Ezra 4
1 Ka wasik Juda gi Benjamin nowinjo ni joma notwe ne gero hekalu ne Jehova Nyasaye, ma Nyasach Israel,
The enemies of the people of [the tribes of] Judah and Benjamin heard that the [Israeli] people who had returned from Babylonia were rebuilding a temple for Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli people [worshiped].
2 negibiro ir Zerubabel to gi jotend anywola mi giwacho niya, “We wakonyu gedo nikech Nyasachuno ema wan bende wasebedo ka wachiwone misango nyaka aa kinde Esarhadon ruodh Asuria, mane okelowa kae.”
So they went to Zerubbabel [the governor] and the other leaders, and said [deceptively], “We want to help [you build the temple], because we worship that same God whom you worship, and we have been offering sacrifices to him since Esarhaddon, the King of Assyria, brought us here.”
3 To Zerubabel, Jeshua kod jotend anywola duto mag Israel nodwokogi niya, “Ok un e achiel kodwa e gero hekalu ne Nyasachwa. Wan kendwa wabiro gedo ne Jehova Nyasaye, ma Nyasach Israel, mana kaka Ruoth Sairas, ma ruodh Pasia, nochikowa.”
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other [Israeli] leaders replied, “We will not allow you to help us build a temple for our(exc) God. We will build it (ourselves/without your help) for Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis worship, like Cyrus, the King of Persia, told us to do.”
4 Eka joma ni machiegni kodgi nowuok mondo onyos chuny jo-Juda kendo gibed maluor mar dhi nyime gi gedo.
Then the people who had been living in that land [before the Israelis returned] tried to cause the Jews to become discouraged and become afraid, and to cause them to stop building the temple.
5 Negikawo jongʼad rieko michulo mondo okwedgi kendo orund chenro mag-gi e ndalono duto mar loch Sairas ruodh Pasia kendo nyaka ndalo loch mar Darius ruodh Pasia.
They bribed government officials to oppose what the Israelis were doing [and prevent them from continuing to work on the temple]. They did that all during the time that Cyrus was King of Persia. They continued to do it when Darius became the King of Persia.
6 E chakruok mar loch Sakses, ne gidonjone jo-Juda kod jo-Jerusalem.
During the first year that [Darius’ son] Xerxes was king, the [enemies of the Jews] wrote a note [to the king] saying that the Jews [were planning to rebel against the government].
7 To e ndalo mag Artaksases ruodh Pasia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabel kod joge mamoko moriwore godo ne ondiko baruwa ne Artaksases. Baruwani nondiki e kit ndiko mar jo-Aram kendo gi dho jo-Aram.
Later, when [Xerxes’ son] Artaxerxes [became the King of Persia], Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and their colleagues/companions wrote a letter to him. They wrote the letter in the Aramaic language, and it was translated [into another language that the king knew].
8 Rehum ma jatend lweny kod Shimshai ma jagoro nondiko baruwa marach kuom Jerusalem ne Artaksases ma ruoth kama:
Rehum, the high commissioner, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, wrote the letter to King Artaxerxes concerning what was happening in Jerusalem.
9 Rehum ma jatend lweny kod Shimshai ma jagoro, kanyakla gi jogo mamoko mane gitiyogo, ma gin jongʼad bura kod jotelo motelone joma oa Tripolis, Pasia, Erek, Babulon kod jo-Elam moa Susa,
They stated that the letter was from Rehum the high commissioner/governor and Shimshai the provincial secretary and from their associates, the judges, and other government officials, who were from Erech [city], Babylon [city], and Susa [city] in Elam [district].
10 gi joma moko mane Ashurbanipal, ngʼatno maduongʼ kendo moluor noriembo, mi omiyogi kar dak e dala maduongʼ mar Samaria kod kamachielo machiegni gi loka Aora Yufrate.
[They also wrote that they represented] the other people-groups whom [the army of] the great and glorious/famous [King] Ashurbanipal had (deported/forced to move from their homes) and taken to live in Samaria and in other cities in the province west of the Euphrates [River].
11 Ma e baruwa machalo gi baruwa mane giorone. Ne Ruoth Artaksases. Koa kuom jotichgi modak loka Yufrate.
This is what they wrote in the letter: “To King Artaxerxes, From the officials who serve you who live in the province west of the Euphrates [River.]
12 Ruoth nyaka ngʼeni, jo-Yahudi mane obiro irwa koa iri osedhi Jerusalem kendo gisechako gero dala maduongʼ mane ongʼanyo kendo ma timbene mono. Gisechako gero ohinga mane osemukore kendo to bende giloso mise mage.
