Ezra 5
1 Now Aggeus the prophet, and Zacharias the son of Addo, prophesied to the Jews that were in Judea and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel.
Ndipo Hagai nabii na Zakaria mtoto wa Ido nabii wakatabiri kwa jina la Mungu wa Israel kwa wayahudi wa Yuda na Yerusalem.
2 Then rose up Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, and Josue the son of Josedec, and began to build the temple of God in Jerusalem, and with them were the prophets of God helping them.
Zerubabeli mtoto wa Shealtieli na Yoshua mtoto wa Yosadaki wakainuka na kuanza kujenga nyumba ya Mungu Yerusalem pamoja na manabii ambao waliwahamasisha wao.
3 And at the same time came to them Thathanai, who was governor beyond the river, and Stharbuzanai, and their counsellors: and said thus to them: Who hath given you counsel to build this house, and to repair the walls thereof?
Ndipo Tatenai Mkuu wa mji ngambo ya mto, Shethar - Bozenai, na mshirika wao, wakaja na kusema kwao, “Nani aliyewapa agizo la kujenga nyumba hii na kukamilisha ukuta?”
4 In answer to which we gave them the names of the men who were the promoters of that building.
Vilevile walisema, “Ni majina ya watu gani wanaoshughulika na ujenzi huu?”
5 But the eye of their God was upon the ancients of the Jews, and they could not hinder them. And it was agreed that the matter should be referred to Darius, and then they should give satisfaction concerning that accusation.
Lakini jicho la Mungu lilikuwa pamoja na viongozi wa Wayahudi na maadui wao hawakuweza kuwazuia. Walikuwa wakisubiri barua kutumwa kwa mfalme na amri kurudi kwao kwa ajili ya suala hili.
6 The copy of the letter that Thathanai governor of the country beyond the river, and Stharbuzanai, and his counsellors the Arphasachites, who dwelt beyond the river, sent to Darius the king.
Hii ni nakala ya barua kwa Tatenai, mkuu wa mji ngambo ya mto, na Shethar - Bozenai na wenzao katika mji ngambo ya Mto, ambao waliwatuma kwa mfalme Dario.
7 The letter which they sent him, was written thus: To Darius the king all peace.
Wakatuma ujumbe, wakiandika kwa mfalme Dario, “Amani tele iwe kwako”
8 Be it known to the king, that we went to the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which they are building with unpolished stones, and timber is laid in the walls: and this work is carried on diligently, and advanceth in their hands.
Mfalme atambue kwamba tulikwenda Yuda kwenye nyumba ya Mungu Mkuu. Imeshajengwa kwa mawe makubwa na mbao zimewekwa katika kuta. Hii kazi inafanyika kwa utaratibu na inaendelea vizuri kwa mikono yao.
9 And we asked those ancients, and said to them thus: Who hath given you authority to build this house, and to repair these walls?
Tukawauliza wazee, ni nani aliyewapa agizo la kujenga nyumba na ukuta?'
10 We asked also of them their names, that we might give thee notice: and we have written the names of the men that are the chief among them.
Pia tuliwauliza majina yao ili kwamba ujue majina ya kila mtu ambaye aliwaongoza.
11 And they answered us in these words, saying: We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are building a temple that was built these many years ago, and which a great king of Israel built and set up.
Nao wakatujibu na kusema, “Sisi tu watumishi wa Mungu wa mbingu na nchi na sisi tunaijenga nyumba hii ambayo ilijengwa miaka mingi iliyopita wakati mfalme mkuu wa Israel alijenga na kuikamisha.
12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he delivered them into the hands of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon the Chaldean: and he destroyed this house, and carried away the people to Babylon.
Ingawa, watangulizi wetu walipomchukiza Mungu wa mbinguni, Mungu akawatia katika mikono ya mfalme wa Babeli Nebukadineza, ambaye alivunja nyumba na kuwachukua watu mateka Babeli.
13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon, king Cyrus set forth a decree, that this house of God should be built.
Pia, katika mwaka wa kwanza wa kutawala Koreshi mfalme wa Babeli, Koreshi aliamuru nyumba ya Mungu kujengwa.
14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the temple of God, which Nabuchodonosor had taken out of the temple, that was in Jerusalem, and had brought them to the temple of Babylon, king Cyrus brought out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one Sassabasar, whom also he appointed governor,
Mfalme Koreshi pia alirudisha vitu vya dhahabu na fedha vya nyumba ya Mungu ambavyo Nebukadineza alivichukua kwenye hekalu Yerusalem na kuvipeleka kwenye hekalu Babeli. Naye akavitunza kwa Sheshbaza, ambaye alimchagua kuwa kiongozi.
15 And said to him: Take these vessels, and go, and put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in its place.
Naye akamwambia, “Chukua hivi vitu. Uondoke na kuviweka kwenye Hekalu Yerusalem. Na nyumba ya Mungu ijengwe kule.”
16 Then came this same Sassabasar, and laid the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it is in building, and is not yet finished.
Ndipo huyu Sheshbaza akaja na kuweka msingi kwa nyumba ya Mungu katika Yerusalem: na ikaendelea kujengwa, lakini bado haijakamilika
17 Now therefore if it seem good to the king, let him search in the king’s library, which is in Babylon, whether it hath been decreed by Cyrus the king, that the house of God in Jerusalem should be built, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.
Sasa ikiwa itampendeza mfalme, na uchunguzi ufanyike kwenye nyumba ya ukumbusho Babeli Ikiwapo hukumu ya mfalme wa Koreshi ya kujenga nyumba ya Mungu Yerusalem. Na mfalme anaweza kutuma uamuzi wake kwetu.
