Ezra 7
1 After all this, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra arrived from Babylon. He was the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,
Baada ya mambo haya, wakati wa utawala wa Artashasta mfalme wa Uajemi, Ezra mwana wa Seraya, mwana wa Azaria, mwana wa Hilkia,
2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,
mwana wa Shalumu, mwana wa Sadoki, mwana wa Ahitubu,
3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,
mwana wa Amaria, mwana wa Azaria, mwana wa Merayothi,
4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,
mwana wa Zerahia, mwana wa Uzi, mwana wa Buki,
5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the high priest.
mwana wa Abishua, mwana wa Finehasi, mwana wa Eleazari, mwana wa kuhani mkuu Aroni.
6 This Ezra arrived from Babylon, and was a scribe who was an expert in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given to Israel. The king had granted Ezra everything he'd asked for, because the Lord his God was with him.
Huyu Ezra alipanda kutoka Babeli. Alikuwa mwalimu mwenye ujuzi mzuri katika sheria ya Mose, ambayo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, alikuwa ametoa. Mfalme alikuwa amempa Ezra kila kitu alichoomba, kwa maana Bwana Mungu wake alikuwa pamoja naye.
7 In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes left for Jerusalem, accompanied by some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests and Levites, singers and gatekeepers, and Temple servants.
Pia baadhi ya Waisraeli, wakiwemo makuhani, Walawi, waimbaji, mabawabu na watumishi wa Hekalu, nao walikuja Yerusalemu mwaka wa saba wa utawala wa Mfalme Artashasta.
8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of King Artaxerxes' reign.
Ezra aliwasili Yerusalemu mwezi wa tano wa mwaka wa saba wa utawala wa Mfalme Artashasta.
9 He had started the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, his gracious God going with him.
Ezra alianza safari yake kutoka Babeli tangu siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa kwanza, naye akawasili Yerusalemu siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa tano, kwa maana mkono wa neema wa Mungu wake ulikuwa juu yake.
10 For Ezra had committed himself to gaining insights from the Law of the Lord, wanting to practice it and to teach in Israel its rules and how to live.
Kwa maana Ezra alikuwa amejitoa kwa moyo wote kujifunza na kushika sheria ya Bwana na kuwafundisha watu wa Israeli amri na sheria zake.
11 This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, who had studied the Lord's commandments and regulations given to Israel:
Hii ni nakala ya barua ambayo Mfalme Artashasta alikuwa amempa Ezra aliyekuwa kuhani na mwalimu, mtu aliyeelimika katika mambo yahusuyo maagizo na amri za Bwana kwa Israeli.
12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.
Artashasta, mfalme wa wafalme, Kwa Ezra kuhani, mwalimu wa Sheria ya Mungu wa mbinguni: Salamu.
13 I hereby issue this decree: Any of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom who voluntarily decide to go to Jerusalem with you may do so.
Sasa naamuru kwamba mtu yeyote Mwisraeli katika ufalme wangu, pamoja na makuhani na Walawi, ambaye anataka kwenda Yerusalemu pamoja nawe aweza kwenda.
14 You are being sent by the king and his seven counselors to investigate the situation in Judah and Jerusalem as it relates to the Law of your God, which you carry with you.
Unatumwa na mfalme na washauri wake saba kuchunguza kuhusu Yuda na Yerusalemu kulingana na Sheria ya Mungu wako, iliyoko mkononi mwako.
15 We also instruct you to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have voluntarily donated to the God of Israel, whose lives in Jerusalem,
Zaidi ya hayo, uchukue pamoja nawe fedha na dhahabu ambazo mfalme na washauri wake wamempa Mungu wa Israeli kwa hiari, Mungu ambaye maskani yake yako Yerusalemu,
16 together with all the silver and gold you may receive from the province of Babylon, as well as the voluntary donations of the people and priests to the Temple of their God in Jerusalem.
pia fedha na dhahabu zote unazoweza kupata kutoka jimbo la Babeli, pamoja na sadaka za hiari watakazotoa watu na makuhani kwa ajili ya Hekalu la Mungu wao katika Yerusalemu.
17 You are to use this money first to buy as many bulls, rams, and lambs as necessary, along with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and present them on the altar at the Temple of your God in Jerusalem.
