12
And all Judah brought the tithe of wheat, of wine, and of oil, into the barns. (And so all Judah brought their tithes of corn, and wine, and oil, into the storehouses.)
13
And we ordained on the barns, Shelemiah, the priest, and Zadok, the writer, and Pedaiah, one of the deacons, and besides them we ordained Hanan, the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were proved faithful men, and the parts of their brethren were betaken to them. (And I put in charge of the storehouses, Shelemiah, the priest, and Zadok, the writer/a teacher of the Law, and Pedaiah, one of the Levites, and besides them I ordained Hanan, the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they had proved to be faithful men, and so it was their duty to distribute their kinsmen's portions.)
14
My God, have mind of me for this thing, and do thou not away my merciful doings, which I have done in the house of my God, and in his ceremonies. (My God, remember me for this, and do not thou forget the good things which I have done for the House of my God, and in its service.)
15
In those days I saw in Judah men treading pressers in the sabbath, men bringing (in) heaps, and charging on asses wine, and grapes, and figs, and all (other) burden(s), and bringing (them) into Jerusalem in the day of sabbath; and I witnessed to them, that they should sell in the day in which it was leaveful to sell. (And in those days I saw in Judah men treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and people bringing in heaps of produce, yea, loading up wine, and grapes, and figs, and all other loads onto donkeys, and bringing them into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; and I witnessed to them, that they should only sell on the days in which it were lawful to sell.)
16
And men of Tyre dwelled in it, and brought in fishes, and all things set to sale, and they sold in the sabbaths to the sons of Judah, and of Jerusalem. (And some men of Tyre lived in Jerusalem, and brought in fish, and all kinds of other things to sell, and they sold them on the Sabbath to the sons of Judah, and of Jerusalem.)
17
And I rebuked the principal men of Judah, and I said to them, What is this evil thing that ye do, and make unholy the day of the sabbath? (And I rebuked the leaders of Judah, and I said to them, What is this evil thing that ye do, and make the Sabbath day unholy!)
18
Whether our fathers did not these things, and (then) our God brought on us all this evil, and on this city? and ye increase wrathfulness on Israel, in defouling the sabbath. (Did not our forefathers do all these things, and then our God brought down all this evil upon us, and upon this city? and now ye shall bring more of God's anger upon Israel by defiling the Sabbath!)
19
And it was done, when the gates of Jerusalem had rested in the day of sabbath, I said, Shut ye the gates; and they shutted the gates; and I commanded, that they should not open the gates till after the sabbath. And of my children, or servants, I ordained numbers on the gates to keep (them) shut, that no man should bring in a burden in the day of sabbath. (And so it was done, when the gates of Jerusalem were empty, early on the Sabbath day, that I said, Shut ye the gates; and so they shut the gates; and I commanded, that they should not open the gates until after the Sabbath. And I ordained a number of my servants there at the gates, to keep them shut, so that no one could bring in a load on the Sabbath day.)
20
And merchants, and men selling all things set to sale, dwelled without Jerusalem once or twice. (And once or twice, some merchants, and people selling all kinds of things, set up shop outside the wall of Jerusalem.)
21
And I areasoned (with) them, and I said to them, Why dwell ye there even against, or on the other side of, the wall? If ye do this thing the second time, I shall set hand on you. Therefore from that time forth they came not thither in the sabbath. (And I warned them, and I said to them, Why do ye stay there on the other side of the wall? If ye do this thing another time, I shall put my hands on you. And from that time forth they did not come back there on the Sabbath.)
22
Also I said to the deacons, that they should be cleansed, and that they should come to keep the gates, and to hallow the day of sabbath. And therefore for this thing, my God, have mind of me, and spare me by the muchliness of thy merciful doings. (And I said to the Levites, that they should be purified, and then that they should go and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. And so for this thing, my God, remember me, and spare me by the greatness of thy mercy.)