Separation from Foreigners
1 When the Law of Moses was being read aloud to the people, they came to the passage that said that no Ammonite or Moabite was ever to be permitted to join God's people. 2 This was because the people of Ammon and Moab did not give food and water to the Israelites on their way out of Egypt. Instead, they paid money to Balaam to curse Israel, but our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 When the people of Israel heard this law read, they excluded all foreigners from the community.
Nehemiah's Reforms
4 The priest Eliashib, who was in charge of the Temple storerooms, had for a long time been on good terms with Tobiah. 5 He allowed Tobiah to use a large room that was intended only for storing offerings of grain and incense, the equipment used in the Temple, the offerings for the priests, and the tithes of grain, wine, and olive oil given to the Levites, to the Temple musicians, and to the Temple guards. 6 While this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, because in the thirty-second year that Artaxerxes was king of Babylon I had gone back to report to him. After some time I received his permission 7 and returned to Jerusalem. There I was shocked to find that Eliashib had allowed Tobiah to use a room in the Temple. 8 I was furious and threw out all of Tobiah's belongings. 9 I gave orders for the rooms to be ritually purified and for the Temple equipment, grain offerings, and incense to be put back.
10 I also learned that the Temple musicians and other Levites had left Jerusalem and gone back to their farms, because the people had not been giving them enough to live on. 11 I reprimanded the officials for letting the Temple be neglected. And I brought the Levites and musicians back to the Temple and put them to work again. 12 Then all the people of Israel again started bringing to the Temple storerooms their tithes of grain, wine, and olive oil. 13 I put the following men in charge of the storerooms: Shelemiah, a priest; Zadok, a scholar of the Law; and Pedaiah, a Levite. Hanan, the son of Zaccur and grandson of Mattaniah, was to be their assistant. I knew I could trust these men to be honest in distributing the supplies to the other workers.
14 Remember, my God, all these things that I have done for your Temple and its worship.
15 At that time I saw people in Judah pressing juice from grapes on the Sabbath. Others were loading grain, wine, grapes, figs, and other things on their donkeys and taking them into Jerusalem; I warned them not to sell anything on the Sabbath. 16 Some people from the city of Tyre were living in Jerusalem, and they brought fish and all kinds of goods into the city to sell to our people on the Sabbath. 17 I reprimanded the Jewish leaders and told them, “Look at the evil you're doing! You're making the Sabbath unholy. 18 This is exactly why God punished your ancestors when he brought destruction on this city. And yet you insist on bringing more of God's anger down on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”
19 So I gave orders for the city gates to be shut at the beginning of every Sabbath, as soon as evening began to fall, and not to be opened again until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my men at the gates to make sure that nothing was brought into the city on the Sabbath. 20 Once or twice merchants who sold all kinds of goods spent Friday night outside the city walls. 21 I warned them, “It's no use waiting out there for morning to come. If you try this again, I'll use force on you.” From then on they did not come back on the Sabbath. 22 I ordered the Levites to purify themselves and to go and guard the gates to make sure that the Sabbath was kept holy.
Remember me, O God, for this also, and spare me because of your great love.
23 At that time I also discovered that many of the Jewish men had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or some other language and didn't know how to speak our language. 25 I reprimanded the men, called down curses on them, beat them, and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath in God's name that never again would they or their children intermarry with foreigners. 26 I told them, “It was foreign women that made King Solomon sin. Here was a man who was greater than any of the kings of other nations. God loved him and made him king over all of Israel, and yet he fell into this sin. 27 Are we then to follow your example and disobey our God by marrying foreign women?”
28 Joiada was the son of Eliashib the High Priest, but one of Joiada's sons married the daughter of Sanballat, from the town of Beth Horon, so I made Joiada leave Jerusalem.
29 Remember, God, how those people defiled both the office of priest and the covenant you made with the priests and the Levites.
30 I purified the people from everything foreign; I prepared regulations for the priests and the Levites so that all of them would know their duties; 31 I arranged for the wood used for burning the offerings to be brought at the proper times, and for the people to bring their offerings of the first grain and the first fruits that ripened.
Remember all this, O God, and give me credit for it.
Bantalankoolu niŋ Banisirayilankoolu bondoo ñoo to
1 Wo luŋo la ì ye Musa la Luwaa* Kitaaboo karaŋ ne, moolu tarata i lamoyi kaŋ. Aduŋ ñiŋ ne naata tara safeeriŋ jee ko, hani Ammoninkoolu waraŋ Mowabinkoolu kiliŋ maŋ ñaŋ na duŋ na Alla la jamaa moolu kono. 2 Kaatu ì balanta le nuŋ ka domoroo niŋ jiyo dii Banisirayilankoolu la, kabiriŋ ì be bo la naŋ Misira. Bari ì ye Balaamu le joo ka Banisirayilankoolu danka. Wo ñaa-wo-ñaa, ntolu la Alla ye dankaroo ñiŋ yelemandi ǹ ye neemoo le ti. 3 Kabiriŋ Banisirayilankoolu ye i lamoyi luwaa ñiŋ karaŋo la, ì ye moolu bee bondi Banisirayila moolu kono le, mennu mu bantalankoolu ti.
