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Àdúrà Esra nípa ìgbéyàwó pẹ̀lú àwọn àjèjì

Lẹ́yìn ìgbà tí a ti ṣe àwọn nǹkan wọ̀nyí tán, àwọn olórí tọ̀ mí wá, wọ́n sì wí pé, “Àwọn ènìyàn Israẹli, tí ó fi mọ́ àwọn àlùfáà àti àwọn ọmọ Lefi, kò tì í ya ara wọn sọ́tọ̀ kúrò láàrín àwọn ènìyàn agbègbè tí wọ́n ń ṣe ohun ìríra bí i ti àwọn ará Kenaani, àwọn ará Hiti, àwọn ará Peresi, àwọn ará Jebusi, àwọn ará Ammoni, àwọn ará Moabu, àwọn ará Ejibiti àti ti àwọn ará Amori. Wọ́n ti fẹ́ lára àwọn ọmọbìnrin wọn fún ara wọn àti fún àwọn ọmọkùnrin wọn gẹ́gẹ́ bí aya, wọ́n ti da irú-ọmọ ìran mímọ́ pọ̀ mọ́ àwọn ènìyàn ti ó wà ní àyíká wọn. Àwọn olórí àti àwọn ìjòyè ta àwọn ènìyàn tókù yọ nínú híhu ìwà àìṣòótọ́.”

Nígbà tí mo gbọ́ èyí, mo fa àwọ̀tẹ́lẹ̀ àti agbádá mi ya, mo tu irun orí àti irùngbọ̀n mi, mo sì jókòó ní ìjayà. Nígbà náà ni gbogbo àwọn tí ó wárìrì sí ọ̀rọ̀ Ọlọ́run Israẹli kó ara wọn jọ yí mi ká nítorí àìṣòótọ́ àwọn ìgbèkùn yìí. Èmi sì jókòó níbẹ̀ ní ìjayà títí di àkókò ìrúbọ àṣálẹ́.

Ní ìgbà tí ó di àkókò ìrúbọ àṣálẹ́, mo dìde kúrò nínú ìrẹ̀wẹ̀sì ọkàn mi, pẹ̀lú àwọ̀tẹ́lẹ̀ àti agbádá mi yíya ní ọrùn mi, mo kúnlẹ̀ lórí eékún mi méjèèjì, mo sì tẹ́ ọwọ́ mi méjèèjì sí Olúwa Ọlọ́run mi. Mo sì gbàdúrà:

“Ojú tì mí gidigidi, tí n kò fi lè gbé ojú mi sókè sí ọ̀dọ̀ rẹ, Ọlọ́run mi, nítorí ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ wá di púpọ̀ ní orí wa, ẹ̀bi wa sì ga kan àwọn ọ̀run. Láti ọjọ́ àwọn baba wá ni ẹ̀bi wa ti pọ̀ jọjọ títí di ìsinsin yìí. Nítorí ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ wa, àwa àti àwọn ọba wa àti àwọn àlùfáà wa ni a ti sọ di ẹni idà, ẹni ìgbèkùn, ìkógun àti ẹni ẹ̀sín lọ́wọ́ àwọn àjèjì ọba, bí ó ti rí lónìí.

“Ṣùgbọ́n ni ìsinsin yìí, fún ìgbà díẹ̀, ni a ti fi oore-ọ̀fẹ́ fún wa láti ọ̀dọ̀ Olúwa Ọlọ́run wa wá láti sálà, àti láti fi èèkàn fún wa ni ibi mímọ́ rẹ̀, nítorí kí Ọlọ́run kí ó lè mú ojú wa mọ́lẹ̀, kí ó sì tún wa gbé dìde díẹ̀ kúrò nínú ìgbèkùn wa. Bí ó tilẹ̀ jẹ́ pé àwa jẹ́ ẹrú, Ọlọ́run wa kò fi wa sílẹ̀ nínú ìgbèkùn wa. Ó ti fi àánú hàn fún wa ni iwájú àwọn ọba Persia: Ó ti fún wa ní ìgbé ayé tuntun láti tún odi ilé Ọlọ́run wa mọ, kí a sì tún àwókù rẹ̀ ṣe, ó sì fi odi ààbò fún wa ní Juda àti ní Jerusalẹmu.

