Nehemia 13

1 Da no ara, bere a wogu so rekenkan Mose Nhoma no, ɔmanfo no huu asɛm bi a ɛka se, ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔma Amonni anaa Moabni kwan ma ɔkɔ Onyankopɔn aguabɔ ase.

On that day there was read in the book of Moses before the ears of the people; and there was found written therein, that no 'Ammonite or Moabite should come into the congregation of God for ever;

2 Ase ne sɛ, bere a Israelfo fii Misraim no, wɔne wɔn anni no yiye. Mmom, wɔbɔɔ Balaam paa sɛ ɔnnome wɔn, nanso yɛn Nyankopɔn dan nnome no ma ɛyɛɛ nhyira.

Because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and with water, but had hired Bil'am against them, that he should curse them; although our God had changed the curse into a blessing.

3 Wɔkenkan saa mmara no wiee no, wɔpam ananafo no nyinaa fii aguabɔ no ase.

And it tame to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated all the alien mixture from Israel.

4 Ansa na saa asɛm yi rebesi no, na ɔsɔfo Eliasib a woyii no sɛ ɔnyɛ Onyankopɔn Asɔredan no adekoradan sohwɛfo no a na ɔsan yɛ Tobia busuani no,

And before this, Elyashib the priest, appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and a near [of kin] unto Tobiyah,

5 adan adekoradan kɛse no bi mu de ahyɛ Tobia nsa. Na anka saa dan no mu na wɔkora atoko afɔrebɔde, aduhuam, Asɔredan no nkuku ne nkaka ne atoko ntotoso du du, nsa foforo, ngo ne kyɛfa sononko a wɔahyɛ sɛ wɔmfa mma asɔfo. Na Mose ahyɛ sɛ saa afɔrebɔde no yɛ Lewifo, nnwontofo ne aponanohwɛfo no de.

Had prepared for him a large chamber, where they had laid in former times the meat-offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was ordained for the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the heave-offering of the priests.

6 Saa bere no, na minni Yerusalem. Na masan kɔ Babiloniahene Artasasta nkyɛn wɔ nʼahenni afe a ɛto so aduasa abien so. Akyiri no na ɔmaa me kwan sɛ mensan mmra.

But during all this I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king of Babylon I went back unto the king, and after the lapse of some time I obtained by request [leave] of the king;

7 Mibeduu Yerusalem, na metee bɔne a Eliasib ayɛ, sɛ ɔde Onyankopɔn Asɔredan adiwo dan bi ama Tobia no,

And I came to Jerusalem, and perceived the evil that Elyashib had done for Tobiyah, in preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

8 ɛtɔɔ me so, na miyii Tobia nneɛma a ɛwɔ dan no mu no nyinaa gui.

And it displeased me greatly: wherefore I cast forth all the household vessels of Tobiyah away out of the chamber.

9 Afei mehyɛe sɛ, wonnwira adan no nyinaa ho, na mede Awurade Asɔredan no nkuku ne nkaka no, atoko afɔrebɔde ne aduhuam no san beguu mu.

And I gave the order, whereupon they cleansed the chambers; and I had brought thither again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat-offering and the frankincense.

10 Mesan huu sɛ wɔmfaa nea ɛsɛ sɛ Lewifo no nya no mmaa wɔn ɛ, enti na wɔne nnwontofo no a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔhwɛ ɔsom no so no asan akɔyɛ adwuma wɔ wɔn mfuw mu.

And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given [them]: so that the Levites and the singers, that used to do the work, were fled every one to his field.

11 Ɛhɔ ara na mekɔɔ ntuanofo no nkyɛn, kobisaa wɔn se, “Adɛn nti na moayi mo ani afi Onyankopɔn Asɔredan no so?” Na mefrɛɛ Lewifo no nyinaa ma wɔsan bae, de wɔn tuatuaa nnwuma a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔyɛ ano.

Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why hath the house of God become forsaken? And I gathered them together, and placed them on their posts.

12 Na bio, Yudafo nyinaa fii ase de wɔn atoko ntotoso du du, nsa foforo ne ngo baa Asɔredan no adekoradan no mu.

And all Judah brought the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.

13 Na mede adekoradan no hyɛɛ ɔsɔfo Selemia, mmara no kyerɛkyerɛfo Sadok ne Lewifo no mu baako a wɔfrɛ no Pedaia nsa sɛ wɔnhwɛ so. Na miyii Sakur babarima Hanan a ɔyɛ Matania nena sɛ wɔn boafo. Na saa mmarima yi wɔ din pa, na wɔn adwuma ne sɛ wɔde nokware bɛkyɛ nneɛma ama wɔn mfɛfo Lewifo no.

And I appointed receivers over the treasuries, Shelemyah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and Pedayah of the Levites; and with them acted Chanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Matthanyah; for they were accounted as faithful, and it was their duty to make a distribution among their brethren.

14 Kae saa ade pa yi yɛ, me Nyankopɔn, na mma wo werɛ mfi nea mifi nokwaredi mu ayɛ nyinaa de ama me Nyankopɔn Asɔredan no.

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my pious deeds which I have done for the house of my God, and for those that had charge of it.

15 Da koro Homeda bi, mihuu Yuda mmarima bi sɛ wɔretiatia wɔn nsakyiamoa so. Na wɔrehyehyɛ atoko afiafi wɔ wɔn mfurum so de aba. Na saa da no, na wɔde wɔn nsa, bobe aba, borɔdɔma ne nnɔbae bebree reba Yerusalem abɛtɔn. Na mekaa wɔn anim sɛ, wɔretɔn wɔn nnɔbae homeda.

In those days I saw in Judah some treading wine-presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading burdens on asses, as also wine, grapes and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; and I warned them on the day whereon they sold provisions.