Nehemiya la falindiroolu
4 Janniŋ ñiŋ be ke la, Piriisi* Eliyasibu le marata Alla Batudulaa Buŋo* maabori buŋolu ma. Kafuñooyaa baa le tarata a niŋ Tobiya teema. 5 Aduŋ a ye maabori buŋ baa kiliŋ dii Tobiya la le. Jee mu nuŋ siimaŋ sadaalu* le kedulaa ti, cuuraayoo, Alla Batudulaa Buŋo jooraŋolu, ka taa siimaŋ jakoolu, wayini* kutoo, aniŋ olifu* tuloo, mennu diita Lewi lasiloo la, suukuulaalaalu, aniŋ Alla Batudulaa Buŋo to dundaŋ daa kantalaalu. Feŋolu mennu ka dii piriisoolu la fanaa bee ka ke jee le.
6 Bari kabiriŋ ñiŋ bee be ke la, nte te nuŋ Yerusalaamu. M muruta nuŋ Babiloni mansakewo Atasasita yaa le, a la mansayaa sanji taŋ saba niŋ fulanjaŋo kono. Kabiriŋ a meeta domandiŋ, n naata sara mansa la ka taa. 7 Kabiriŋ n seyita naŋ Yerusalaamu le, n naata a loŋ Eliyasibu ye kuu jawoo meŋ ke, ka buŋo dii Tobiya la, Alla Batudulaa Buŋo luwo to. 8 N kamfaabaata ñiŋ kuwo la le, aduŋ ŋa Tobiya la bunkono feŋolu bee fintindi buŋo ñiŋ kono le, ka ì fayi banta. 9 Ŋa kaŋo dii ko, ì si buŋo konoolu seneyandi, aduŋ ŋa Alla Batudulaa Buŋo jooraŋolu murundi jee le, ka taa siimaŋ sadaalu, aniŋ cuuraayoo.
10 N naata a loŋ fanaa ko, Lewi lasiloo niyo maŋ dii ì la. Wo ye a tinna le Lewi lasiloo niŋ suukuulaalaalu, mennu tarata Alla Batudulaa Buŋo to baturoo daa to, muruta ì la kunkoolu to. 11 Bituŋ ŋa ñaatonkoolu sonkandi, n ko ì ye ko, “Muŋ ne ye a tinna ali ye ali ñaa kaasi Alla Batudulaa Buŋo la?” Bituŋ ŋa Lewi lasiloo niŋ suukuulaalaalu bendi ñoo kaŋ, aduŋ ŋa ì londi ì la palaasoolu to. 12 Wo le to Yahuudoolu bee ye ì la siimaŋ jakoolu samba naŋ maabori buŋolu kono, ka taa wayini kutoo, aniŋ olifu tuloo. 13 Bituŋ ŋa ñiŋ kewolu marandi maabori buŋolu ma: Piriisi Selemiya, karammoo Sadoki, aniŋ Lewi lasili moo Pedaya. Sakuri dinkewo Hanani, Mataniya mamariŋo, ŋa wo le ke ì la maakoyirilaa ti, kaatu ñiŋ kewolu keta moo tilindiŋolu le ti. Ì la dookuwo mu ñiŋ ne ti ka ì baadiŋolu niyo talaa ì teema feŋolu to.
14 N na Alla, i hakiloo si bula n na, aduŋ i kana n na baaroolu tuutuu, n saayiriŋo ye mennu ke Alla Batudulaa Buŋo ye, aniŋ a dookuwolu to.
Loobula luŋo la kuwo
15 Wo waatoo kono ŋa kewolu je Yahuuda le, ì be doriroo la wayini yiridiŋ bitidulaalu to Loobula Luŋo la. Ì ka siimaŋolu samba naŋ ne, aduŋ ì ka dunoo laa faloolu le kaŋ. Aduŋ ì ka wayinoo fanaa samba naŋ ne, ka taa wayini diŋ ñatoolu, sooto diŋolu aniŋ duni feŋ siifaalu bee. Ì ka ñiŋ bee samba naŋ Yerusalaamu Loobula Luŋo le la. Wo kamma la, ŋa ì dandalaa wo luŋo domori waafoo la. 16 Tire moolu mennu be siiriŋ Yerusalaamu, ka ñewo samba naŋ ne, aniŋ waafiri feŋ siifaalu bee. Ì ka ì waafi Yahuudoolu ma Loobula Luŋo le la, Yerusalaamu saatewo faŋo kono. 17 Bituŋ ŋa Yahuuda ñaatonkoolu sonkandi, n ko ì ye ko, “Ali ka muŋ kuu jawu le ke teŋ, ka Loobula Luŋo la kuwo feeyaa? 18 Fo m̀ mumuñolu maŋ baara ñiŋ kuu siifaa le la, aduŋ fo wo le maŋ a tinna ǹ na Alla ye kasaaroo samba naŋ ǹ kaŋ, aniŋ ñiŋ saatewo kaŋ? Wo ñaa-wo-ñaa ali ka yankankatoo lafaa Banisirayila kaŋ ka bo niŋ Loobula Luŋo tiñaa la.”
