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 they read in the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and it was found written in it that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God forever,

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 didn’t meet the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them; however, our God turned the curse into a blessing.

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

It came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated all the mixed multitude 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,

Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the rooms of the house of our God, being allied to Tobiah,

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 great room, where before they laid the meal offerings, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the wave offerings for 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 in all this, I was not at Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king; and after some days I asked 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 understood the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing him a room in the courts of God’s house.

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

It grieved me severely. Therefore I threw all Tobiah’s household stuff out of the room.

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.

Then I commanded, and they cleansed the rooms. I brought into them the vessels of God’s house, with the meal offerings and the frankincense again.

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.

I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had each fled 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 I contended with the rulers, and said, “Why is God’s house forsaken?” I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

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

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

I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were counted faithful, and their business was to distribute to their brothers.

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, my God, concerning this, and don’t wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its observances.

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 some men treading wine presses on the Sabbath in Judah, bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; and I testified against them in the day in which they sold food.

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!

Some men of Tyre also lived there, who brought in fish and all kinds of wares, and sold on the Sabbath to 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 to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, and profane 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.”

Didn’t your fathers do this, and didn’t our God bring all this evil on us and on this city? Yet you bring more wrath on 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.

It came to pass that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I set some of my servants over the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the Sabbath day.

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

So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped 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.

Then I testified against them, and said to them, “Why do you stay around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they didn’t come 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.

I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me for this also, my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving 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 I also saw the Jews who had married women 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 half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each 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.

I contended with them, cursed them, struck certain of them, plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or 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.

Didn’t Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet 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 foreign women caused even him 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 listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?”

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

One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I chased him from me.

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

Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and 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 I cleansed them from all foreigners and appointed duties for the priests and for the Levites, everyone 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 wood offering, at appointed times, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.