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 alipoposikia tulikuwa tukijenga ukuta, akaghadhabika ndani yake, naye akakasirika sana, akawacheka 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 ndugu zake na jeshi la Samaria, akasema, “Wayahudi dhaifu hawa wanafanya nini? Je, watajifanyia mji wenyewe? Je, watatoa dhabihu? Je, wataimaliza kazi siku moja? Je! Watawaletea mawe kutoka kwenye kifusi baada ya kuchomwa moto?
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 alikuwa pamoja naye, naye akasema, 'Ikiwa tu mbweha angepanda juu ya hichi wanachokijenga, angeubomoa ukuta huo wa mawe.”
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!
Tusikilize, Mungu wetu, kwa maana sisi tunatukanwa. Rudisha malalamiko yao juu ya vichwa vyao wenyewe na kuwapa wapate kutekwa katika nchi ambapo wao ni wafungwa.
5 Don't forgive their guilt or blot out their sins, for they have made you angry in front of the builders.”
Usiufunike uovu wao, wala usiondoe dhambi zao mbele yako; kwa sababu wamewachukiza wanaojenga.
6 So we rebuilt the wall until it was all connected, reaching half its height, because the people were keen to work.
Kwa hiyo tulijenga ukuta na ukuta wote uliunganishwa kwa nusu ya urefu wake, kwa kuwa watu walikuwa na hamu ya kufanya kazi
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 Sanbalati, Tobia, Waarabu, Waamoni, na Waashdodi waliposikia kwamba kazi ya ukarabati wa kuta za Yerusalemu ilikuwa ikiendelea, na kwamba sehemu zilizovunjika katika ukuta zilikuwa zimefungwa, ghadhabu kubwa ikawaka ndani yao.
8 They all plotted together to come and attack Jerusalem and to throw everything into confusion.
Wote walifanya shauri pamoja, na walikuja kupigana dhidi ya Yerusalemu na kusababisha machafuko ndani yake.
9 So we prayed to our God, and we had guards ready to defend against them day and night.
Lakini tuliomba kwa Mungu wetu na kuweka walinzi kama ulinzi dhidi yao mchana na usiku kwa sababu ya tishio lao.
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.”
Kisha watu wa Yuda wakasema, “Nguvu ya wale wanaobeba mizigo inashindwa. Kuna kifusi kikubwa, na hatuwezi kujenga 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.”
Na adui zetu wakasema,” Wala hawatajua au kuona mpaka tutakapokuja kati yao na kuwaua, na kuisimamisha 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!”
Wakati huo Wayahudi waliokuwa wakiishi karibu nao walitoka pande zote na kuzungumza nasi mara kumi, wakituonya juu ya mipango waliyofanya dhidi yetu.
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 watu katika sehemu za chini za ukuta katika sehemu zilizo wazi. Niliweka kila familia wenye upanga, mikuki, na upinde.
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!”
Nikatazama, nikasimama, nikawaambia wakuu, na watawala, na watu wengine, “Msiogope. mkumbukeni Bwana, ambaye ni mkuu na wa kushangaza. Wapiganie ndugu zenu, wana zenu, 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.
Ilipokuwa wakati adui zetu waliposikia kwamba mipango yao ilikuwa inayojulikana kwetu, na Mungu alikuwa amebatilisha mipango yao, sote tulirudi ukutani, kila mmoja kwa 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
Kwa hiyo tangu wakati huo nusu ya watumishi wangu walifanya kazi tu juu ya kujenga ukuta, na nusu yao wakaishika mikuki, ngao, pinde, na kuvaa silaha, wakati viongozi walisimama 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.
Na hivyo wafanyakazi haohao ambao walikuwa wakijenga ukuta na kubeba mizigo walikuwa pia wakilinda nafasi zao. Kila mtu alifanya kazi kwa mkono mmoja, na kwa mkono mwingine alikuwa na silaha yake.
18 All the builders carried a sword strapped to their side, and the trumpeter stood beside me.
Kila mjenzi alivaa upanga wake ubavuni mwake na ndivyo alivyojenga. Yule aliyepiga tarumbeta akakaa karibu 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.
Niliwaambia wakuu na viongozi na watu wengine, “Kazi ni nzuri na ya kina, na tumejitenga kwenye ukuta, mbali na mtu mwingine.
20 Wherever you are and you hear the sound of the trumpet, run to join us there. Our God will fight for us!”
Lazima mkimbilie mahali ambapo mtasikia sauti ya tarumbeta na kusanyika huko. Mungu wetu atatupigania.”
21 We went on working, with half of the men holding spears from dawn until the stars came out.
Kwa hiyo tulifanya kazi hiyo. Nusu yao walikuwa wakichukua mikuki kutoka kupambazuka asubuhi hadi kutokea kwa nyota.
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.”
Nikawaambia watu wakati huo, “Kila mtu na mtumishi wake waende usiku katikati ya Yerusalemu, ili wawe walinzi wakati wa usiku na mfanyakazi wakati huo.”
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.
Basi si mimi, wala ndugu zangu, wala watumishi wangu, wala watu wa walinzi waliokuwa wananifuata, hakuna hata mmoja wetu aliyebadili nguo zake, na kila mmoja wetu alichukua silaha yake, hata kama angeenda kwa ajili ya kuteka maji.
