1
Siku hiyo walisoma katika kitabu cha Musa masikioni mwa watu; na ndani yake yalionekana maneno haya yameandikwa, ya kwamba Mwamoni na Mmoabi wasiingie katika kusanyiko la Mungu milele;
At that time the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people, and in it they found the passage stating that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,
2
kwa sababu hawakuwalaki wana wa Israeli kwa chakula na maji, bali walimwajiri Balaamu juu yao ili awalaani; lakini Mungu aliigeuza ile laana kuwa baraka.
because they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing).
3
Ikawa walipoisikia torati, wakawatenga Israeli na umati wa watu waliochanganyika nao.
As soon as the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all of foreign descent.
4
Na kabla ya hayo, Eliashibu, kuhani, aliyewekwa avisimamie vyumba vya nyumba ya Mungu wetu, kwa kuwa alikuwa karibu yake Tobia,
Now before this, Eliashib the priest, a relative of Tobiah, had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God
5
alikuwa amemtengenezea chumba kikubwa, hapo walipoweka zamani sadaka za unga, na ubani, na vyombo, na zaka za nafaka, na divai, na mafuta, walivyoamriwa kuwapa Walawi, na waimbaji, na mabawabu; tena sadaka za kuinuliwa zilizokuwa za makuhani.
and had prepared for Tobiah a large room where they had previously stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the temple articles, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, along with the contributions for the priests.
6
Lakini wakati huo wote mimi sikuwako huko Yerusalemu; maana katika mwaka wa thelathini na mbili wa Artashasta, mfalme wa Babeli, nalimrudia mfalme; na baada ya siku kadha wa kadha nikaomba ruhusa tena kwa mfalme.
While all this was happening, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to Artaxerxes king of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign. Some time later I obtained leave from the king
7
Nami nikaja Yerusalemu, nikafahamu yale mabaya, ambayo Eliashibu ameyatenda kwa ajili ya Tobia, kwa kumtengenezea chumba katika nyua za nyumba ya Mungu.
to return to Jerusalem. Then I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done on behalf of Tobiah by providing him a room in the courts of the house of God.
8
Nami nikasikitika sana; basi nikavitupa nje vyombo vyote vya Tobia vitoke humo chumbani.
And I was greatly displeased and threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.
9
Kisha nikatoa amri, nao wakavisafisha vyumba; nami nikavirudisha humo vyombo vya nyumba ya Mungu, pamoja na sadaka za unga na ubani.
Then I ordered that the rooms be purified, and I had the articles of the house of God restored to them, along with the grain offerings and frankincense.
10
Tena nikaona ya kwamba Walawi hawakupewa sehemu zao; basi wamekimbia Walawi na waimbaji, waliofanya kazi, kila mtu shambani kwake.
I also learned that because the portions for the Levites had not been given to them, all the Levites and singers responsible for performing the service had gone back to their own fields.
11
Ndipo nikagombana na mashehe, nikasema, Mbona nyumba ya Mungu imeachwa? Kisha nikawakusanya, nikawaweka mahali pao.
So I rebuked the officials and asked, “Why has the house of God been neglected?” Then I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts,
12
Ndipo Yuda wote walipoleta zaka za nafaka, na mvinyo, na mafuta, kwenye hazina.
and all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storerooms.
13
Nami nikawaweka watunza hazina juu ya hazina, yaani, Shelemia kuhani, na Sadoki mwandishi, na wa Walawi, Pedaya; na wa pili wao alikuwa Hanani, mwana wa Zakuri, mwana wa Matania; kwani walihesabiwa kuwa waaminifu, na ilikuwa juu yao kuwagawia ndugu zao.
I appointed as treasurers over the storerooms Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, with Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, to assist them, because they were considered trustworthy. They were responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites.
14
Unikumbukie hayo, Ee Mungu wangu, wala usifute fadhili zangu nilizozitenda kwa ajili ya nyumba ya Mungu wangu, na kwa taratibu zake.
Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my deeds of loving devotion for the house of my God and for its services.
15
Siku hizo naliona katika Yuda watu wengine waliokanyaga mashinikizo ya mvinyo siku ya sabato, na wengine waliochukua miganda, na kuwapakia punda zao; tena na mvinyo, na zabibu, na tini, na namna zote za mizigo, waliyoileta Yerusalemu, siku ya sabato; nami nikashuhudia juu yao siku ile waliyouza vyakula.
