Nehemiah 13

1 Ní ọjọ́ náà ni a ka ìwé Mose sókè sí etí ìgbọ́ àwọn ènìyàn, nínú rẹ̀ ni a ti rí i tí a kọ ọ́ sílẹ̀ pé a kò gbọdọ̀ gba àwọn ará a Ammoni tàbí àwọn ará a Moabu sí àárín ìjọ ènìyàn Ọlọ́run láéláé.

One day when the Book of Moses was being read to the people, the section was found where it was written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be allowed into the assembly of God,

2 Nítorí wọn kò mú oúnjẹ àti omi wá pàdé àwọn ọmọ Israẹli lọ́nà, dípò bẹ́ẹ̀, wọ́n bẹ Balaamu ní ọ̀wẹ̀ láti gégùn ún lé wọn lórí. (Ṣùgbọ́n Ọlọ́run wa yí ègún náà padà sí ìbùkún.)

because they hadn't brought food and water when they met the Israelites, but instead they had hired Balaam to put a curse on them—though our God turned that curse into a blessing!

3 Nígbà tí àwọn ènìyàn gbọ́ òfin yìí, wọ́n yọ gbogbo àwọn àjèjì ènìyàn tí ó darapọ̀ mọ́ wọn kúrò láàrín àwọn Israẹli.

When the people heard about this law, they separated out from Israel everyone who had foreign ancestry.

4 Ṣáájú èyí a ti fi Eliaṣibu àlùfáà ṣe alákòóso yàrá ìkó nǹkan ilé Ọlọ́run wa sí. Ó súnmọ́ Tobiah pẹ́kípẹ́kí.

Before all this, Eliashib the priest, who was related to Tobiah, had been put in charge of the storerooms of the Temple of our God.

5 Ó sì ti pèsè yàrá ńlá kan fún un, èyí tí a ń lò tẹ́lẹ̀ fún ìtọ́jú ọrẹ ọkà, tùràrí àti àwọn ohun èlò tẹmpili àti ìdámẹ́wàá ọkà, wáìnì tuntun àti òróró ti a fi lélẹ̀ bí ìlànà fún àwọn ọmọ Lefi, àwọn akọrin àti àwọn aṣọ́nà àti pẹ̀lú gbogbo ọrẹ fún àwọn àlùfáà.

He had provided Tobiah with a large room which had previously been used to store the grain offerings, incense, and Temple items, as well as the tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil allocated to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, in addition to the offerings for the priests.

6 Ṣùgbọ́n nígbà tí gbogbo èyí ń lọ lọ́wọ́, èmi kò sí ní Jerusalẹmu, nítorí pé ní ọdún kejìlélọ́gbọ̀n Artasasta ọba Babeli ni mo padà tọ ọba lọ. Ṣùgbọ́n nígbà tí ó ṣe díẹ̀, mo gba ààyè lọ́dọ̀ọ rẹ̀.

When all this happened I was not in Jerusalem because I had returned to King Artaxerxes of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign. Some time later I requested permission from the king to go back.

7 Mo sì padà sí Jerusalẹmu. Níhìn-ín ni mo ti mọ̀ nípa onírúurú ohun búburú tí Eliaṣibu ti ṣe ní ti pípèsè yàrá fún Tobiah nínú àgbàlá ilé Ọlọ́run.

When I arrived back in Jerusalem I discovered the dreadful thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courtyard of God's Temple.

8 Kò tẹ́ mi lọ́rùn rárá, mo kó gbogbo ohun èlò ìdílé e Tobiah dà síta láti inú iyàrá náà.

I was extremely upset, and I went and threw out everything that was in Tobiah's room.

9 Mo pàṣẹ kí wọn ya àwọn iyàrá náà sí mímọ́, mo sì kó àwọn ohun èlò ilé Ọlọ́run padà síbẹ̀ pẹ̀lú ọrẹ ọkà àti tùràrí.

I ordered the rooms purified, and put back the Temple items, the grain offerings, and the incense.

10 Mo sì tún gbọ́ pé, kò fi àwọn ìpín tí a yà sọ́tọ̀ fún àwọn Lefi, àwọn akọrin tí ń ṣe àkóso ìsìn sì ti padà sí ẹnu onírúurú iṣẹ́ wọn.

I also found out that the food allowances for the Levites were not being provided, so the Levites had gone back to take care of their fields, along with the singers who led the worship services.

11 Nígbà náà ni mo bá àwọn ìjòyè wí, mo sì béèrè lọ́wọ́ wọn pé, “Èéṣe tí a fi kọ ilé Ọlọ́run sílẹ̀?” Nígbà náà ni mo pè wọ́n jọ pọ̀, mo sì fi olúkúlùkù sí ẹnu iṣẹ́ rẹ̀.

I went and confronted the leaders, asking, “Why is God's Temple being neglected?” I called the Levites back and made sure they were carrying out their responsibilities.

