Bapirisiti ne Balevi bakabuya
1 Aba ndibo bapirisiti ne Balevi bakabuya na Zerubhabeli nkololo wa Shealitiyele bana Jeshuwa: Seraya na Jeremiya na Ezera na 2 Amariya na Maluki na Hatushi na 3 Shekaniya na Rehumu na Meremoti na 4 Ido na Ginethoyi na Abija na 5 Mijamini na Maadiya na Biliga na 6 Shemaya na Joyaribu na Jedaya na 7 Salu na Amoku na Hilikiya na Jedaya. Ibaba bakabe bali ibo batungamili be bapirisiti ne zwikamu zwabo mu tjibaka tja Jeshuwa.
8 Balevi ibo bakabe bali bo Jeshuwa na Bhinuyi na Kadimiyele na Sherebiya na Juda na Mataniya iye ne zwikamu zwizwe, bakabe bakalingisana ne njimbo dze mboko. 9 Ngono Bhakubhukiya na Uni ne zwikamu zwabo, bakabe bema kulingisana nabo mu tjibaka tje nshingo.
Bakololo be ntungamili we bapirisiti
10 Jeshuwa wakabe ali tate ba Joyakimu, Joyakimu ali tate ba Eliyashibi, Eliyashibi ili tate ba Joyada, 11 Joyada ali tate ba Jonatani, Jonatani ali tate ba Jaduya.
Batungamili be misha ye bapirisiti
12 Mu tjibaka tja Joyakimu ibaba ndibo bapirisiti bakabe bali batungamili be misha: We nsha wa Seraya ndi Meraya; we Jeremiya ndi Hananiya; 13 we Ezera ndi Meshulamu; we Amariya ndi Jehohanani; 14 we Maluki ndi Jonatani; we Shebaniya ndi Josefa; 15 we Harimu ndi Adina; we Meraoti ndi Helikayi; 16 we Ido ndi Zakhariya; we Ginethoni ndi Meshulamu; 17 we Abija ndi Zikiri; we Miniyamini ndi ; we Moadiya ndi Pilitayi; 18 we Biliga ndi Shamuya; we Shemaya ndi Jehonatani; 19 we Joyaribu ndi Matenayi; we Jedaya ndi Uzi; 20 we Salayi ndi Kalayi; we Amoku ndi Eberi; 21 we Hilikiya ndi Hashabiya; we Jedaya ndi Nethanele.
Mazina e bapirisiti ne Balevi akabe akakwagwa
22 Mu tjibaka tje batungamili be misha ye Balevi bo Eliyashibi na Joyada na Johanani na Jaduwa ne bapirisiti bakabe bekwagwa pasi, kukamisiwa mu tjibaka tje mbuso wa Dariyasi we Npheshiya. 23 Bakololo ba Levi ne batungamili be misha bakabe bakakwagwa mu bhuka ye Zwiyitikalo kuswikilila mu mazhuba a Johanani nkololo wa Eliyashibi.
Mishingo ye bapirisiti ne Balevi
24 Batungamili be Balevi bakabe bali bo Hashabiya na Sherebiya na Jeshuwa nkololo wa Kadimiyele ne makamu abo bakabe bema kulingisana nabo mu tjibaka tje kukudza Ndzimu netje kuboka, gwamu limwe lilabadzana ne limwe sekwa kwakabe kwalebgwa ndi Dafite nlume we Ndzimu. 25 Mataniya na Bhakubhukiya na Obhadiya na Meshulamu na Talimoni na Akubu bakabe bali balingilili be mikoba bakalinda matula. 26 Bose ibaba bakashinga mu tjibaka tja Joyakimu nkololo wa Jeshuwa, Jeshuwa ali nkololo wa Jozadaki ne mu tjibaka tja Nehemiya wakabe ali nlauli na Ezera we mpirisiti kakale ali nkwali.
Kupiwa Ndzimu makuma e Jerusalema
27 Kwakati kupiwa Ndzimu makuma e Jerusalema, Balevi bakashakwa bakatogwa mu magalo abo akathubukana kuti bazhebo kuwozana nzano we kupiwa Ndzimu makuma nge shatho ne kuboka nenge kumba bakabhata belidza zwilidzo zwinodang'wa dzisimbali ne dzikatara ne zwimwe zwilidzo bo zwinodang'wa dzilaya. 28 Bambi bakazhabo kudwa mu magalo akapoteleka Jerusalema, kudwa tjose mu mizi ye bathu bano dang'wa Banetofa, 29 ne kudwa ku Bhetegiligali ne kudwa mu Gebha ne kudwa mu Azimaveti, bakazwibakila mizi kupoteleka Jerusalema. 30 Kwakati Balevi ne bapirisiti basina kuzwitjenapadza bakadwapo betjenepadza bathu ne guma le Nzi nkulu.
