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.
In that day they read in the book of Moses in the ears of the people; and it was found written in it, that the Ammonites and Moabites should not enter 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 met not the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them: but our God turned the curse into a blessing.
3 Mara tu waliposikia sheria, waliwatenga Israeli toka kwa kila mgeni.
And it came to pass, when they heard the law, that they were separated, [even] every alien in Israel.
4 Sasa kabla ya hapo Eliashibu kuhani akawekwa juu ya vyumba vya nyumba ya Mungu wetu. Alikuwa na uhusiano na Tobia.
And before this time Eliasib the priest dwelt in the treasury of the house of our God, connected with Tobias;
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.
and he made himself a great treasury, and there they were formerly in the habit of bestowing the offerings, and the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithe of the corn, and the wine, and the oil, the ordered portion of the Levites, and singers, and porters; and the first-fruits 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,
But in all this [time] I was not in Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Arthasastha king of Babylon I came to the king, and after a certain time I made my request 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 I understood the mischief which Eliasib had done in the case of Tobias, in making for him a treasury in the court of the house of God.
8 Nilikuwa na hasira sana na nikatupa vitabu vya nyumba ya Tobia nje ya chumba cha kuhifadhi.
And it appeared very evil to me: so I cast forth all the furniture of the house of Tobias from the treasury.
9 Niliamuru kwamba watakase vituo vya kuhifadhi, nami nikarudisha ndani yao makala ya nyumba ya Mungu, sadaka ya nafaka, na uvumba.
And I gave orders, and they purified the treasuries: and I restored thither the vessels of the house of God, [and] the offerings, 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 understood that the portion of the Levites had not been given: and they had fled every one to his field, the Levites and the singers doing the work.
11 Kwa hiyo nikawasiliana na maafisa na kusema, 'Kwa nini nyumba ya Mungu imeachwa?' Niliwakusanya pamoja na kuwaweka kwenye nafasi zao.
And I strove with the commanders, and said, Wherefore has the house of God been abandoned? and I assembled them, and set them in their place.
12 Kisha Yuda wote wakaleta zaka ya nafaka, divai mpya, na mafuta kwenye vituo vya kuhifadhi.
And all Juda brought a tithe of the wheat and the wine and the oil into the treasuries,
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.
to the charge of Selemia the priest, and Sadoc the scribe, and Phadaea of the Levites: and next to them [was] Anan the son of Zacchur, son of Matthanias; for they were accounted faithful: [it was] their office 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 God, in this, and let not my kindness be forgotten which I have wrought in [regard to] the house of the Lord God.
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 Juda [men] treading wine-presses on the sabbath, and carrying sheaves, and loading asses with both wine, and grapes, and figs, and every [kind of] burden, and bringing them into Jerusalem on the sabbath-day:
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!
and I testified in the day of their sale. Also their dwelt in it [men] bringing fish, and selling every [kind of] merchandise to the children of Juda and in Jerusalem on the sabbath.
17 Kisha nikawaambia viongozi wa Yuda, “Je! ni ubaya gani huu mnafanya, kuinajisi siku ya Sabato?
And I strove with the free children of Juda, and said to them, What [is] this evil thing which ye do, and profane 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 our God brought upon them and upon us and upon this city all these evils? and do ye bring additional wrath upon 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, when the gates were set up in Jerusalem, before the sabbath, that I spoke, and they shut the gates; and I gave orders that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and I set [some] of my servants at the gates, that none should bring [in] burdens on the sabbath-day.
20 Wafanyabiashara na wauzaji wa kila aina ya bidhaa walikimbia nje ya Yerusalemu mara moja au mbili.
So all [the merchants] lodged, and carried on traffic 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.
Then I testified against them, and said to them, Why do ye lodge in front of the wall? if ye do so again, I will stretch out my hand upon you. From that time 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 told the Levites who were purifying themselves, and came and kept the gates, that they should sanctify the sabbath-day. Remember me, O God, for these things, and spare me according to the abundance of thy mercy.
23 Katika siku hizo niliona Wayahudi waliokuwa wameoa wanawake wa Ashdodi, Amoni na Moabu.
And in those days I saw the Jews who had married women 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 did not know how to speak in the Jewish language.
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 strove with them and cursed them; and I smote some of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, [saying, ]Ye shall not give your daughters to their sons, and ye shall not take of their daughters to your sons.
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 thus? though there was no king like him among many nations, and he was beloved of God, and God made him king over all Israel; yet strange women turned him aside.
27 Je, tunapaswa kukusikiliza na kufanya uovu huu hata kumhalifu Mungu wetu na kuwaoa wanawake wageni?
So we will not hearken to you to do all this evil, to break covenant with our God, —to marry strange wives.
28 Mmoja wa wana wa Yoyada, mwana wa Eliashibu, kuhani mkuu, alikuwa mkwewe na Sanbalati Mhoroni. Kwa hiyo nilimondoa kutoka mbele yangu.
and Elisub the high priest, [one] of the sons of Joada, [being] son-in-law of Sanaballat the Uranite, I chased him away from me.
29 Wakukumbushe, Mungu wangu, kwa sababu wameunajisi ukuhani, na agano la ukuhani na Walawi.
Remember them, O God, for their [false] connection with the priesthood, and [the breaking] the covenant of the priesthood, and [for defiling] the Levites.
30 Kwa hiyo nimewatakasa kutoka kila kitu kigeni, na kuimarisha kazi za makuhani na Walawi, kila mmoja kwa kazi yake mwenyewe.
So I purged them from all foreign connection, and established courses for the priests and the Levites, [every] man according to his work.
31 Nilitoa sadaka za kuni wakati uliowekwa na matunda ya kwanza. Nikumbuke, Mungu wangu, kwa mema.
And the offering of the wood-bearers [was] at certain set times, and in the [times of the] first-fruits. Remember me, O our God, for good.