12 Gbogbo Juda mú ìdámẹ́wàá ọkà, wáìnì tuntun àti òróró wá sínú yàrá ìkó nǹkan pamọ́ sí.

Everyone in Judah then brought the tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil into the storerooms.

13 Mo sì fi àlùfáà Ṣelemiah, Sadoku akọ̀wé àti ọmọ Lefi kan tí orúkọ rẹ̀ ń jẹ́ Pedaiah ṣe alákòóso àwọn yàrá ìkó nǹkan pamọ́ sí. Mo sì yan Hanani ọmọ Sakkuri, ọmọ Mattaniah bí olùrànlọ́wọ́ ọ wọn. Àwọn ènìyàn wọ̀nyí ni a kà sí àwọn tó ṣé e gbẹ́kẹ̀lé. Àwọn ni a yàn láti máa pín ohun èlò fún àwọn arákùnrin wọn.

I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah, one of the Levites, in charge of the storerooms with Hanan, son of Zakkur, son of Mattaniah, to assist them, because they were considered honest people. Their responsibility was to distribute the allowances to their fellow Levites.

14 Rántí ì mi fún èyí, Ọlọ́run mi, kí o má sì ṣe gbàgbé ohun tí mo fi òtítọ́ ṣe fún ilé Ọlọ́run mi yìí àti fún iṣẹ́ ẹ rẹ̀ gbogbo.

My God, please remember me over this. Please don't forget my good deeds I have done for the Temple of my God and its services.

15 Ní ọjọ́ wọ̀n-ọn-nì, mo rí àwọn ènìyàn ní Juda tí wọ́n ń fúntí ní ọjọ́ ìsinmi, tí wọ́n sì ń gbé ọkà wọlé, tí wọn ń di ẹrù lé orí kẹ́tẹ́kẹ́tẹ́ pẹ̀lú wáìnì, èso àjàrà, ọ̀pọ̀tọ́ àti onírúurú ẹrù. Wọ́n sì ń kó gbogbo èyí wá sí Jerusalẹmu ní ọjọ́ ìsinmi. Nítorí náà, mo kìlọ̀ fún wọn nípa títa oúnjẹ ní ọjọ́ náà.

Around that time I noticed people treading the winepress on Sabbath. I saw others collecting grain and loading it up on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, and bringing it all into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.

16 Àwọn ará Tire ti ń gbé nínú Jerusalẹmu ń gbé ẹja àti onírúurú ọjà wá fún títà ní ọjọ́ ìsinmi fún àwọn ènìyàn Jerusalẹmu àti fún àwọn ọmọ Juda.

I told them off for selling their produce on that day.

17 Mo bá àwọn ọlọ́lá Juda wí, mo wí fún wọn pé, “Èwo ni ohun búburú tí ẹ ń ṣe yìí ti ẹ ń ba ọjọ́ ìsinmi jẹ́.

Some people from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of things and they were selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.

18 Ṣé àwọn baba ńlá yín kò ha ti ṣe nǹkan kan náà tí Ọlọ́run wa fi mú gbogbo àjálù yìí wá orí wa, àti sórí ìlú yìí? Báyìí, ẹ̀yin tún ń ru ìbínú sókè sí i sórí Israẹli nípa bíba ọjọ́ ìsinmi jẹ́.”

I confronted the Jewish leaders, asking them, “Why are you are doing such an evil thing? You are violating the Sabbath day! Wasn't this what your forefathers did, bringing our God down on us, causing us and this city such disasters? Now you're bringing even more trouble on us by violating the Sabbath!”

19 Nígbà tí ojú ọjọ́ ń bora ní ẹnu ibodè Jerusalẹmu, ṣáájú ọjọ́ ìsinmi, mo pàṣẹ pé kí a ti àwọn ìlẹ̀kùn, kí wọn má sì ṣí i títí tí ọjọ́ ìsinmi yóò fi kọjá. Mo yan àwọn ìránṣẹ́ mi láti ṣọ́ ẹnu ibodè, kí a má ba à lè gbé ẹrù kankan wọlé ní ọjọ́ ìsinmi.

So I ordered Jerusalem's gates to be shut at sunset on the day before the Sabbath, and that were not to be opened until after the Sabbath had ended. I assigned some of my men to guard the gates to make sure no goods would be brought in on the Sabbath day.

20 Síbẹ̀, àwọn tí ń tà àti àwọn tí ń rà sùn ẹ̀yìn odi Jerusalẹmu ní ẹ̀ẹ̀kan tàbí ẹ̀ẹ̀mejì.

A couple of times merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside of Jerusalem.