31 Ndakathama kuti batungamili be Juda batathe pezhugwi kwe guma, apa makupo mabili e bambi kuti batibokele. Mmwe wakabe akafanila kuti ayendile mbeli ali mu luji ali pezhugwi kwe guma kuyendila ku nkoba unodang'wa Nkoba we Malala.
32 Hoshaya ne gwamu le batungamili be Juda bakabasala shule, 33 mu bali kwakabe kuna Azariya na Ezera na Meshulamu 34 na Juda na Bhenjamini na Shemaya na Jeremiya 35 ne bamwe bapirisiti bakabe belidza manyanga, Zakhariya nkololo wa Jonatani, Jonatani ali nkololo wa Shemaya, Shemaya ali nkololo wa Mataniya, Mataniya iye ali nkololo wa Mika, Mika ali nkololo wa Zakhuri, Zakhuri ali nkololo wa Asafa 36 ana makamu awe bo Shemaya na Azarele na Milalayi na Gilalayi na Maayi na Nethanele na Juda na Hanani belidza zwilidzo zwakabe zwalebgwa ndi Dafite nlume we Ndzimu. Bakabe bakatungamigwa ndi Ezera we nkwalili, 37 bakatathuka ku nkoba undang'wa we Nsenya, bakatambunuka bakanopinda pa matathilo e nzi wa Dafite bakasuphisa ng'umba ya Dafite bakanowila ku nkoba we Vula uku bhezhuba.
38 Gupo le bubili le bambi lakayendila kulingisana ne le kutanga lili kuli meshwe, imi ne limwe gwamu le bathu tikabasala shule tili pezhugwi kwe Thungamakole enodang'wa ye zwibeso zwe bhuba le moto kunoti ku Guma Bhabi, 39 ne pezhugwi kwe Nkoba wa Ifureimi nenge Nkoba we Jeshana, nenge Nkoba we Hwobe ne ku Thungamakole ya Hananeli ne ku Thungamakole ye bali zana kuyenda tjose ku Nkoba we Pkhwizi ngono bakaswika bema pa Nkoba we balindi. 40 Makupo iyawa mabili e bambi akabe eboka mu Ng'umba ye Ndzimu abe ndinabo ne gwamu le balauli, 41 gupo langu lakabe lina bapirisiti bo Eliyakimu na Maseya na Miniyamini na Mikaya na Eliyonayi na Zakhariya na Hananiya belidza manyanga abo. 42 Kakale lakabe lina Maseya na Shemaya na Eleazari na Uzi na Jehohanani na Malikija na Elamu na Ezeri. Bambi bakabe be mba bali pasi kwa Izirahiya. 43 Ngono mu zhuba ilelo bakadusa zwibhayilo zwikulu, bakashatha ngobe Ndzimu wakabe wapa shatho hwulu kwazo. Bana ne bakadzi bakabe bakashathabo. Ngono zhoba ye shatho ikahwika kule kule.
Kudusila Ng'umba ye Ndzimu
44 Mu zhuba ilelo kwakashalugwa balume banowotjengeta matula e zwipo ne e mitjelo ye kutanga ne e zwebugumi. Mu minda dzakapoteleka nzi bakabe bakafanila kuzhisa ku matula mitezho ku bapirisiti ne Balevi sekwa zwakabe zwishakiwa nge Nlayo ngoti Bajuta bakabe beshathisiwa ngekushinga kwe Balevi ne bapirisiti. 45 Bakathama nshingo we kutembezela Ndzimu ne we ku zwitjenapadza ngono bambi ne balingilili be mikoba naibo bakathamabo sekwa kwakalebgwa ndi Dafite ne nkololo uwe Solomoni. 46 Mu mazhuba a Dafite na Asafa kwakabe kuna batungamili be bambi kakale kuna njimbo dzakabe dziboka ne dzakabe dzikudza Ndzimu. 47 Ndizo mu mazhuba a Zerubhabeli na Nehemiya Baiziraela bose bakadusa mitezho ye mazhuba wose e bambi ne balingilili be mikoba. Bakabigilantome kwakabe kuli kwe Balevi, Balevi ibo bakabigilantome yakabe ili ye bakololo ba Aroni.