In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day.
16
Tena wakakaa humo watu wa Tiro, walioleta samaki, na biashara za kila namna, wakawauzia wana wa Yuda siku ya sabato, na mumo humo Yerusalemu.
Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.
17
Ndipo nikagombana na wakuu wa Yuda, nikawaambia, Ni neno baya gani hili mnalofanya ninyi, na kuinajisi siku ya sabato?
Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day?
18
Je! Sivyo hivyo walivyofanya baba zenu; na Mungu wetu, je! Hakuyaleta mabaya haya yote juu yetu, na juu ya mji huu? Nanyi hata hivyo mwazidi kuleta ghadhabu juu ya Israeli kwa kuinajisi sabato!
Did not your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”
19
Ikawa malango ya Yerusalemu yalipoanza kuwa na giza kabla ya sabato, naliamuru milango ifungwe, nikaamuru isifunguliwe hata sabato iishe; na baadhi ya watumishi wangu nikawaweka juu ya malango, ili usiingizwe mzigo wo wote siku ya sabato.
When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered that the gates be shut and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day.
20
Basi wenye biashara na wachuuzi wa bidhaa za kila namna wakalala nje ya Yerusalemu mara mbili tatu.
Once or twice, the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem,
21
Ndipo nikawashuhudia, nikawaambia, Mbona mwalala mbele ya ukuta? Mkitenda hivi tena, nitawakamata. Tangu wakati ule hawakuja tena siku ya sabato.
but I warned them, “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they did not return on the Sabbath.
22
Kisha nikawaamuru Walawi wajitakase, nao waje kuyalinda malango, ili kuitakasa siku ya sabato. Unikumbukie hayo nayo, Ee Mungu wangu, ukaniachilie sawasawa na wingi wa rehema zako.
Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this as well, O my God, and show me mercy according to Your abundant loving devotion.
23
Tena siku zizo hizo nikawaona wale Wayahudi waliokuwa wameoa wanawake wa Ashdodi, na Amoni, na Moabu;
In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
24
na watoto wao wakanena nusu kwa lugha ya Ashdodi, wala hawakuweza kunena kwa Kiyahudi, bali kwa lugha ya watu hao mojawapo.
Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah.
25
Nikagombana nao, nikawalaani, nikawapiga baadhi yao, na kuwang'oa nywele zao; nikawaapisha kwa Mungu, nikasema, Msiwaoze wana wao binti zenu, wala msiwatwae binti zao ili waolewe na wana wenu, wala na ninyi wenyewe.
I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves!
26
Je! Sulemani, mwana wa Daudi, hakufanya dhambi kwa kutenda hayo? Lakini katika mataifa mengi hapakuwa na mfalme mwingine mfano wake. Tena alipendwa na Mungu wake, naye Mungu akamfanya mfalme juu ya Israeli; walakini wanawake wageni walimkosesha hata yeye.
Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations, and he was loved by his God, who made him king over all Israel—yet foreign women drew him into sin.
27
Basi, na sisi, je! Tuwasikilize ninyi kutenda neno hili baya, hata kumhalifu Mungu wetu kwa kuwaoa wanawake wageni?
Must we now hear that you too are doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”
28
Na mwana mmoja wa Yoyada, mwana wa Eliashibu, kuhani mkuu, alikuwa mkwewe Sanbalati, Mhoroni, basi nikamfukuza kwangu.
Even one of the sons of Jehoiada son of Eliashib the high priest had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I drove him away from me.
29
Uwakumbuke, Ee Mungu wangu, jinsi walivyounajisi ukuhani, na agano la ukuhani na la Walawi.
Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.
30
Hivyo nikawatakasa na kila kitu kigeni, nami nikawaagizia zamu makuhani na Walawi, kila mtu kazini mwake;
Thus I purified the priests and Levites from everything foreign, and I assigned specific duties to each of the priests and Levites.
31
na matoleo ya kuni nyakati zilizoamriwa, na malimbuko. Nikumbuke, Ee Mungu wangu, ili unitendee mema.
I also arranged for contributions of wood at the appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, with favor.