Nehemiah 5
1 And the cry of the people and their wives [was] great against their brethren the Jews.
Wakati huu wanaume na wake zao wakalia kilio kikuu dhidi ya ndugu zao Wayahudi.
2 And some said, We [are] numerous with our sons and our daughters; so we will take corn, and eat, and live.
Baadhi yao walikuwa wakisema, “Sisi na wana wetu na binti zetu tuko wengi. Ili tuweze kula na kuishi, ni lazima tupate nafaka.”
3 And some said, [As to] our fields and vineyards and houses, let us pledge [them], and we will take corn, and eat.
Wengine walikuwa wakisema, “Tunaweka rehani mashamba yetu, mashamba ya mizabibu, na nyumba zetu ili tupate nafaka wakati wa njaa.”
4 And some said, We have borrowed money for the king's tributes: —our fields, and our vineyards, and houses [are pledged].
Bado kukawa na wengine waliokuwa wakisema, “Ilitubidi tukope fedha ili kulipa kodi ya mfalme kwa ajili ya mashamba yetu na mashamba yetu ya mizabibu.
5 And now our flesh [is] as the flesh of our brethren, our children [are] as their children: yet, behold, we are reducing our sons and our daughters to slavery, and some of our daughters are enslaved: and there is no power of our hands, for our fields and our vineyards [belong] to the nobles.
Ingawa sisi ni mwili na damu moja sawa na watu wa nchi yetu, na ijapo wana wetu ni wazuri kama wana wao, bado inatupasa kuwatoa wana wetu na binti zetu kwenye utumwa. Baadhi ya binti zetu wameshakuwa watumwa tayari, lakini hatuna uwezo wa kuwakomboa, kwa sababu mashamba yetu na mashamba ya mizabibu yetu ni mali ya wengine.”
6 And I was much grieved as I heard their cry and these words.
Niliposikia kilio chao na malalamiko haya, nilikasirika sana.
7 And my heart took counsel within me, and I contended against the nobles, and the princes, and I said to them, Should every man demand of his brother what you demand? And I appointed against them a great assembly,
Nikayatafakari katika akili yangu, nikiwalaumu wakuu na maafisa. Nikawaambia, “Mnawaonea ndugu zenu kwa kuwatoza riba!” Basi nikaitisha mkutano mkubwa ili kuwashughulikia
8 and I said to them, We of our free-will have redeemed our brethren the Jews that were sold to the Gentiles; and do you sell your brethren? and shall they be delivered to us? And they were silent, and found no answer.
na kusema: “Kulingana na uwezo wetu, tumewakomboa ndugu zetu Wayahudi waliokuwa wameuzwa kwa watu wasioamini. Sasa mnawauza ndugu zenu, ili wauzwe tena kwetu!” Walinyamaza kimya, kwa sababu hawakupata chochote cha kusema.
9 And I said, The thing which you do [is] not good; you will not so walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the Gentiles our enemies.
Basi nikaendelea kusema, “Mnachokifanya si sawa. Je, haikuwapasa kutembea katika hofu ya Mungu wetu ili tuepukane na shutuma za adui zetu wasioamini?
10 Both my brethren, and my acquaintances, and I, have lent them money and corn: let us now leave off this exaction.
Mimi na ndugu zangu na watu wangu tunawakopesha watu fedha na nafaka. Lakini jambo hili la kutoza riba likome!
11 Restore to them, I pray, as at this day, their fields, and their vineyards, and their olive yards, and their houses, and bring forth to them corn and wine and oil of the money.
Warudishieni mara moja mashamba yao, mashamba yao ya mizabibu, mashamba yao ya mizeituni, na nyumba zao, pia riba yao mnayowatoza na sehemu ya fungu la mia la fedha, nafaka, divai mpya na mafuta.”
12 And they said, We will restore, and we will not exact of them; we will do thus as you say. Then I called the priests, and bound them by oath to do according to this word.
Wakasema, “Tutawarudishia na hatutataka kitu chochote zaidi kutoka kwao. Tutafanya kama ulivyosema.” Kisha nikawaita makuhani na kuwafanya wakuu na maafisa kuapa kufanya kile walichoahidi.
13 And I shook out my garment, and said, So may God shake out every man who shall not keep to this word, from his house, and from his labors, he shall be even thus shaken out, as an outcast and empty. And all the congregation said, Amen, and they praised the Lord: and the people did this thing.
Pia nikakungʼuta makunjo ya vazi langu na kusema, “Kila mtu ambaye hatatimiza ahadi hii, Mungu na amkungʼute hivi kutoka nyumba yake na katika mali zake. Basi mtu wa namna hiyo akungʼutiwe nje na aachwe bila kitu!” Waliposikia hili, mkutano wote ukasema, “Amen,” na wakamtukuza Bwana. Nao watu wakafanya kama walivyokuwa wameahidi.
14 From the day that he charged me to be their ruler in the land of Juda, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Arthasastha, twelve years, I and my brethren ate not [provision] extorted from them.
Zaidi ya hayo, kutoka mwaka wa ishirini wa Mfalme Artashasta, wakati nilipoteuliwa kuwa mtawala wao katika nchi ya Yuda, mpaka mwaka wake wa thelathini na mbili, yaani miaka kumi na miwili, mimi wala ndugu zangu hatukula chakula ambacho kwa kawaida hupewa watawala.
15 But as for the former acts of extortion wherein [those who were] before me oppressed them, they even took of them their last money, forty didrachmas for bread and wine; and the [very] outcasts of them exercised authority over the people: but I did not so, because of the fear of God.
Lakini watawala wa mwanzoni, wale walionitangulia, waliwalemea watu na kuchukua kutoka kwao shekeli arobaini za fedha, pamoja na chakula na mvinyo. Wasaidizi wao pia walijifanya wakuu juu ya watu. Lakini kwa kumheshimu Mungu sikufanya hivyo.
16 Also in the work of the wall I treated them not with rigor, I bought not land: and all that were gathered together [came] there to the work.
Badala yake, nilijitoa kwa bidii katika kazi ya ukuta huu. Watu wangu wote walikutanika pale kwa ajili ya kazi. Hatukujipatia shamba lolote.
17 And the Jews, to [the number of] a hundred and fifty men, besides those coming to us from the nations round about, [were] at my table.
Zaidi ya hayo, Wayahudi na maafisa 150 walikula mezani pangu, pamoja na wale waliotujia kutoka mataifa jirani.
18 And there came [to me] for one day one calf, and I had six choice sheep and a goat; and every ten days wine in abundance of all sorts: yet with these I required not the bread of extortion, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
Kila siku niliandaliwa maksai mmoja, kondoo sita wazuri, na kuku, na mvinyo wa kila aina kwa wingi kila baada ya siku kumi. Licha ya mambo haya yote, sikudai chakula kilichokuwa fungu la mtawala, kwa sababu madai yalikuwa mazito sana kwa watu hawa.
19 Remember me, O God, for good, [in] all that I have done to this people.
Unikumbuke kwa fadhili, Ee Mungu wangu, kwa yote niliyofanya kwa ajili ya watu hawa.
