< Ezra 4 >

1 And the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building the temple to Jehovah the God of Israel;
Adui za Yuda na Benyamini waliposikia kwamba watu waliorudi kutoka uhamishoni wanajenga Hekalu kwa ajili ya Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli,
2 and they came to Zerubbabel and to the chief fathers, and said to them, We would build with you; for we seek your God, as ye; and we have sacrificed to him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up hither.
wakamjia Zerubabeli na viongozi wa jamaa, nao wakasema, “Turuhusuni tuwasaidie kujenga, kwa sababu sisi tunamtafuta Mungu wenu kama ninyi na tumekuwa tukimtolea dhabihu tangu wakati wa Esar-Hadoni mfalme wa Ashuru, aliyetuleta hapa.”
3 But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the chief fathers of Israel said to them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God, but we alone will build to Jehovah the God of Israel, as king Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.
Lakini Zerubabeli, Yeshua na viongozi wengine wa jamaa ya Israeli wakawajibu, “Ninyi hamna sehemu nasi katika kujenga Hekalu la Mungu wetu. Sisi peke yetu tutajenga Hekalu kwa ajili ya Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, kama Mfalme Koreshi, mfalme wa Uajemi alivyotuagiza.”
4 And the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building;
Ndipo watu waliowazunguka wakajipanga kuwakatisha tamaa watu wa Yuda na kuwafanya waogope walipokuwa wakiendelea na ujenzi.
5 and they hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Wakaajiri washauri kuwapinga katika kazi yao, nao wakaipinga mipango yao wakati wote wa utawala wa Koreshi mfalme wa Uajemi hadi wakati wa utawala wa Dario mfalme wa Uajemi.
6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
Mnamo mwanzo wa utawala wa Ahasuero, hao adui waliandika mashtaka dhidi ya watu wa Yuda na Yerusalemu.
7 And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Aramaic, and interpreted in Aramaic.
Pia katika siku za utawala wa Artashasta mfalme wa Uajemi, Bishlamu, Mithredathi, Tabeeli pamoja na wenzao waliandika barua kwa Artashasta. Barua hiyo iliandikwa kwa mwandiko wa Kiaramu na katika lugha ya Kiaramu.
8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king after this sort:
Rehumu afisa msimamizi na mwandishi Shimshai waliandika barua kwa Mfalme Artashasta dhidi ya watu wa Yerusalemu kama ifuatavyo:
9 Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,
Rehumu afisa msimamizi na mwandishi Shimshai, pamoja na wenzao, yaani mahakimu na maafisa walio juu ya watu kuanzia Tripoli, Uajemi, Ereki na Babeli, Waelami wa Shushani,
10 and the rest of the peoples whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over and settled in the cities of Samaria, and the rest [of the country] on this side the river, and so forth.
na watu wengine ambao mheshimiwa Asur-Banipali aliwahamisha na kuwakalisha katika mji wa Samaria na mahali pengine Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati.
11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent to him: To Artaxerxes the king: Thy servants the men on this side the river, and so forth.
(Hii ndiyo nakala ya barua waliyompelekea.) Kwa Mfalme Artashasta, Kutoka kwa watumishi wako, watu wa Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati:
12 Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from thee unto us have come to Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and they complete the walls and join up the foundations.
Yapasa Mfalme ajue kuwa Wayahudi waliopanda kuja kwetu kutoka kwenu, wamekwenda Yerusalemu nao wanaujenga upya ule mji wa uasi na uovu. Wanajenga kuta upya na kukarabati misingi yake.
13 Be it known therefore unto the king, that, if this city be built and the walls be completed, they will not pay tribute, tax, and toll, and in the end it will bring damage to the kings.
Zaidi ya hayo, mfalme yampasa ajue kwamba kama mji huu ukijengwa na kuta zake zikafanywa upya, hakutakuwa na ulipaji wa kodi wala ada au ushuru, hivyo hazina za mfalme zitaathirika.
14 Now, since we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not right for us to see the king's injury, therefore have we sent and informed the king;
Sisi sasa kwa kuwa tunawajibika kwa jumba la kifalme na kwamba siyo sawasawa kwetu kuona mfalme akidharauliwa, basi tunatuma ujumbe huu kumtaarifu mfalme,
15 that search may be made in the book of the annals of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the annals and know that this city is a rebellious city, which has done damage to kings and provinces, and that they have raised sedition within the same of old time, for which cause this city was destroyed.
ili kwamba ufanyike uchunguzi kwenye kumbukumbu ya maandishi ya waliokutangulia. Katika kumbukumbu hizi utagundua kwamba mji huu ni wa maasi, unaowataabisha wafalme na majimbo, ni mahali pa maasi tangu zamani. Ndiyo maana mji huu uliharibiwa.
16 We inform the king that if this city be built and its walls be completed, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
Tunamjulisha mfalme kwamba kama mji huu ukijengwa na kuta zake zikifanywa upya, hutabakiwa na chochote Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati.
17 The king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and the other places beyond the river: Peace, and so forth.
Mfalme alirudisha jibu hili: Kwa Rehumu, afisa msimamizi, mwandishi Shimshai na wenzenu wote wanaoishi katika Samaria na penginepo Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati: Salamu.
18 The letter that ye sent to us has been read before me distinctly.
Barua mliyotutumia imesomwa na kutafsiriwa mbele yangu.
19 And I gave orders, and search has been made, and it has been found that this city of old time has made insurrection against the kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been raised therein.
Nilitoa amri na uchunguzi ukafanyika na imegundulika kwamba mji huu una historia ndefu ya maasi dhidi ya wafalme na pamekuwa mahali pa maasi na uchochezi.
20 And there have been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all beyond the river; and tribute, tax, and toll were paid to them.
Yerusalemu umepata kuwa na wafalme wenye nguvu wakitawala nchi yote iliyo Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati, wakitoza kodi, ada na ushuru huko.
21 Now give order to make these men to cease, and that this city be not built, until the order shall be given from me;
Kwa hiyo toeni amri kwa watu hawa wasimamishe ujenzi, ili kwamba mji huu usiendelee kujengwa hadi nitakapoagiza.
22 and take heed that ye fail not to do this: why should harm grow to the damage of the kings?
Mwe waangalifu msipuuze jambo hili. Kwa nini kuruhusu tishio hili kuendelea na kusababisha hasara kwa ufalme?
23 As soon as the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them cease by force and power.
Mara waliposomewa nakala ya barua ya Mfalme Artashasta, Rehumu na Shimshai aliyekuwa mwandishi na wenzao, walikwenda mara moja kwa Wayahudi huko Yerusalemu na kuwalazimisha kwa nguvu kusimamisha ujenzi.
24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Hivyo kazi ya ujenzi wa nyumba ya Mungu huko Yerusalemu ikasimamishwa kabisa hadi mwaka wa pili wa utawala wa Dario mfalme wa Uajemi.

< Ezra 4 >