Nehemiah 4
1 When Sanballat found out that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious—really mad! He made fun of the Jews
Sanbalati aliposikia kwamba tulikuwa tunajenga ukuta upya, alikasirika na akawa na uchungu sana. Aliwadhihaki Wayahudi
2 in front of his colleagues and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these useless Jews trying to achieve? Do they think they can rebuild the wall? Are they going to offer sacrifices? Are they going to finish it in a day? Do they think they can re-use stones from piles of rubble and dirt, especially since they've all been burned?”
mbele ya rafiki zake na jeshi la Samaria, akisema, “Hawa Wayahudi wanyonge wanafanya nini? Je, wataweza kuurudishia ukuta wao? Je, watatoa dhabihu? Je, wataweza kumaliza kuujenga kwa siku moja? Je, wataweza kufufua mawe kutoka malundo ya vifusi yaliyoungua hivyo?”
3 Tobiah the Ammonite, standing beside him, commented, “Even a fox walking on what they're building would knock down their wall of stones!”
Tobia Mwamoni aliyekuwa upande wake akasema, “Wanachokijenga, hata kama mbweha angepanda juu yake, huo ukuta wao wa mawe angeliubomoa!”
4 I prayed, “Lord, please listen to us, because we are being treated with contempt. Rain down their insults on their own heads! Let them be taken away like plunder, prisoners in a foreign land!
Ee Mungu wetu, utusikie, kwa kuwa tumedharauliwa. Warudishie matukano yao kwenye vichwa vyao wenyewe. Uwatoe ili wawe nyara katika nchi ya waliowateka.
5 Don't forgive their guilt or blot out their sins, for they have made you angry in front of the builders.”
Usiusitiri uovu wao, wala usifute dhambi zao mbele zako, kwa kuwa wamewatukana wajenzi mbele.
6 So we rebuilt the wall until it was all connected, reaching half its height, because the people were keen to work.
Basi tuliujenga upya ukuta mpaka wote ukafikia nusu ya kimo chake, kwa kuwa watu walifanya kazi kwa moyo wote.
7 When Sanballat and Tobiah, and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being filled in, they were furious.
Lakini wakati Sanbalati, Tobia, Waarabu, Waamoni na watu wa Ashdodi waliposikia kuwa ukarabati wa kuta za Yerusalemu ulikuwa umeendelea na mianya ilikuwa inazibwa, walikasirika sana.
8 They all plotted together to come and attack Jerusalem and to throw everything into confusion.
Wote walifanya shauri pamoja kuja kupigana dhidi ya Yerusalemu, na kuchochea machafuko dhidi yake.
9 So we prayed to our God, and we had guards ready to defend against them day and night.
Lakini tulimwomba Mungu wetu, na tukaweka ulinzi usiku na mchana kupambana na tishio hili.
10 Then people of Judah started grumbling, saying, “The workmen are exhausted. There's just too much rubble to clear. We'll never be able to finish the wall.”
Wakati ule ule, watu wa Yuda wakasema, “Nguvu za wafanyakazi zinapungua, nacho kifusi ni kingi mno, kiasi kwamba hatuwezi kuujenga upya ukuta.”
11 Our enemies were saying to themselves, “Before they know it, before they're aware of anything, we'll appear right in among them, kill them, and put a stop to what they're doing.”
Pia adui zetu walisema, “Kabla hawajajua au kutuona, tutakuwa palepale katikati yao, na tutawaua na kuikomesha hiyo kazi.”
12 The Jews who lived close by came and told us over and over again, “They're going to attack us from all directions!”
Kisha Wayahudi ambao waliishi karibu nao walikuja zaidi ya mara kumi na kutuambia, “Popote mtakapoelekea, watatushambulia.”
13 So I positioned defenders behind the lowest, most vulnerable sections, of the wall. I had them take their positions by families, armed with their swords, spears, and bows.
Kwa hiyo nikaweka baadhi ya watu nyuma ya sehemu za chini za ukuta kwenye sehemu zilizo wazi, nikawaweka kufuatana na jamaa zao, wakiwa na panga, mikuki na pinde zao.
14 After inspecting our defenses, I stood up and addressed the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, saying, “Don't be afraid of them! Remember the Lord, who is powerful and formidable! Fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes!”
Baada ya kuona hali ilivyo, nikasimama na kuwaambia wakuu, maafisa na wengine wote, “Msiwaogope. Mkumbukeni Bwana, ambaye ni mkuu mwenye kuogofya. Piganeni kwa ajili ya ndugu zenu, wana wenu na binti zenu, wake zenu na nyumba zenu.”
15 When our enemies discovered that we knew about their plan, and that God had foiled it, we all went back to our work on the wall.
Adui zetu waliposikia kwamba tumetambua hila yao, na kwamba Mungu amevuruga shauri lao, sote tulirudi kwenye ukuta, kila mmoja kwenye kazi yake.
16 From then on, half of my men were doing the work while the other half were ready to fight, holding their spears, shields, bows, and armor. The leaders stood behind all the people of Judah
Kuanzia siku ile na kuendelea, nusu ya watu wangu walifanya kazi ya ujenzi, na nusu nyingine wakashika mikuki, ngao, pinde na dirii. Maafisa walijipanga nyuma ya watu wote wa Yuda
17 who were building the wall. Those carrying materials worked with one hand, holding a weapon in the other.
waliokuwa wakijenga ukuta. Wale waliobeba vifaa vya ujenzi walifanya kazi yao kwa mkono mmoja, na kushika silaha kwa mkono mwingine,
18 All the builders carried a sword strapped to their side, and the trumpeter stood beside me.
na kila mjenzi alijifunga upanga wake upande mmoja akiwa anafanya kazi. Lakini mtu wa kupiga baragumu alikaa pamoja nami.
19 Then I told the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “We have a lot to do everywhere, so we're very spread out along the wall.
Kisha nikawaambia wakuu, maafisa na watu wengine wote, “Kazi hii ni kubwa na imeenea sehemu kubwa, nasi tumetawanyika kila mmoja akiwa mbali na mwenzake juu ya ukuta.
20 Wherever you are and you hear the sound of the trumpet, run to join us there. Our God will fight for us!”
Popote mtakaposikia sauti ya baragumu, jiungeni nasi huko. Mungu wetu atatupigania!”
21 We went on working, with half of the men holding spears from dawn until the stars came out.
Basi tuliendelea na kazi, nusu ya watu wakishikilia mikuki, kuanzia mawio ya jua hadi nyota zilipoonekana.
22 I also told the people, “Everyone including servants must spend the night inside Jerusalem, so they can be on guard duty at night and work during the day.”
Wakati huo pia niliwaambia watu, “Kila mtu na msaidizi wake wakae ndani ya Yerusalemu wakati wa usiku, ili waweze kutumika kama walinzi wakati wa usiku, na kufanya kazi wakati wa mchana.”
23 During that time none of us changed our clothes—not me or my brothers or my men or the guards with me. Everyone carried their weapons at all times, even to go for water.
Mimi, wala ndugu zangu, wala watu wangu, wala walinzi waliokuwa pamoja nami hatukuvua nguo zetu. Kila mmoja alikuwa na silaha yake, hata alipokwenda kuchota maji.