19 Kabiriŋ wulaara dubeŋo jiita Yerusalaamu dundaŋ daalu kaŋ, janniŋ Loobula Luŋo be dati la, ŋa kaŋo dii ka daa tawundaŋolu soroŋ, aduŋ ì kana yele fo niŋ Loobula Luŋo tambita. Ŋa m faŋo la dookuulaa kewo doolu le londi dundaŋ daalu to, ñiŋ kamma la duni kana samba naŋ konoto Loobula Luŋo la. 20 Siiñaa kiliŋ fo fula, safaarilaalu niŋ juloolu mennu ka feŋ siifaalu bee waafi, ye suutoo laa Yerusalaamu banta la le. 21 Bari ŋa ì dandalaa le, n ko ì ye ko, “Muŋ ne ye a tinna ali ka suutoo laa tata sansaŋo bala? Niŋ ali ye a ke kotenke, m buloo be laa la ali kaŋ ne.” Ka bo wo waatoo la, ì maŋ naa Loobula Luŋo la. 22 Bituŋ ŋa kaŋo dii Lewi lasiloo la ka ì faŋolu seneyandi, ka taa saatee dundaŋ daalu kanta, ñiŋ kamma la Loobula Luŋo si kuliyaa.
N na Alla, ì hakiloo si bula n ye ñiŋ fanaa la, aduŋ i si balafaa soto n ye ka bo niŋ i la kanu bambaloo la.
Bantala musoolu futuwo jalayiroo
23 Wo waatoolu kono fanaa ŋa Yahuudoolu je le mennu ye musoolu futuu, mennu bota Asidodi, Ammoni, aniŋ Mowabi. 24 Ì diŋolu talantewo ka Asidodi kaŋo le fo waraŋ banku koteŋolu moolu la kaŋo, aduŋ ì buka Yahuudi kaŋo fo noo. 25 Ŋa ì sonkandi, aduŋ ŋa ì danka beteke le. Ŋa kewo doolu lipa le ka ì kuntiñoolu wafu. Ŋa ì kalindi Alla too la teŋ ne ko, “Ali te ali dimmusoolu dii la futuwo la bantalankoolu dinkewolu ye, sako ali si ì dimmusoolu taa futuwo la ali dinkewolu ye, waraŋ ali faŋolu ye. 26 Fo ñiŋ musu siifaalu la kuwo le maŋ Banisirayila la nunto mansakewo Sulemani duŋ junube kewo to baŋ? A ñoŋ mansakee maŋ soto nuŋ banku koteŋolu bee kaŋ. Alla ye a kanu le, aduŋ Alla le ye a ke Banisirayila bee la mansa ti. Bari hani ate, bantala musoolu ye a duŋ junube kewo to le. 27 Fo ǹ ñanta le ka ñiŋ moyi tukuŋ ko, alitolu fanaa be ñiŋ kuu jawu baa le ke kaŋ, ka badaloo tiliŋ Alla la, ka bo niŋ bantala musu futuwo la?”
28 Yoyada mu Piriisi kuntiyo Eliyasibu dinkewo le ti. Yoyada dinkewo doo be jee ŋa wo bayi m bala le, kaatu a ye Samballati Horoninkoo dimmusoo le futuu.
29 N na Alla, i hakiloo si bula ì la, kaatu ì ye piriisiyaa dookuwo tiñaa le, aduŋ ì ye piriisoolu niŋ Lewi lasiloo la kambeŋo tiñaa le.
30 Bituŋ ŋa seneyandiroo ke, ka bantala feŋolu bee bondi, aduŋ ŋa dookuu siŋo dii piriisoolu niŋ Lewi lasiloo la, ka a je ko meŋ-wo-meŋ ye a la dookuwo loŋ. 31 Ŋa a kata le fanaa ka a je ko, loo si kari naa sadaajanidulaa* to a waatoo la, aniŋ fanaa katiri kuŋ foloolu si naati.
N na Alla, i hakiloo si bula n na, i ye neema m ma.
