Nehemiah 13

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 At that time they were reading to the people from the Book of Moses, when they found this written in it,'No Ammonite or Moabite is to be admitted to the assembly of God, and this is for al time,	1 And on that day they read in the book of Moses in the hearing of the people: and therein was found written, that the Ammonites and the Moabites should not come in to the church of God for ever:
2 since they did not come to meet the Israelites with bread and water, and even hired Balaam to opposethem by cursing them; but our God turned the curse into a blessing.'	2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and water: and they hired against them Balaam, to curse them, and our God turned the curse into blessing.
3 Having heard the Law, they excluded al foreigners from Israel.	3 And it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated every stranger from Israel.
4 Earlier, Eliashib the priest, who was in charge of the rooms of the Temple of our God, and who wasclose to Tobiah,	4 And over this thing was Eliasib the priest, who was set over the treasury of the house of our God, and was near akin to Tobias.
5 had provided him with a large room where they previously used to store the meal offerings, incense,utensils, tithes of corn, wine and oil, that is, the part of the Levites, singers and gatekeepers, and thecontributions for the priests.	5 And he made him a great storeroom, where before him they laid up gifts, and frankincense, and vessels, and the tithes of the corn, of the wine, and of the oil, the portions of the Levites, and of the singing men, and of the porters, and the firstfruits of the priests.
6 While al this was going on I was away from Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes kingof Babylon I had gone to see the king. But after some time I asked the king for permission to leave,	6 But in all this time I was not in Jerusalem, because in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon, I went to the king, and after certain days I asked the king:
7 and returned to Jerusalem, where I learned about the crime which Eliashib had committed for Tobiah'sbenefit, by providing him with a room in the courts of the Temple of God.	7 And I came to Jerusalem, and I understood the evil that Eliasib had done for Tobias, to make him a storehouse in the courts of the house of God.
8 I was extremely displeased and threw al Tobiah's household goods out of the room and into thestreet.	8 And it seemed to me exceeding evil. And I cast forth the vessels of the house of Tobias out of the storehouse.
9 I then gave orders for the room to be purified, and had the utensils of the Temple of God, the mealofferings and the incense, all replaced.	9 And I commanded and they cleansed the storehouses: and I brought thither again the vessels of the house of God, the sacrifice, and the frankincense.
10 I also learned that the Levites had not been receiving their al ocations, as a result of which theLevites and singers who performed the liturgy had al withdrawn to their farms.	10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: and that the Levites, and the singing men, and they that ministered were fled away every man to his own country:
11 I then reprimanded the officials. 'Why is the Temple of God deserted?' I asked. And I col ected themtogether again and brought them back to their posts;	11 And I pleaded the matter against the magistrates, and said: Why have we forsaken the house of God? And I gathered them together, and I made them to stand in their places.
12 and al Judah then delivered the tithe of corn, wine and oil to the storehouses.	12 And all Juda brought the tithe of the corn, and the wine, and the oil into the storehouses.
13 As supervisors of the storehouses I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, Pedaiah oneof the Levites and, as their assistant, Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, since they were consideredreliable people; their duty was to make the distributions to their kinsmen.	13 And we set over the storehouses Selemias the priest, and Sadoc the scribe, and of the Levites Phadaia, and next to them Hanan the son of Zachur, the son of Mathania: for they were approved as faithful, and to them were committed the portions of their brethren.
14 Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out the good deeds which I have done for theTemple of my God and its observances!	14 Remember me, O my God, for this thing, and wipe not out my kindnesses, which I have done relating to the house of my God and his ceremonies.
15 At the same time I saw people in Judah treading the winepress, bringing in sacks of grain andloading donkeys on the Sabbath; they were also bringing wine, grapes, figs and every kind of merchandise intoJerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I forbade them to sel the food.	15 In those days I saw in Juda some treading the presses on the sabbath, and carrying sheaves, and lading asses with wine, and grapes, and figs, and all manner of burthens, and bringing them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. And I charged them that they should sell on a day on which it was lawful to sell.
