¹Zvino nezuva iro vakarava mubhuku yaMozisi, vanhu vose vachizvinzwa, vakawana makanyorwa, kuti vaMoabhu navaAmoni havafaniri kupinda paungano yaMwari nokusingaperi;

¹On 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;

²nekuti ivo havana kundosangana navana vaIsiraeri nezvokudya nemvura, asi vakaripira Bharamu kuti avatuke; asi Mwari wedu akashandura kutuka akakuita kuropafadza.

²Because 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.

³Zvino vakati vanzwa murau, vakaraura vanhu vazhinji vose vakanga vakavhengana navaIsiraeri.

³Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.

⁴Zvino izvi zvisati zvaitwa, Eriashibhi mupristi, akanga aitwa mutariri wamakamuri eimba yaMwari wedu, wakashamwaridzana naTobhia,

⁴And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah:

⁵akamugadzirira kamuri huru pavaichengeta kare zvipiriso zvoupfu, nezvinonhuhwira, nemidziyo, nezvegumi nezviyo, nezvewaini, nezvamafuta, zvakanga zvarairwa kuti zvipiwe vaRevhi, navaimbi, navarindi vemikova, nezvipiriso zvaitsaurirwa vapristi.

⁵And 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.

⁶Asi nenguva iyo yose ini ndakanga ndisipo paJerusaremu; nekuti negore ramakumi matatu namaviri raAritashasita mambo weBhabhironi, ini ndakaenda kuna mambo; zvino mamwe mazuva akati apfuura ndikakumbira kuna mambo,

⁶But 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:

⁷ndikasvika Jerusaremu, ndikanzwa zvakaipa zvakanga zvaitwa naEriashibhi, kuti wakange agadzirira Tobhia kamuri paruvazhe rweimba yaMwari.

⁷And 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.

⁸Ndikava neshungu kwazvo; saka ndakarashira kunze kwekamuri nhumbi dzose dzaTobhia.

⁸And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff to Tobiah out of the chamber.

⁹Ipapo ndakaraira vakanatsa makamuri; ndikadzoseramozve midziyo yeimba yaMwari, pamwechete nezvipiriso zvoupfu nezvinonhuhwira.

⁹Then 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.

¹⁰Ndikaona kuti vaRevhi vakanga vasina kupiwa migove yavo; naizvozvo vaRevhi navaimbi, vaibata basa, vakanga vatizira mumwe nomumwe kumunda wake.

¹⁰And 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.

¹¹Ipapo ndakaita nharo navatariri, ndikati, Imba yaMwari yasiirweiko? Ndikavakokera, ndikavadzoserazve panzvimbo yavo.

¹¹Then 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.

¹²Ipapo vaJudha vose vakauya nezvegumi zvezviyo, nezvewaini, nezvamafuta, vakazviisa muzvivigiro.

¹²Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.

¹³Ndikaisa pazvivigiro vachengeti vefuma, Sheremia mupristi, naZadhoki munyori, navaRevhi, Pedhaya; vachibatsirwa naHanani, mwanakomana waZakuri, mwanakomana waMatania; nekuti vakanga vachinzi vakatendeka; basa ravo rakanga riri rokupa hama dzavo mugove wavo.

¹³And 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.

¹⁴Chindirangarirai henyu, Mwari wangu, pamusoro paizvozvo; regai henyu kupikisa mabasa angu akanaka andakaitira imba yaMwari wangu nezvaifanira kuitwa mairi.

¹⁴Remember 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.

¹⁵Zvino pamazuva iwayo ndakaona paJudha vamwe vakanga vachitsika mazambiringa pazvisviniro nesabata, navakanga vachitora zvisote vachizvitakudza mbongoro; uye waini, namazambiringa, namaonde, nemitoro yamarudzi ose, zvavakanga vachiuya nazvo paJerusaremu nezuva resabata; ndikavanyevera pazuva ravakatengesa zvokudya.

¹⁵In 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.

