Ezra 7
1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the 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 the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
mwana wa Shalumu, mwana wa Sadoki, mwana wa Ahitubu,
3 the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
mwana wa Amaria, mwana wa Azaria, mwana wa Merayothi,
4 the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
mwana wa Zerahia, mwana wa Uzi, mwana wa Buki,
5 the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest —
mwana wa Abishua, mwana wa Finehasi, mwana wa Eleazari, mwana wa kuhani mkuu Aroni.
6 this Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon 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 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
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 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
Ezra aliwasili Yerusalemu mwezi wa tano wa mwaka wa saba wa utawala wa Mfalme Artashasta.
9 For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon 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 set his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances.
Kwa maana Ezra alikuwa amejitoa kwa moyo wote kujifunza na kushika sheria ya Bwana na kuwafundisha watu wa Israeli amri na sheria zake.
11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of His statutes 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, unto Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, and so forth. And now
Artashasta, mfalme wa wafalme, Kwa Ezra kuhani, mwalimu wa Sheria ya Mungu wa mbinguni: Salamu.
13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and their priests and the Levites, in my realm, that are minded of their own free will to go with thee to Jerusalem, go.
Sasa naamuru kwamba mtu yeyote Mwisraeli katika ufalme wangu, pamoja na makuhani na Walawi, ambaye anataka kwenda Yerusalemu pamoja nawe aweza kwenda.
14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king and his seven counsellors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thy hand;
Unatumwa na mfalme na washauri wake saba kuchunguza kuhusu Yuda na Yerusalemu kulingana na Sheria ya Mungu wako, iliyoko mkononi mwako.
15 and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is 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 and all the silver and gold that thou shalt find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill-offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is 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 therefore thou shalt with all diligence buy with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meal-offerings and their drink-offerings, and shalt offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is 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 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee and to thy brethren to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do ye after 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 And the vessels that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.
Uvitoe kwa Mungu wa Yerusalemu vyombo vyote ulivyokabidhiwa kwa ajili ya ibada katika Hekalu la Mungu wako.
20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure-house.
Kitu kingine chochote kinachohitajika kwa ajili ya Hekalu la Mungu wenu ambacho unatakiwa kukitoa, waweza kukitoa kutoka hazina ya mfalme.
21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers that are beyond the River, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done with all diligence,
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 unto a hundred talents of silver, and to a hundred measures of wheat, and to a hundred baths of wine, and to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
talanta 100 za fedha, ngano kori 100, divai bathi 100, mafuta ya zeituni bathi 100, na chumvi kiasi chochote.
23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of 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 we announce to you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, the singers, porters, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, impost, or toll, upon 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 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God that is in thy hand, appoint magistrates and judges, who may judge all the people that are beyond the River, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye him that knoweth them 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 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him with all diligence, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.'
Yeyote ambaye hataitii sheria ya Mungu wenu pia sheria ya mfalme, hakika lazima aadhibiwe kwa kuuawa, kuhamishwa, kunyangʼanywa mali au kufungwa gerezani.
27 Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem;
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 hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened according to the hand of the LORD my God upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up 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.