16 Tyrians living there were bringing in fish and every kind of merchandise which they were sel ing tothe Judaeans on the Sabbath in Jerusalem itself.	16 Some Tyrians also dwelt there, who brought fish, and all manner of wares: and they sold them on the sabbaths to the children of Juda in Jerusalem.
17 So I also reprimanded the leading men of Judah, saying to them, 'What a wicked way to behave,profaning the Sabbath day!	17 And I rebuked the chief men of Juda, and said to them: What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the sabbath day?
18 Was this not exactly what your ancestors did, with the result that our God brought al this miserydown on us and on this city? And now you are adding to the wrath hanging over Israel by profaning the Sabbathyourselves!'	18 Did not our fathers do these things, and our God brought all this evil upon us, and upon this city? And you bring more wrath upon Israel by violating the sabbath.
19 So when the gates of Jerusalem were getting dark at the approach of the Sabbath, I gave orders forthe doors to be shut and directed that they were not to be opened again until the Sabbath was over. I stationedsome of my attendants at the gates to make sure that no merchandise was brought in on the Sabbath day.	19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem were at rest on the sabbath day, I spoke: and they shut the gates, and I commanded that they should not open them till after the sabbath: and I set some of my servants at the gates, that none should bring in burthens on the sabbath day.
20 So the traders and dealers in goods of al kinds spent the night outside Jerusalem once or twice,	20 So the merchants, and they that sold all kinds of wares, stayed without Jerusalem once or twice.
21 until I reprimanded them. I said to them, 'Why are you spending the night in front of the wal ? Do itagain, and I shal use force on you.' After this, they did not come on the Sabbath.	21 And I charged them, and I said to them: Why stay you before the wall? if you do so another time, I will lay hands on you. And from that time they came no more on the sabbath.
22 I then ordered the Levites to purify themselves and act as guards at the gates, so that the Sabbathday might be kept holy. Remember this also to my credit, have pity on me in the greatness of your faithful love.	22 I spoke also to the Levites that they should be purified, and should come to keep the gates, and to sanctify the sabbath day: for this also remember me, O my God, and spare me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
23 At that time too, I saw Jews who had married wives from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab;	23 In those days also I saw Jews that married wives, women of Azotus, and of Ammon, and of Moab.
24 as regards their children, half of them spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of theother peoples, but could no longer speak the language of Judah.	24 And their children spoke half in the speech of Azotus, and could not speak the Jews' language, but they spoke according to the language of this and that people.
25 I reprimanded them, I cursed them, I struck several of them and tore out their hair and adjured themby God, 'You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons or let their daughters marry your sons, ormarry them yourselves!	25 And I chid them, and laid my curse upon them. And I beat some of them, and shaved off their hair, and made them swear by God that they would not give their daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for their sons, nor for themselves, saying:
26 Was it not because of women like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Although among manynations there was no king like him and he was loved by his God, and God made him king of al Israel, even thenforeign women led him into sinning!	26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin in this kind of thing? and surely among many nations, there was not a king like him, and he was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: m and yet women of other countries brought even him to sin.
27 Were you obedient when you committed this very grave crime: breaking faith with our God bymarrying foreign wives?'	27 And shall we also be disobedient and do all this great evil to transgress against our God, and marry strange women?
28 One of the sons of Jehoiada, son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanbal at theHoronite; I drove him from my presence.	28 And one of the sons of Joiada the son of Eliasib the high priest, was son in law to Sanaballat the Horonite, and I drove him from me.
29 Remember them, my God, for having defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priests andLevites!	29 Remember them, O Lord my God, that defile the priesthood, and the law of priests and Levites.
30 And so I purged them of everything foreign; I drew up regulations for the priests and Levites, definingeach man's duty,	30 So I separated from them all strangers, and I appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites, every man in his ministry :
31 as wel as for the deliveries of wood at the proper times, and for the first-fruits. Remember this, myGod, to my credit!	31 And for the offering of wood at times appointed, and for the firstfruits: remember me, O my God, unto good. Amen.