ʻi he ʻaho naʻa nau fakatau meʻa kai,

In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of heavy loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. I protested that they were selling food on that day.

16 Pea naʻe nofo ai ʻae kau tangata Taia, ʻaia naʻa nau ʻomi ʻae ngaahi ika, mo e ngaahi meʻa kehekehe, pea fakatau ʻi he ʻaho tapu ki he fānau ʻa Siuta, pea ʻi Selūsalema.

Men from Tyre living in Jerusalem brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and they sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah and in the city!

17 Pea ne u valoki ʻae ngaahi houʻeiki ʻo Siuta, pea u pehē kiate kinautolu, “Ko e hā ʻae meʻa kovi ni ʻoku mou fai, pea mou fakahala ʻae ʻaho tapu?

Then I confronted the leaders of Judah, “What is this evil thing you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?

18 ‌ʻIkai naʻe fai pehē ʻe hoʻomou ngaahi tamai, pea ʻikai naʻe ʻomi ʻe hotau ʻOtua ʻae ngaahi kovi ni kiate kitautolu, pea ki he kolo ni? Ka ʻoku mou ʻomi ʻae houhau lahi hake ki ʻIsileli ʻi hoʻomou fakahalaʻi ʻae ʻaho tapu.”

Did not your fathers do this? Did not our God bring all this evil on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

19 Pea ʻi he fakaʻaʻau ke poʻuli ʻae ngaahi matapā ʻo Selūsalema ʻi he teʻeki hoko ʻae ʻaho tapu, naʻaku fekau ke tāpuni ʻae ngaahi matapā, pea u fekau ke ʻoua naʻa toʻo kaeʻoua ke hili ʻae ʻaho tapu; pea ne u fakanofo ʻae niʻihi ʻo ʻeku kau tamaioʻeiki ʻi he ngaahi matapā, ke ʻoua naʻa ʻomi ki ai ha kavenga ʻe taha ʻi he ʻaho tapu.

As soon as it became dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors be shut and that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I stationed some of my servants at the gates so no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day.

20 Ko ia naʻe mohe ai ʻituʻa Selūsalema ʻae kau maʻu koloa mo e kau fakatau ʻoe ngaahi meʻa kehekehe kotoa pē, ʻo tuʻo taha pe tuʻo ua.

The merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside Jerusalem once or twice.

21 Pea ne u valoki ʻakinautolu, ʻo pehē kiate kinautolu, “Ko e hā ʻoku mou mohe ai ʻo ofi ki he ʻā maka? Kapau te mou toe fai ia, te u puke ʻakimoutolu.” Pea talu mei he kuonga ko ia naʻe ʻikai te nau toe haʻu ʻi he ʻaho tapu.

But I warned them, “Why do you camp outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!” From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath.

22 Pea ne u fekau ki he kau Livai, ke nau fakamaʻa ʻakinautolu, pea ke nau haʻu ʻo vakai ki he ngaahi matapā, ke fakatapui ʻae ʻaho tapu. ʻE hoku ʻOtua, ke ke manatuʻi au koeʻuhi ko e meʻa ni foki, pea fakamoʻui au ʻo fakatatau ki hono lahi ʻo hoʻo angaʻofa.

Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves, and come and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Call me to mind for this also, my God, and have mercy on me because of the covenant loyalty you have toward me.

23 Pea naʻaku mamata foki ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho ko ia ki he kau Siu naʻa nau mali mo e kau fefine ʻo ʻAsitoti, mo ʻAmoni, mo Moape;

In those days I also saw Jews that had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.

24 Pea naʻe lea fakavaeua ʻe heʻenau fānau ʻi he lea ʻo ʻAsitoti, pea naʻe ʻikai te nau faʻa lea ʻi he lea ʻae kakai Siu pē, kae ʻi he lea ʻae kakai fakatouʻosi.

Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod. None of them could speak the language of Judah, but only the language of one of the other peoples.

25 Pea ne u valoki ʻakinautolu, pea manuki ʻakinautolu, pea taaʻi honau niʻihi, pea fusi honau fulufuluʻi [ʻulu], pea fakafuakavaʻi ʻakinautolu ʻi he ʻOtua, ʻo pehē, “ʻOua naʻa mou foaki homou ngaahi ʻofefine ki honau ngaahi foha, pe toʻo honau ngaahi ʻofefine ki homou ngaahi foha, pe moʻomoutolu.

I confronted them, and I cursed them, and I hit some of them and pulled out their hair. I made them swear by God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves.

26 ‌ʻIkai naʻe fai angahala ʻe Solomone ko e tuʻi ʻa ʻIsileli ʻi he ngaahi meʻa ni? Ka naʻe ʻikai ha tuʻi hangē ko ia ʻi he ngaahi puleʻanga lahi, ʻaia naʻe ʻofeina ʻe hono ʻOtua, pea fakanofo ia ʻe he ʻOtua ke tuʻi ki ʻIsileli kotoa pē, ka ko e moʻoni naʻe fakaangahalaʻi ia ʻe he kau fefine muli.

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of these women? Among many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, his foreign wives caused him to sin.

27 Pea te mou tokanga koā kiate kimoutolu ke mou fai ʻae ngaahi kovi lahi ni, ke talangataʻa ki hotau ʻOtua ʻi he mali mo e kau fefine muli?”

Should we then listen to you and do all this great evil, and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?”

28 Pea ko e foha ʻe taha ʻo Soiata, ko e foha ʻo Iliasipi ko e taulaʻeiki lahi, ko e foha ia ʻi he fono kia Sanipalate ko e tangata Holoni: ko ia naʻaku tuli ia ke ʻalu ʻiate au.

One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I caused him to flee from my presence.

29 ‌ʻE hoku ʻOtua, ke ke manatuʻi ʻakinautolu, ko e meʻa ʻi heʻenau fakahalaʻi ʻae ngāue fakataulaʻeiki, mo e fuakava ʻoe ngāue fakataulaʻeiki, pea ʻoe kau Livai.

Call them to mind, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

30 Naʻe pehē pe ʻeku fakamaʻa ʻakinautolu mei he kakai muli, peau tuʻutuʻuni ʻae ngaahi lakanga ʻoe kau taulaʻeiki, mo e kau Livai, takitaha ki heʻene ngāue;

Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and established the duties of the priests and the Levites, each to his own task.

31 Pea mo e foaki ʻoe ʻakau fefie, ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho naʻe kotofa, pea ki he ngaahi ʻuluaki fua. ʻE hoku ʻOtua, ke ke manatuʻi au, ke u lelei ai.

I provided for the wood offering at the appointed times and for the firstfruits. Call me to mind, my God, for good.