< Ezra 3 >

1 And when the seventh month drew near, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.
Mwezi wa saba ulipowadia baada ya Waisraeli kukaa katika miji yao, watu wote walikusanyika huko Yerusalemu kama mtu mmoja.
2 Then arose Jeshua' the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealthiel, and his brethren, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer thereon burnt-offerings, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.
Yeshua mwana wa Yosadaki na makuhani wenzake, Zerubabeli mwana wa Shealtieli pamoja na wenzake walianza kujenga madhabahu ya Mungu wa Israeli ili kumtolea dhabihu za sadaka za kuteketezwa kwa moto juu yake, kulingana na ilivyoandikwa katika Sheria ya Mose mtu wa Mungu.
3 And they erected the altar upon its foundations; for there was fear upon them because of the people of these countries; and they offered thereon burnt-offerings unto the Lord, burnt-offerings at morning and at evening.
Ingawa waliwaogopa watu waliowazunguka, walijenga madhabahu juu ya ule msingi wake, wakamtolea Bwana dhabihu za sadaka za kuteketezwa kwa moto juu yake za asubuhi na za jioni.
4 And they celebrated the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and [offered] the daily burnt-offerings by number, according to the prescribed manner, the offering of every day on its day;
Kisha kulingana na kile kilichoandikwa, wakaiadhimisha Sikukuu ya Vibanda wakitoa idadi ya sadaka za kuteketezwa kama ilivyohitajika kila siku sawasawa na ilivyoagizwa.
5 And afterward the continual burnt-offering, and that for the new moons, and for all the feasts of the Lord that are hallowed, and that of every one who willingly offered a free-will offering unto the Lord.
Baada ya hayo, walitoa sadaka za kuteketezwa za kawaida, sadaka za Mwezi Mwandamo na dhabihu zote za sikukuu takatifu za Bwana zilizoamriwa, pamoja na zile sadaka za hiari zilizotolewa kwa Bwana.
6 From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt-offerings unto the Lord: although the foundation of the temple of the Lord had not yet been laid.
Ingawa bado msingi wa Hekalu la Bwana ulikuwa haujawekwa, watu walianza kutoa sadaka za kuteketezwa kwa moto kwa Bwana tangu siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa saba.
7 Then did they give money unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and food, and drink, and oil, unto the Zidonians and Tyrians, to bring cedar-trees from the Lebanon by sea to Joppa, according to the permission of Cyrus the king of Persia for them.
Kisha watu wakawapa mafundi wa uashi na useremala fedha, wakawapa watu wa Sidoni na Tiro vyakula, vinywaji na mafuta ili waweze kuleta magogo ya mierezi kwa njia ya bahari kutoka Lebanoni hadi Yafa, kama alivyoagiza Koreshi mfalme wa Uajemi.
8 And in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, did Zerubbabel the son of Shealthiel and Jeshua' the son of Jozadak, and the remainder of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem make a beginning; and they appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to superintend the work of the house of the Lord.
Katika mwezi wa pili wa mwaka wa pili baada ya Waisraeli kufika kwenye nyumba ya Mungu huko Yerusalemu, Zerubabeli mwana wa Shealtieli, Yeshua mwana wa Yosadaki na ndugu zao wengine (makuhani, Walawi na wote waliorejea Yerusalemu kutoka uhamishoni) walianza kazi, wakiteua Walawi wenye umri kuanzia miaka ishirini au zaidi kusimamia ujenzi wa nyumba ya Bwana.
9 Then stood forward Jeshua' with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, as one man, to superintend the workmen in the house of God; [also] the sons of Chenadad, their sons and their brethren the Levites.
Yeshua na wanawe, pamoja na ndugu zake, Kadmieli na wanawe (wazao wa Hodavia), wana wa Henadadi na wana wao na ndugu zao, Walawi wote walijiunga pamoja kusimamia wale waliofanya kazi katika nyumba ya Mungu.
10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they placed the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Assaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, after the manner of David the king of Israel.
Wajenzi walipoweka msingi wa Hekalu la Bwana, makuhani wakiwa wamevalia mavazi yao wakiwa na tarumbeta na Walawi (wana wa Asafu) wakiwa na matoazi, walishika nafasi zao za kumtukuza Bwana, kama ilivyoagizwa na Daudi mfalme wa Israeli.
11 And they sang responsively in praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord; because he is good, for unto everlasting endureth his kindness toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, while praising the Lord; because the foundation of the house of the Lord had been laid.
Waliimba nyimbo za sifa na za shukrani kwa Bwana hivi: “Yeye ni mwema; upendo wake kwa Israeli wadumu milele.” Watu wote wakapaza sauti kubwa za sifa kwa Bwana, kwa sababu msingi wa nyumba ya Bwana ulikuwa umewekwa.
12 But many of the priests and Levites and chiefs of the divisions, the aged, who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice, while many, shouting for joy, raised aloud their voice:
Lakini wengi wa makuhani wazee, Walawi na viongozi wa jamaa waliokuwa wameona Hekalu la mwanzoni, walilia kwa sauti walipoona msingi wa Hekalu hili ukiwekwa, huku wengine wengi wakipiga kelele kwa furaha.
13 So that the people could not distinguish the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard ever so far off.
Hakuna mtu ambaye angeweza kutofautisha sauti hizo za furaha na za kilio, kwa sababu watu walipiga kelele sana. Nayo hiyo sauti ikasikika mbali.

< Ezra 3 >