A List of Priests and Levites
1 Many priests and Levites had returned from Babylonia with Zerubbabel and Joshua as their leaders. Those priests were Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, 5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and another Jedaiah. These were the leading priests and their assistants during the time of Joshua.
8 The Levites who returned were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah. They and their assistants were responsible for the songs of praise, 9 while Bakbukiah and Unno, together with their assistants, were responsible for the choral responses.
Descendants of Joshua the High Priest
10 Joshua was the father of Joiakim, the grandfather of Eliashib, and the great-grandfather of Joiada. 11 Joiada was the father of Jonathan and the grandfather of Jaddua.
Leaders of the Priestly Clans
12 When Joiakim was high priest, the following priests were leaders of their clans: Meraiah of the Seraiah clan, Hananiah of Jeremiah, 13 Meshullam of Ezra, Jehohanan of Amariah, 14 Jonathan of Malluchi, Joseph of Shebaniah, 15 Adna of Harim, Helkai of Meraioth, 16 Zechariah of Iddo, Meshullam of Ginnethon, 17 Zichri of Abijah, Piltai of Moadiah, 18 Shammua of Bilgah, Jehonathan of Shemaiah, 19 Mattenai of Joiarib, Uzzi of Jedaiah, 20 Kallai of Sallai, Eber of Amok, 21 Hashabiah of Hilkiah, and Nethanel of Jedaiah.
The Priestly and Levite Families
22 During the time of the high priests Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, and including the time that Darius was king of Persia, a record was kept of the heads of the Levite and priestly families. 23 However, no official record was kept of the heads of the Levite clans after the death of Johanan, the grandson of Eliashib.
24 Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their assistants organized two choirs of Levites to offer praises to God, just as King David, the man of God, had commanded.
25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were responsible for guarding the storerooms near the temple gates.
26 All of these men lived during the time of Joiakim and during the time that I was governor and Ezra, a teacher of the Law of Moses, was priest.
Nehemiah Dedicates the City Wall
27 When the city wall was dedicated, Levites from everywhere in Judah were invited to join in the celebration with songs of praise and with the music of cymbals, small harps, and other stringed instruments. 28-29 The Levite singers lived in villages around Jerusalem, and so they came from there, as well as from the villages around Netophah, Beth-Gilgal, Geba, and Azmaveth. 30 The priests and Levites held special ceremonies to make themselves holy, and then they did the same for the rest of the people and for the gates and walls of the city.
31 I brought the leaders of Judah to the top of the city wall and put them in charge of the two groups that were to march around on top of the wall, singing praises to God. One group marched to the right in the direction of Garbage Gate. 32 Hoshaiah and half of the leaders followed them. 33 Then came the priests Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, 35 all of them blowing trumpets. Next, there was Zechariah of the Asaph clan 36 and his relatives, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani. They played musical instruments like those that had been played by David, the man of God. And they marched behind Ezra, the teacher of the Law. 37 When they reached Fountain Gate, they climbed the steps to David's City and went past his palace, before stopping at the Water Gate near the eastern wall of the city.
38 The second group of singers marched along the wall in the opposite direction, and I followed them, together with the other half of the leaders of Judah. We went past Oven Tower, Broad Wall, 39 Ephraim Gate, Old Gate, Fish Gate, Hananel Tower, Hundred Tower, and on to Sheep Gate. Finally, we stopped at Gate of the Guard, 40 where we stood in front of the temple with the other group, praising God. In the group with me were half of the leaders, 41 as well as the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, who were blowing trumpets. 42 Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer also stood there, as Jezrahiah led the singers. 43 God had made the people very happy, and so on that day they celebrated and offered many sacrifices. The women and children joined in the festivities, and joyful shouts could be heard far from the city of Jerusalem.
Preparation for Worship
44 On that same day, some leaders were appointed to be responsible for the safekeeping of gifts for the temple and to be in charge of receiving the first part of the harvest and the ten percent of the crops and livestock that was offered to God. These same leaders also collected the part of crops that the Law of Moses taught was to be given to the Levites.
Everyone was pleased with the work of the priests and Levites, 45 when they performed the ceremonies to make people acceptable to worship God. And the singers and the temple guards did their jobs according to the instructions given by David and his son Solomon. 46 In fact, ever since the days of David and Asaph, there had been song leaders and songs of praise and worship. 47 During the time that Zerubbabel and I were in charge, everyone in Israel gave what they were supposed to give for the daily needs of the singers and temple guards from the Levi tribe. Then the Levites would give the priests their share from what they had received.