¹⁶Pakanga pagerewo varume veTire, vaiuya nehove, nezvimwe zvinotengeswa zvamarudzi ose; vakazvitengesa kuvanhu vaJudha napaJerusaremu pazuva resabata.

¹⁶There 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.

¹⁷Ipapo ndikaita nharo navakuru vavaJudha, ndikati kwavari, Chinhu ichi chakaipa chamunoita ndecheiko, zvamunozvidza zuva resabata?

¹⁷Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

¹⁸Ko madzibaba enyu haana kuita saizvozvo, Mwari wedu akauyisa zvakaipa izvi zvose pamusoro pedu napamusoro peguta rino here? Asi imwi munowedzera kutsamwa kwaMwari pamusoro paIsiraeri, zvamunozvidza sabata.

¹⁸Did 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.

¹⁹Zvino pamasuwo eJerusaremu pakati posviba, sabata risati rasvika, ndakaraira kuti mikova ipfigwe, ndikaraira kuti irege kuzarurwazve kusvikira sabata rapfuura, ndikaisa vamwe varanda vangu pamasuwo, kuti mitoro irege kupinzwa pazuva resabata.

¹⁹And 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.

²⁰Naizvozvo vashambadziri navatengesi vezvinhu zvamarudzi ose vakavata kunze kweJerusaremu kamwe kana kaviri.

²⁰So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.

²¹Ipapo ndakavanyevera ndikati kwavari, Munovatireiko pamberi porusvingo? Kana mukadarozve ndichakubatai. Zvino kubva panguva iyo havana kuzouyazve nesabata.

²¹Then 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.

²²Ndikaraira vaRevhi kuti vazvinatse, vauye kuzorinda masuwo, vatsaure zuva resabata. Ndirangarirei henyu nokuda kwechinhu ichiwo, Mwari wangu, mundinzwire tsitsi nenyasha dzenyu huru.

²²And 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.

²³Namazuva iwayo ndakaonawo vamwe vaJudha vakanga vawana vakadzi veAshidhodhi, naAmoni, naMoabhu;

²³In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:

²⁴vana vavo vaitaura zvimwe nechiAshidhodhi, vasingagoni kutaura rurimi rwavaJudha, asi rurimi rwamarudzi iwayo.

²⁴And 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.

²⁵Ndikaita nharo navo, ndikavatuka, ndikarova vamwe vavo, ndikataura vhudzi ravo, ndikavapikisa naMwari, ndichiti, Hamufaniri kupa vanakomana vavo vakunda venyu, kana kutorera vanakomana venyu vakunda vavo, kunyange nemiwo.

²⁵And 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.

²⁶Ko Soromoni mambo waIsiraeri haana kutadza pazvinhu izvi here? Kunyange zvakadaro pakati pendudzi zhinji pakanga pasina mambo akafanana naye, naye akanga akadikamwa naMwari wake, Mwari akamuita mambo wavaIsiraeri vose; kunyange zvakadaro naiye akatadziswa navakadzi vatorwa.

²⁶Did 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.

²⁷Ko zvino tingakuteererai kuti muite chinhu ichi chakaipa chikuru, mutadzire Mwari wedu muchiwana vakadzi vatorwa here?

²⁷Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?

²⁸Zvino mumwe wavanakomana vaJoyadha mwanakomana waEriashibhi mupristi mukuru, akanga ari mukwambo waSanibharati muHoroni; saka ndakamudzinga abve kwandiri.

²⁸And 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.

²⁹Muvarangarirei henyu, Mwari wangu, nekuti vakasvibisa upristi nesungano youpristi neyavaRevhi.

²⁹Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

³⁰Ndikavanatsa saizvozvo ndikabvisa zvose zvavatorwa, ndikaraira madzoro avapristi navaRevhi, mumwe nomumwe pabasa rake;

³⁰Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;

³¹napabasa rezvipo zvehuni panguva dzakatarwa, nerezvitsva. Ndirangarirei henyu, Mwari wangu, mundiitire zvakanaka.

³¹And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.