16 Na mmarima bi nso fi Tiro a wɔde nsumnam ne aguade ahorow bebree aba. Na wɔretɔn no Homeda ama Yudafo wɔ Yerusalem fie ankasa!

Also the men of Tyre [that] dwelt therein brought fish and all kinds of wares, and sold [them] on the sabbath unto the children of Judah and in Jerusalem.

17 Ɛno nti, mekɔɔ Yuda ntuanofo no so kobisaa wɔn se, “Adɛn nti na mode saa bɔne yi gu homeda ho fi?

Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this which ye are doing, and profaning [thereby] the sabbath day?

18 Munnim sɛ mo agyanom yɛɛ saa bi no nti na yɛn Nyankopɔn de saa ɔhaw a ɛwɔ yɛn so mprempren yi brɛɛ yɛn ne yɛn kurow yi? Gu a moregu Homeda no ho fi ntraso mprempren no bɛma abufuwhyew aba Israelfo so.”

Did not your fathers act thus, wherefore our God brought over us all this evil, and over this city? and ye bring yet more wrath over Israel by profaning the sabbath.

19 Na afei, mehyɛɛ sɛ, efi saa bere no rekɔ, Fida biara anwummere, wɔntoto kurow no apon mu a wommmue ara kosi sɛ Homeda no betwa mu. Bio, memaa mʼankasa mʼasomfo kɔwɛn apon no, sɛnea wɔrentumi mfa aguade mma homeda no.

And it came to pass, that, when the shadows were lengthened in the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I gave the order, whereupon the gates were locked, and I ordered that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my young men did I place at the gates, that there should be brought in no burden on the sabbath-day.

20 Aguadifo ne nsaanodwumayɛfo a wɔde aguade ahorow ba no soɛɛ wɔ Yerusalem mfikyiri pɛnkoro anaa mprenu.

But the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside of Jerusalem once or twice.

21 Nanso mekasa kyerɛɛ wɔn anibere so se, “Dɛn na motete ɔfasu yi akyi reyɛ? Sɛ moyɛ saa bio a, mɛkyere mo!” Efi hɔ no, wɔamma Yerusalem wɔ Homeda bio.

Thereupon did I warn them, and said unto them, Why do ye lodge along the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth they came no more on the sabbath.

22 Na mehyɛɛ Lewifo no sɛ, wonnwira wɔn ho, na wɔnnwɛn apon no sɛnea Homeda no kronkronyɛ no bɛka hɔ. Kae saa ade pa yi yɛ nso, me Nyankopɔn, na wʼadɔe kɛse a ɛnsa da no nti, hu me mmɔbɔ.

And I ordered the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep watch at the gates, to sanctify the sabbath-day. Also this remember unto me, O my God, and shield me according to the abundance of thy kindness.

23 Saa bere koro no ara mu, mihuu sɛ Yuda mmarima no bi awareware mmaa a wofi Asdod, Amon ne Moab.

In those days also I saw certain Jews that had brought home wives of Ashdod, of 'Ammon, and of Moab:

24 Na nea na enye koraa ne sɛ, na wɔn mma no mu fa ka Asdod ne nnipa foforo bi kasa a na wontumi nka Yudafo kasa no koraa.

And their children spoke partly in the speech of Ashdod, and did not understand to speak in the Jewish language, but according to the language of one or the other people.

25 Enti mekɔɔ wɔn so kɔdomee wɔn. Mehwee wɔn mu bi, tutuu wɔn tinwi. Mema wɔkaa ntam wɔ Awurade anim sɛ, wɔremma wɔn mma ne abosonsomfo a wɔwɔ asase no so nni aware.

And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, nor for yourselves.

26 Mibisae se, “Ɛnyɛ eyi bi pɛpɛɛpɛ na ɛde Israelhene Salomo kɔɔ bɔne mu no?” Na wode ɔman biara so hene toto ne ho a, ɛnyɛ yiye. Onyankopɔn dɔɔ no, na osii no hene wɔ Israel nyinaa so. Nanso ɔno mpo ananafo aware de no kɔɔ bɔne mu.

Did not Solomon the king of Israel sin by these things? and although among the many nations there was never a king like him, and beloved as he was by his God, and God had placed him as king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did the alien women mislead to sin.

27 Dɛn na ɛhaw mo ma modwene sɛ mobɛware ananafo mmea, na monam so ayɛ bɔne a ɛte saa, na munni Onyankopɔn nokware?

Shall we then hear it said of you, that ye do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in bringing home alien wives?

28 Esiane sɛ ɔsɔfopanyin Eliasib babarima Yoiada aware Horonni Sanbalat babea nti, mepam no fii mʼanim.

And one of the sons of Joyada', the son of Elyashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Choronite; wherefore I chased him away from me.

29 Kae wɔn, me Nyankopɔn, efisɛ wɔagu asɔfodwuma, asɔfo ne Lewifo bɔhyɛ ne ntam no ho fi.

Remember [this] unto them, O my God, because of the defilements of the priesthood, and of the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

30 Enti miguu biribiara a ɛyɛ ananasɛm, na mede nnwuma hyehyɛɛ asɔfo ne Lewifo nsa, hwɛɛ sɛ obiara nim nʼadwuma.

Thus cleansed I them from all aliens, and I appointed the watches of the priests and the Levites, every one in his work;

31 Mehwɛɛ nso sɛ, nnyina a ɛba afɔremuka so no nso bɛba mmere a ɛsɛ mu, na afei wobegye otwa a edi kan no mu nnɔbae de abrɛ asɔfo no. Kae eyi na dom me, me Nyankopɔn.

And for the procuring of the wood, at fixed time, and for the first-fruits. Remember this unto me, O my God, for good.