21 Ṣùgbọ́n mo kìlọ̀ fún wọn pé, “Èétijẹ́ ti ẹ̀yin fi ń sùn ní ẹ̀yin odi ní òru? Bí ẹ̀yìn bá tún dánwò mọ́, èmi yóò fi ọwọ́ líle mú yín.” Láti ọjọ́ náà lọ, wọn kò sì wá ní ọjọ́ ìsinmi mọ́.

I warned them, saying, “Why are you spending the night by the wall? If you do that again I'll have you arrested!” After that they didn't come on the Sabbath.

22 Nígbà náà ni mo pàṣẹ fún àwọn ọmọ Lefi pé kí wọn ya ara wọn sí mímọ́, kí wọn sì ṣọ́ ẹnu ibodè kí a lè pa ọjọ́ ìsinmi mọ́. Tún rántí mi fún èyí, Ọlọ́run mi, kí o sì fi àánú un rẹ hàn fún mi gẹ́gẹ́ bí i títóbi ìfẹ́ ẹ̀ rẹ.

Then I told the Levites to purify themselves and to come and guard the gates to keep the Sabbath day holy. My God, please also remember me for doing this, and be merciful to me because of your trustworthy love.

23 Ní ọjọ́ wọ̀n-ọn-nì, mo rí àwọn ọkùnrin Juda tí wọ́n fẹ́ àwọn obìnrin láti Aṣdodu, Ammoni àti Moabu.

Around the same time I realized some Jews had married women from Ashdod, Moab, and Ammon.

24 Ìdajì àwọn ọmọ wọn ń sọ èdè Aṣdodu tàbí èdè ọ̀kan lára àwọn ènìyàn mìíràn tókù, wọn kò sì mọ bí a ṣe ń sọ èdè Juda.

Half their children could only speak the language of Ashdod or that of another people, and didn't know how to speak the language of Judah.

25 Mo bá wọn wí mo sì gégùn ún lé wọn lórí. Mo lu àwọn ènìyàn díẹ̀ nínú wọn mo sì fa irun orí wọn tu. Mo mú kí wọn búra ní orúkọ Ọlọ́run, kí wọn wí pé, “Ẹ̀yin kì yóò fi àwọn ọmọbìnrin wọn fún àwọn ọmọkùnrin yín ní ìyàwó tàbí fún ẹ̀yin tìkára yín.

So I confronted them and told them they were cursed. I beat some of them and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God, saying, “You must not allow your daughters to marry their sons, or allow your sons—or yourselves— to marry their daughters.

26 Kì í ha á ṣe àwọn ìgbéyàwó bí irú èyí ni ọba Solomoni fi dá ẹ̀ṣẹ̀? Láàrín àwọn orílẹ̀-èdè, kò sí ọba kan bí i tirẹ̀. Ọlọ́run rẹ̀ fẹ́ràn rẹ̀, Ọlọ́run sì fi jẹ ọba lórí i gbogbo Israẹli, ṣùgbọ́n àwọn obìnrin àjèjì ti sọ ọ́ sínú òfin ẹ̀ṣẹ̀.

Wasn't it marriages like these that made King Solomon of Israel sin? There wasn't a king in any nation like him. God loved him, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was made to sin by foreign women.

27 Ǹjẹ́ ó ha yẹ kí àwa tún gbọ́ báyìí pé ẹ̀yin náà tún ń ṣe àwọn nǹkan tí ó burú jọjọ wọ̀nyí tí ẹ sì ń ṣe aláìṣòótọ́ sí Ọlọ́run wa nípa fífẹ́ àwọn obìnrin àjèjì?”

So do we have to hear about you committing this dreadful sin, how you are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?”

28 Ọ̀kan lára àwọn ọmọ Joiada, ọmọ Eliaṣibu olórí àlùfáà jẹ́ àna Sanballati ará a Horoni. Mo sì lé e jáde kúrò lọ́dọ̀ mi.

Even one of the sons of Jehoiada, son of Eliashib the high priest, had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. So I expelled him.

29 Rántí wọn, Ọlọ́run mi, nítorí wọ́n ti ba iṣẹ́ àlùfáà jẹ́ pẹ̀lú májẹ̀mú iṣẹ́ àlùfáà àti ti àwọn Lefi.

My God, remember them and what they did, violating the priesthood and the solemn agreement of the priests and Levites.

30 Nítorí náà, mo ya àwọn àlùfáà àti àwọn Lefi sí mímọ́ kúrò nínú gbogbo ohun àjèjì, mo sì yan iṣẹ́ fún wọn, olúkúlùkù sí ẹnu iṣẹ́ rẹ̀.

I purified them from everything foreign, and I made sure the priests and Levites were carrying out their assigned responsibilities.

31 Mo sì tún pèsè fún ọrẹ, igi—pákó ní àkókò tí a yàn àti fún àwọn èso àkọ́so. Rántí mi fún rere, Ọlọ́run mi.

I also arranged for wood to be supplied for the altar at the specified times, and for the first part of the produce to be donated. My God, remember me favorably.