Nehemia 13

1 Gbe ma gbe ke esi wonɔ Mose ƒe Seawo xlẽm la, wokpɔ be woŋlɔ ɖi be womaɖe mɔ na Amonitɔwo alo Moabtɔwo woasubɔ Mawu le gbedoxɔ la me o,

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 elabena womewɔ xɔlɔ̃ kple Israel o. Wotsɔ Balaam be woaƒo fi ade Israelviwo, ke Mawu trɔ fiƒode la wòzu yayra.

because they did not 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 Esi wose se sia la, wonya amedzrowo katã le Israel dome.

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

4 Hafi nya sia nadzɔ la, Nunɔla Eliasib, ame si kpɔa gbedoxɔ la ƒe nudzraɖoƒewo dzi, eye wònye Tobia xɔlɔ̃ vevi aɖe la,

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

5 trɔ nudzraɖoxɔawo dometɔ ɖeka wòzu amedzrodzeƒe nyui aɖe na Tobia. Tsã la, wodzraa nuɖuvɔsanuwo, atike ʋeʋĩwo, gagbɛwo kple bli, aha yeye kple ami ƒe ewoliawo ɖo ɖe xɔ sia me. Mose de se be nu siawo nye Levitɔwo, hadzihamenɔlawo kple agbonudzɔlawo tɔ, eye nu vɔ̃ ŋuti vɔsanuwo nye nunɔlawo tɔ.

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 Nyemenɔ Yerusalem ɣe ma ɣi o. Megbugbɔ yi Babilonia le Fia Artazerses ƒe fiaɖuɖu ƒe ƒe blaetɔ̃-vɔ-evelia me. Emegbe la, mebia mɔfiala,

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 eye megbugbɔ va Yerusalem. Esi mese nu vɔ̃ɖi si Eliasib wɔ, be wòwɔ amedzrodzeƒe ɖe gbedoxɔ me na Tobia la,

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 medo dɔmedzoe, eye mefɔ Tobia ƒe nuwo le xɔ la me ƒu gbe.

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

9 Mena wokɔ xɔ la ŋu nyuie, eye megbugbɔ gbedoxɔ la ƒe agbawo, nuɖuvɔsanuwo kple atike ʋeʋĩwo de xɔ la me.

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 Kpe ɖe esia ŋu la, mese be womele nu siwo nye Levitɔwo tɔ la tsɔm na wo o, ale woawo kple hadzihamenɔla siwo naa kpekpeɖeŋu le sɔlemedede me la gbugbɔ yi ɖanɔ dɔ wɔm le woƒe agblewo me.

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 Meka mo na kplɔlawo, eye mebia wo be, “Nu ka ta miegblẽ gbedoxɔ la ɖi ɖo?” Meyɔ Levitɔwo vɛ, eye mena wogade asi woƒe dɔwo wɔwɔ me.

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 Ale Yudatɔwo katã gade asi woƒe bli, wain yeye kple ami ƒe ewoliawo tsɔtsɔ va gbedoxɔ la ƒe nudzraɖoƒewo me.

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

13 Metsɔ Selemia, nunɔla la kple Zadok, agbalẽfiala la kple Pedaya, Levitɔ la ɖo avawo dzi kpɔkpɔ nu, eye mena Hanan, Zakur ƒe vi kple Matania ƒe tɔgbuiyɔvi zu woƒe kpeɖeŋutɔ. Ame siawo nye ame siwo ŋu ŋkɔ nyui nɔ, eye woƒe dɔdeasie nye be woama nuawo na wo nɔvi Levitɔwo abe ale si dze ene.

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 O! Nye Mawu, ɖo ŋku dɔ nyui sia si mewɔ la dzi, eye mègaŋlɔ nu siwo katã mewɔ le gbedoxɔ la ŋu be o.

Remember me, my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its observances.

15 Le ɣe ma ɣiwo me la, mekpɔ amewo wonɔ wain fiam le Dzudzɔgbe la dzi, eye wonɔ ƒu ƒom woƒe lu bablawo kple wain tsetsewo kple gbotsetsewo kple agblemenu vovovowo nɔ agba dom na woƒe tedziwo, eye wotsɔ nu siawo katã gbɔna Yerusalem le Dzudzɔgbe la dzi, eya ta mede se na wo le nudzadzra le ŋkeke ma dzi la ŋuti.

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 Tirotɔ aɖewo hã nɔ Yerusalem, ame siwo nɔ tɔmelã kple adzɔnu vovovowo dzram le Yerusalem le Dzudzɔgbe la dzi.

