1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever; 2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
4 ¶ And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah: 5 And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests. 6 But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king: 7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8 And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.
10 ¶ And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field. 11 Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place. 12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries. 13 And 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 office was to distribute unto their brethren. 14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.
15 ¶ In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. 16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? 18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. 19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. 20 So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. 21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.
23 ¶ In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: 24 And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people. 25 And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying , Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves. 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin. 27 Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives? 28 And 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 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites. 30 Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business; 31 And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.
Basi Baiziraela banodusiwa
1 Kwakati mu zhuba ilelo labakabe bebalila bathu lukwalo gwa Mushe, bakanowila panoti kusibe N'amoni kene Moabu ungadumigwa kungina mu gubungano le Ndzimu nenge limwe zhuba, 2 ngobe abazo bhatsha Baiziraela nge zojiwa nenge vula koga bakatapa Bhalamu kuti abalonge bhiso ndizo Ndzimu wedu ukashandula bhiso ilelo likabe gombolelo. 3 Baiziraela bakati behwa nlayo iwoyo ubagwa bakazwidusa mu bazhi kuti basibe mubali.
4 Mbeli kwa ikoku, Eliyashibi we mpirisiti wakabe abigwa ali iye wakalingisana nge kutjengeta matula e Ng'umba ye Ndzimu wedu, wakabe eshinga kwazo kwazo na Tobiya, 5 ngono wakalulwamisila Tobiya ng'umba hwuluhwulu yakabe ishingisiwa kubiganyigwa zwipo zwe mathunde ne zwino nnuwisa zwakanaka ne zwimwe zwija zwe Ng'umba ye Ndzimu ne zwebugumi zwe mathunde ne nkumbi we zhambi ne mafuta, izo zwakabe zwadusiwa nge nlayo wakapiwa Balevi ne bambi ne balingilili be mikoba ne bapirisiti. 6 Koga izwezwi zwakati zwishingikala ndakabe ndisi ku Jerusalema, ngobe mu gole le bumakole matatu ana makole mabili (32) ili gole la Atazezasi mambo we Bhabhiloni ndakayenda kuna mambo, koga shule kwe gole akumbila mambo kuti bandisunungule ndi bgwilile. 7 Ndizo wali azha mu Jerusalema, ngono abona bubi gwakathamwa ndi Eliyashibi gwekululwamisila Tobiya ng'umba mu bhakasa le Ng'umba ye Ndzimu. 8 Ngono ndakagwadza moyo kwazo, atola zwija zwa Tobiya azwiposela kuzhe. 9 Ngono kudwapo adusa ndaulo kuti ng'umba iyeyi itjenapadziwe, kube kubgwiliziwa zwija zose zwe Ng'umba ye Ndzimu nge tjipo tje mathunde ne tjinonuhwa zwakanaka.
10 Ndakawana ili kuti Balevi abazopiwa mitezho yabo, ngono awana ili kuti Balevi ne bambi bakabe bakalingisana nge nshingo we Ng'umba ye Ndzimu bakabgwilila ku minda yabo. 11 Ndakatukanya batungamili kuti ini Ng'umba ye Ndzimu yakaletjedzegwa. Ngono kudwapo ndakabadana abakubunganya ngono ababiga nge magalo abo. 12 Bathu bose be Juda bakazhisa zwebugumi zwe mathunde ne nkumbi we zhambi ne mafuta ku matula. 13 Ndakatola Shelemiya we mpirisiti na Zadoki we nkwalili na Pedaya we Nlevi ababiga kuti babe batjengeti be matula, ndakadwapo nditola Hanani nkololo wa Zakhuri, Zakhuri ali nkololo wa Mataniya kuti abe mbatshi wabo. Ndakatola balume ibaba ngobe bakabe bali balume banogalikabgwe kwazo, ndizo nshingo wabo wakabe uli kukoba zwimu matula. 14 Ndzimu wangu, mundikumbule ngekwa ikoku kwandakathama, ndomukumbila kuti musifupatile zwandakathama nge kugalabgwe ndithamila ng'umba yenyu, Ndzimu wangu ne nge mishingo inobhatigwa muili.