Hakikisha kwamba fedha hizi zimetumika kununua mafahali, kondoo dume na wana-kondoo pamoja na sadaka za nafaka na sadaka za vinywaji, uvitoe dhabihu juu ya madhabahu ya Hekalu la Mungu wenu katika Yerusalemu.
18 Then you and those with you may decide to use the rest of the silver and gold in whatever way you think best, in accordance with the will of your God.
Kisha wewe na Wayahudi ndugu zako mnaweza kufanya lolote linaloonekana jema sana kwa fedha na dhahabu zilizosalia, kulingana na mapenzi ya Mungu wenu.
19 But the items you have been given for the service of the Temple of your God must be all delivered to the God of Jerusalem.
Uvitoe kwa Mungu wa Yerusalemu vyombo vyote ulivyokabidhiwa kwa ajili ya ibada katika Hekalu la Mungu wako.
20 If there is anything else required for the Temple of your God that you have to provide, you may charge it to the royal treasury.
Kitu kingine chochote kinachohitajika kwa ajili ya Hekalu la Mungu wenu ambacho unatakiwa kukitoa, waweza kukitoa kutoka hazina ya mfalme.
21 I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers west of the Euphrates should provide whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require from you, and it must be provided in full,
Mimi, Mfalme Artashasta, sasa naagiza watunza hazina wote wa Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati kutoa kwa bidii chochote kwa Ezra kuhani na mwalimu wa Sheria ya Mungu wa mbinguni atakachohitaji kwenu,
22 up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred cors of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of olive oil, and unrestricted amounts of salt.
talanta 100 za fedha, ngano kori 100, divai bathi 100, mafuta ya zeituni bathi 100, na chumvi kiasi chochote.
23 Make sure you provide in full whatever the God of heaven requires for his Temple, for why should his anger be brought down on the king and his sons?
Chochote ambacho Mungu wa mbinguni ameagiza, kifanyike kwa ukamilifu kwa ajili ya Hekalu la Mungu wa mbinguni. Kwa nini pawepo ghadhabu dhidi ya utawala wa mfalme na wanawe?
24 Also be aware that all of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Temple servants, or other workers of this Temple are exempt from paying any tax, tribute, or fees, and you are not authorized to charge them.
Pia ninyi fahamuni kuwa hamna mamlaka ya kuwatoza kodi, ushuru au ada makuhani, Walawi, waimbaji, mabawabu, watumishi wa Hekalu au wafanyakazi wengine kwenye nyumba ya Mungu.
25 You, Ezra, are to follow the wisdom of your God which you possess, shall appoint magistrates and judges to provide justice to all the people west of the Euphrates—all those who follow the laws of your God. You are to teach these laws to those who do not.
Nawe Ezra, kufuatana na hekima ya Mungu wenu uliyo nayo, weka mahakimu na waamuzi wote wanaozifahamu sheria za Mungu wenu ili watoe haki kwa watu wote wa Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati. Nawe inakupasa umfundishe yeyote ambaye hazifahamu.
26 Anyone who does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, will be severely punished, either by death, banishment, seizure of property, or imprisonment.”
Yeyote ambaye hataitii sheria ya Mungu wenu pia sheria ya mfalme, hakika lazima aadhibiwe kwa kuuawa, kuhamishwa, kunyangʼanywa mali au kufungwa gerezani.
27 Praise the Lord, the God of our forefathers, who put into the king's mind to honor the Lord's Temple in Jerusalem in this way,
Sifa ziwe kwa Bwana, Mungu wa baba zetu, Mungu ambaye kwa njia hii ameweka ndani ya moyo wa mfalme kuipa heshima nyumba ya Bwana iliyoko Yerusalemu, kwa namna hii
28 and who has shown me such kindness by honoring me before the king, his counselors, and all his high officials. Because the Lord my God was with me, I was encouraged and called together the leaders of Israel to return to Jerusalem with me.
ambaye ameniongezea kibali chake mbele ya mfalme, washauri wake na maafisa wote wa mfalme wenye uwezo. Kwa kuwa mkono wa Bwana Mungu wangu ulikuwa pamoja nami, nilijipa moyo nikakusanya watu walio viongozi kutoka Israeli wakwee pamoja nami.