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 Meka mo na Yuda ƒe kplɔlawo, eye mebia wo be, “Nu ka ta miele kɔ gblẽm ɖo na Dzudzɔgbe la?

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 Mia fofowo wɔ nu sia tɔgbi, eye wohe dzɔgbevɔ̃e siwo li fifia la va miawo ŋutɔ kple miaƒe du la dzi. Ɖe esia mesɔ gbɔ na mi oa? Ke azɔ la, miegale Mawu ƒe dɔmedzoe flam ɖe Israelviwo ŋu ɖe edzi, to ɖiƒoƒo Dzudzɔgbe la to mɔ sia dzi me!”

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

19 Ale mede se be tso gbe ma gbe dzi la, ne ɣe ɖo to le Fiɖagbe ko la, woatu agboawo katã, eye womagaʋu wo o va se ɖe esime Dzudzɔgbe la nava yi. Meɖo nye subɔla aɖewo ɖa be woadzɔ agboawo ŋu, ale be ame aɖeke magatsɔ adzɔnu aɖeke ava Yerusalem le Dzudzɔgbe la dzi o.

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 Asitsala aɖewo va tɔ ɖe dua godo zi eve aɖewo,

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

21 ke meƒo nu na wo kple adã be, “Nu ka dim miele hafi va tsi gli la godo dɔ? Ne miegawɔe azɔ la, malé mi.” Eyae nye zi mamlɛtɔ si wova le Dzudzɔgbe la dzi.

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 did not come on the Sabbath.

22 Azɔ la, meɖe gbe na Levitɔwo be woakɔ wo ɖokui ŋuti, woadzɔ agboawo ŋu, eye woakpɔ egbɔ be ame sia ame wɔ Dzudzɔgbe la kɔkɔe. O! Nye Mawu, ɖo ŋku nye wɔna sia hã dzi! Ve nunye le wò lɔlɔ̃ sɔ gbɔ la nu.

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 Le ɣe ma ɣi ke la, mede dzesii be Yuda ŋutsu geɖewo ɖe srɔ̃ tso Asdod, Amon kple Moab,

In those days I also saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab;

24 eye wo viwo dometɔ geɖewo gblɔa Asdod gbe alo dzrogbe bubuwo, eye wometea ŋu gblɔa Yuda gbe kura o.

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 Ale mehe nya kple dzila siawo, meƒo fi de wo, meƒo wo dometɔ aɖewo, menyɔ woƒe taɖa, eye mena woka atam le Mawu ŋkume gblɔ be, “Míagatsɔ mía vinyɔnuwo na wo viŋutsuwo woaɖe o, alo míaɖe wo vinyɔnuwo na mía viŋutsuwo o, alo míawo ŋutɔ míaɖe wo o.

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 Alo menye srɔ̃ sia tɔgbiwo ɖeɖee na be Israel fia Solomo wɔ nu vɔ̃ oa? Le dukɔ geɖewo me la, fia aɖeke mede enu o. Mawu lɔ̃ eya amea, eye wòɖoe fiae ɖe Israel katã dzi, gake dzronyɔnuwo blee de nu vɔ̃ me.

Did not 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 Ke azɔ la, ɖe míase be miawo hã miele nu vɔ̃ɖi sia tɔgbi wɔm, eye miele nuteƒe wɔm na Mawu o to dzronyɔnuwo ɖeɖe mea?”

Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?”

28 Yoiada, Eliasib, nunɔla la ƒe viŋutsuwo dometɔ ɖeka ɖe Sanbalat, Horonitɔ la ƒe vinyɔnu, ale menyae le gbedoxɔ la me.

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 O! Nye Mawu, ɖo ŋku wo dzi, elabena wogblẽ kɔ ɖo na nunɔlawo ƒe dɔ kple nunɔlawo kple Levitɔwo ƒe nubabla.

Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.

30 Ale mekɔ nunɔlawo kple Levitɔwo ŋu tso dzronuwo me, eye mena dɔ wo, ame sia ame kple etɔ.

Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners and appointed duties for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work;

31 Kpe ɖe esiawo ŋu la, mewɔ ɖoɖo ɖe nakenana ɖe ɣeyiɣi dzi kple nu gbãtɔwo nana hã ŋu. O! Nye Mawu, ɖo ŋku dzinye, le wò dɔmenyo la nu.

and for the wood offering, at appointed times, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.