“Your majesty, we want you to know that the Jews who came here from your territories are rebuilding this city, [Jerusalem]. These people are wicked and want to rebel against you. Now they are repairing the foundations [of the walls/buildings] and building the walls [of the city].
13 Kuom mano, ruoth onego ngʼe ni ka dala maduongʼni oger kendo ohinga mage ochung kendo, to onge osuru mibiro chul, kata chiwo kod chudo moro amora kendo pesa ma joka ruoth yudo ok nogol.
“It is important for you to know that if they rebuild the city and finish building the walls, they will stop paying any kind of taxes. As a result, there will be less money in your treasury.
14 Nimar wan e bwo chik mar kar dak ruoth kendo ok en gima ber mondo wane ka ruoth ichayo, waoro wachni mondo onyis ruoth,
Now, because we are loyal to [IDM] you, and because we do not want you to be humiliated [IDM], we are sending this information to you.
15 mondo omany kuonde mokanie gik machon mag ruodhi miluwo bangʼ-gi. E ndiko machon mokan ibiro yudo ni dala maduongʼni en dala maduongʼ mangʼanyo, ma thago ruodhi kod gwenge, ma en kar ngʼanyo chakre chon. Mano emomiyo dala maduongʼni nokethi.
And, we suggest that you order/tell [your officials] to search the records that your ancestors made/wrote. [If you do that], you will find out that the people in this city have always rebelled [against the government]. You will also find out that from long ago these people have caused trouble for kings and for rulers of provinces. They have always revolted [against those who ruled them]. That is the reason that this city was destroyed [by the Babylonian army].
16 Wanyiso ruoth ni ka dala maduongʼni oger kendo ohingage ochungi, to onge gima ibiro dongʼ godo e loka mar Aora Yufrate.
We want you to know that if they rebuild this city and finish building its walls, you will no longer be able to control/rule [the people in] this province west of the Euphrates [River].”
17 Ruoth nooro dwoko kama: Ne Rehum jatend lweny, Shimshai jagoro kod jogi mamoko ma utiyogo kanyakla modak Samaria gi kuonde mopogore e loka mar Aora Yufrate. Amosou.
[After] the king [read this letter, he] sent this reply to them: “To Rehum, the high commissioner, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, and their colleagues in Samaria and in other parts of the province that is west of the [Euphrates] River: I (send you my greetings/wish that things will go well for you).
18 Baruwa mane ioronwa osesomnwa kendo oloki e nyima.
The letter that you sent to me was translated and read to me.
19 Ne achiwo chik kendo nonro notim, kendo noyud ni dala maduongʼni nigi sigana mabor mar ngʼanyone ruodhi kendo en kar wich teko kod wacho weche mag wich teko.
So then I ordered [my officials] to search the records. I have found out that [it is true that] the people of that city have always revolted against their rulers, and that the city is full of people who have rebelled and caused trouble.
20 Jerusalem osebedo gi ruodhi maroteke ka girito piny Yufrate duto, kendo osuru, chiwo ma ruoth ketone joma otelone, kod chudo moro amora mag gik miloko nochulgi.
Powerful kings have ruled in Jerusalem, and they have also ruled over the whole province west of the [Euphrates] River. [The people in that province were] paying all kinds of taxes to those kings.
21 Koro chiw chik ne jogi mondo giwe tich, mondo omi dala maduongʼni kik ger kendo nyaka an ema achiw chik.
So you must command that the people must stop rebuilding the city. Only if I tell them [that they may rebuild it] will they be allowed to continue.
22 Bed motangʼ mondo kik ijwangʼ wachni. Angʼo momiyo wach manyalo kelo hinyruok nyaa, mi lochwa kethre?
Do this immediately [LIT], because I do not want those people to do anything to harm the things/area about which I am concerned.”
23 Mapiyo nono bangʼ ka baruwa machal gi mane oor ne Ruoth Artaksases nosesom ne Rehum kod Shimshai ma jagoro gi joma gitiyogo kanyakla, negidhi mana gisano Jerusalem ir jo-Yahudi kendo ne gichunogi mondo giwe tich.
[Messengers took] that letter to Rehum and Shimshai and their colleagues and read it to them. Then Rehum and the others went quickly to Jerusalem, and they forced the Jews to stop [rebuilding the city wall].
24 Omiyo tich mane ni e od Nyasaye man Jerusalem nochungʼ nyaka e higa mar ariyo mar loch Darius ruodh Pasia.
The result was that the Jews stopped rebuilding the temple. They did not do any more work to rebuild the temple until Darius became the King of Persia.