10 “Ṣùgbọ́n nísinsin yìí, Ọlọ́run wa, kí ni àwa yóò wí lẹ́yìn èyí? Nítorí tí àwa kọ àṣẹ rẹ sílẹ̀ 11 èyí tí ìwọ ti pa fún wa láti ẹnu àwọn wòlíì ìránṣẹ́ rẹ, nígbà ti ìwọ wí pé, ‘Ilẹ̀ náà ti ẹ̀yin ń wọ̀ lọ láti gbà n nì jẹ́ ilẹ̀ aláìmọ́ tó kún fún ẹ̀gbin àwọn ènìyàn ilẹ̀ náà, nípa ṣíṣe ohun ìríra àti híhu ìwà èérí ti kún ún láti ìkángun kan dé èkejì. 12 Nítorí náà, ẹ má ṣe fi àwọn ọmọbìnrin yín fún àwọn ọmọkùnrin wọn ní ìyàwó tàbí kí ẹ fẹ́ àwọn ọmọbìnrin wọn fún àwọn ọmọkùnrin yín ní ìyàwó. Ẹ má ṣe dá májẹ̀mú àlàáfíà pẹ̀lú wọn nígbàkígbà kí ẹ̀yin kí ó sì le lágbára, kí ẹ sì le máa jẹ ire ilẹ̀ náà, kí ẹ sì le fi í sílẹ̀ fún àwọn ọmọ yín gẹ́gẹ́ bí ogún ayérayé.’

13 “Ohun tí ó ti ṣẹlẹ̀ sí wa jẹ́ àyọríṣí iṣẹ́ búburú wa àti ẹ̀bi ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ ńlá wa, síbẹ̀, Ọlọ́run wa, ìjìyà ti ìwọ fún wa kéré si ìjìyà tí ó yẹ fún ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ ti a dá, ìwọ sì fún wa ní àwọn ènìyàn tó ṣẹ́kù bí èyí. 14 Ǹjẹ́ ó yẹ kí àwa tún yẹ̀ kúrò nínú àṣẹ rẹ, kí a sì máa ṣe ìgbéyàwó papọ̀ pẹ̀lú àwọn ènìyàn tí wọn ti ṣe onírúurú ohun ìríra báyìí? Ṣe ìwọ kò ní bínú sí wa láti pa wá run tí kì yóò sẹ́ ku ẹnikẹ́ni tí yóò là? 15 Ìwọ Olúwa, Ọlọ́run Israẹli, ìwọ jẹ́ olódodo! Àwa ìgbèkùn tí ó ṣẹ́kù bí ó ti rí lónìí. Àwa dúró níwájú rẹ nínú ẹ̀bi ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ wa, bí ó tilẹ̀ jẹ́ pé nítorí èyí ẹnikẹ́ni nínú wa kò lè dúró níwájú rẹ”.

Ezra’s Prayer About Intermarriage

After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate(A) from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites,(B) Ammonites,(C) Moabites,(D) Egyptians and Amorites.(E) They have taken some of their daughters(F) as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled(G) the holy race(H) with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”(I)

When I heard this, I tore(J) my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled.(K) Then everyone who trembled(L) at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled(M) until the evening sacrifice.

Then, at the evening sacrifice,(N) I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands(O) spread out to the Lord my God and prayed:

“I am too ashamed(P) and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.(Q) From the days of our ancestors(R) until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword(S) and captivity,(T) to pillage and humiliation(U) at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.

“But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious(V) in leaving us a remnant(W) and giving us a firm place[a](X) in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes(Y) and a little relief in our bondage. Though we are slaves,(Z) our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness(AA) in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins,(AB) and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.

10 “But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands(AC) 11 you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering(AD) to possess is a land polluted(AE) by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices(AF) they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. 12 Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them(AG) at any time, that you may be strong(AH) and eat the good things(AI) of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’(AJ)

13 “What has happened to us is a result of our evil(AK) deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved(AL) and have given us a remnant like this. 14 Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry(AM) with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us,(AN) leaving us no remnant(AO) or survivor? 15 Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous!(AP) We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand(AQ) in your presence.(AR)

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 9:8 Or a foothold