15 Kwakati mu mazhuba iyawo abona bathu be Juda beswina nkumbi nge zhuba le Sabata kakale bezhisa mathunde ne zhambi ne phaya ne zwimwe zwinjinji zwakasengwa nge madonki. Bakabe bezhisa zose izwezwi ku Jerusalema nge zhuba le Sabata, ndizo abatjemelela kutengesa mu zhuba ilelo. 16 Bamwe bathu be nzi we Tire bakabe begala mu Jerusalema bakabe bezhisa hwobe ne zwimwe zwithu zwakasiyana siyana ku Jerusalema, bezwitengesela bathu be Juda nge zhuba le Sabata. 17 Ngono ndakatukanya batungamili be Juda abadwa nditi, “Bubi gweni gungapa ngapa gwa munothama, mu temapadza zhuba le Sabata kene? 18 Kuti Ndzimu akowozhisa mang'oni iyawa mangapa mutili ne mu nzi nkulu, bobatategulu bedu abazobe bathama beijali kene? Ngono ngwenu mowandisa bushongola mu Baiziraela ngo temapadza zhuba le Sabata kene?” 19 Kwakati kutewusila mu madekwana adusa ndaulo kuti mikoba ye Jerusalema izhaligwe kusathu kukabe zhuba le Sabata, ngekuti kakale mikoba isizhugwe kuswikilila zhuba le Sabata lapinda. Ndakabiga balume bangu ku mikoba kuti kusibe mitolo inongina kene inozhisiwa nge zhuba le Sabata. 20 Kwakabe tjibaka nge tjibaka batengesi be thundu bakabe belala kuzhe kwe Jerusalema. 21 Koga ndakabatjemela abadwa nditi, “Ini muizela pa makuma kene? Ha muthama muijali ndowomukubadza.” Kudwa tjose mu zhuba ilelo abazotjazha mu zhuba le Sabata. 22 Kudwapo ndakadwa Balevi kuti bazwitjenapadze, babe beyenda banolingilila ku mikoba kuti ndizo zhuba le Sabata ligale lakatjenapala. Mundikumbule ngekwa ikoku kakale Ndzimu wangu, mube nge ludo gwenyu gusingazunguzike.
23 Mu mazhuba iyawo ndakawana kakale balume be Juda bakabe bakalobola bakadzi Baashidodi ne Amoni ne Moabu. 24 Gwamu le bana babo bakabe belebeleka Tjiashidodi kene ndimi ye ludzi gupoga koga basingatubule kulebeleka lulimi gwe Tjijuta. 25 Ndakabatuka, abalonga bhiso, bamwe balume ibo abaloba, asimula mavudzi abo, abatunisa mu zina le Ndzimu kuti abatjowopapha belobodza bakololokadzi babo ku bathu be bataya kene kuli kulobolela bakololo babo kene ibo bakalobola bakadzi be bataya. 26 Ate ili iyo ndobolo yakajali yakathama kuti Solomoni mambo we Iziraela atjinye kene? Mu zwitjaba zwinjinji kwakabe kusina mambo unonga iye. Wakabe ediwa nge Ndzimu uwe, kakale Ndzimu ukabiga kuti abe mambo we Iziraela, ne kwakajalo wakakwebegwa ku jinyo nge bakadzi be bataya. 27 Apa takafanila hwa mbipo yose iyeyi yamunothama kene, mutjinyila Ndzimu wedu ngolobola bakadzi mu bataya kene?
28 Mmwe we bakololo ba Jehoyada we nkololo wa Eliyashibi ntungamili we bapirisiti wakabe ali nkwasha wa Sanibalati we N'hori ngono ndakantata. 29 Ndzimu wangu, kumbulani koga kuti bakatemapadza tjini mishingo ye bupirisiti ne tjidumano tje bupirisiti ne Balevi. 30 Ndizo ndakatjenapadza bapirisiti ne Balevi mu zwithu zose zwe Bezwitjaba ngono abapa mishingo yabo yakabalingisana. 31 Ndakalulwamisila kuzhisiwa kwe hwuni dzinobesiwa akupisiwa zwibhayilo kuti dzizhisiwe nge tjibaka tjakafanila ne nge mitjelo yekutanga. Ndizo Ndzimu wangu ibeni nge lubu mu ndikumbule.