< Ezra 4 >

1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building the temple to the LORD God of Israel;
Na rĩrĩ, hĩndĩ ĩrĩa thũ cia Juda na Benjamini ciaiguire atĩ andũ arĩa maatahĩtwo nĩmaakagĩra Jehova, Ngai wa Isiraeli, hekarũ-rĩ,
2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of the fathers, and said to them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we sacrifice to him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, who brought us up here.
magĩthiĩ kũrĩ Zerubabeli o na kũrĩ atongoria a nyũmba cia andũ, makĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Rekei twake tũrĩ hamwe tondũ o na ithuĩ tũrongoragia Ngai wanyu, na nĩtũkoretwo tũkĩmũrutĩra magongona kuuma hĩndĩ ya Esari-Hadoni mũthamaki wa Ashuri, ũrĩa watũrehire gũkũ.”
3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers of Israel, said to them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
No rĩrĩ, Zerubabeli, na Jeshua, na atongoria arĩa angĩ a nyũmba cia Isiraeli makĩmacookeria atĩrĩ, “Mũtirĩ na handũ thĩinĩ witũ ũhoro-inĩ wa gwakĩra Ngai witũ hekarũ. Nĩ ithuĩ ene tũgwakĩra Jehova, Ngai wa Isiraeli, o ta ũrĩa Kurusu mũthamaki wa Perisia aatwathire.”
4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
Hĩndĩ ĩyo andũ arĩa maamathiũrũrũkĩirie makĩhaarĩria kũũraga andũ a Juda ngoro nĩguo metigĩre gũthiĩ na mbere na gwaka.
5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Nao makĩandĩka ataarani a kũhĩngĩca wĩra wao, na gũthũkia mĩbango yao yothe matukũ mothe ma wathani wa Kurusu mũthamaki wa Perisia, nginya hĩndĩ ya wathani wa Dario mũthamaki wa Perisia.
6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote to him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
Kĩambĩrĩria kĩa wathani wa Ahasuerusu, ataarani acio magĩthitanga andũ a Juda na Jerusalemu.
7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian language, and interpreted in the Syrian language.
Na matukũ ma Mũthamaki Aritashashita wa Perisia, na Bishilamu, na Mithiredathu, na Tabeeli na andũ arĩa angĩ a thiritũ yake makĩandĩkĩra Aritashashita marũa. Marũa macio maandĩkirwo na mwandĩkĩre na rũthiomi rwa andũ a Suriata.
8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
Rehumu mũnene wa mbũtũ na Shimushai ũrĩa mwandĩki, nĩmandĩkire marũa ma gũthitanga andũ a Jerusalemu kũrĩ Mũthamaki Aritashashita ta ũũ:
9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,
Marũa maya moimĩte kũrĩ niĩ Rehumu mũnene wa mbũtũ, na Shimushai ũrĩa mwandĩki, hamwe na arĩa angĩ a thiritũ yao, na aciirithania, na anene a andũ a Ataripeli, na a Perisia, na a Ereku, na Babuloni, na Aelami a Shushani,
10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side of the river, and now.
na andũ arĩa angĩ maacooketio nĩ mũgaathe ũrĩa mũnene Osinapari nĩgeetha matũũre itũũra inene rĩa Samaria, na kũrĩa kũngĩ guothe Mũrĩmo-wa-Farati.
11 this is the copy of the letter that they sent to him, even to Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side of the river, and now.
(Ĩno nĩyo kobi ya marũa marĩa aandĩkĩirwo.) Kũrĩ Mũthamaki Aritashashita, Kuuma kũrĩ ndungata ciaku, andũ a bũrũri ũrĩa ũrĩ Mũrĩmo-wa-Farati:
12 let it be known to the king, that the Jews who came from thee to us are come to Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the evil city, and have set up the walls, and joined the foundations.
Nĩ kwagĩrĩire mũthamaki amenye atĩ, Ayahudi arĩa mookire kũrĩ ithuĩ moimĩte kũrĩ we nĩmathiĩte Jerusalemu, na nĩmaraaka rĩngĩ itũũra rĩu inene, o rĩu iremi na rĩaganu. Nĩmaracookereria rũthingo na magacookereria mĩthingi.
13 Be it known now to the king, that, if this city shall be built, and the walls set up again, then they will not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt diminish the revenue of the kings.
Ningĩ nĩ kwagĩrĩire mũthamaki amenye atĩ itũũra rĩĩrĩ inene rĩngĩakwo na thingo ciarĩo icookererio, gũtirĩ igooti, kana maruta ma mũthamaki, o na kana igooti rĩa mĩrigo ĩgĩtoonya bũrũri-inĩ rĩrĩrutagwo. Nakĩo kĩgĩĩna kĩa ũthamaki nĩgĩkũnyiiha.
14 Now because we have maintenance from the king’s palace, and it was not good for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore have we sent and informed the king;
Na rĩu tondũ ithuĩ tũrĩ andũ matĩĩte ũthamaki, na ti wega kuona mũthamaki akĩimwo gĩtĩĩo, tũratũma ndũmĩrĩri ĩno tũmenyithie mũthamaki,
15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same from of old: for which cause was this city destroyed.
nĩgeetha ũhoro ũcio ũtuĩrio kuuma maandĩko-inĩ ma tene ma arĩa maarĩ mbere yaku. Maandĩko-inĩ macio nĩũrĩona atĩ itũũra rĩĩrĩ inene nĩ iremi, na rĩa gũthĩĩnia athamaki na mabũrũri, na nĩ kũndũ kwa ũremi kuuma mahinda ma tene. Kĩu nĩkĩo gĩatũmire itũũra rĩĩrĩ inene rĩanangwo.
16 We inform the king that, if this city shall be built again, and the walls set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side of the river.
Tũkũmenyithia mũthamaki atĩ itũũra rĩĩrĩ inene rĩngĩakwo na thingo ciarĩo icookererio, wee ũgũtigwo ũtarĩ kĩndũ Mũrĩmo ũyũ wa Rũũĩ rwa Farati.
17 Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and to the rest beyond the river, Peace, and now.
Mũthamaki nake agĩcookia macookio atĩrĩ: Kũrĩ Rehumu mũnene wa mbũtũ, na Shimushai ũrĩa mwandĩki, na andũ arĩa angĩ a thiritũ yao arĩa matũũraga Samaria na kũrĩa kũngĩ guothe Mũrĩmo-wa-Farati: Nĩndamũgeithia.
18 the letter which ye sent to us hath been plainly read before me.
Marũa marĩa mwatũtũmĩire nĩmathomeirwo hau mbere yakwa na ngĩtaũrĩrwo ũhoro wamo.
19 And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city from of old hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it.
Nĩndarutire watho na ũhoro ũcio ũgĩtuĩrio, na gũkĩoneka atĩ itũũra rĩĩrĩ inene nĩrĩũĩkaine kuuma tene atĩ nĩ rĩa kũregana na watho wa athamaki, na rĩtũũraga rĩrĩ iremi, na nĩ rĩa kũringĩrĩria andũ mookĩrĩre thirikari.
20 There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid to them.
Jerusalemu nĩrĩkoretwo na athamaki a hinya magĩathana Mũrĩmo-wa-Farati wothe, na nĩmarĩhagwo igooti na maruta ma mũthamaki, o na igooti rĩa mĩrigo ĩgĩtoonya bũrũri-inĩ.
21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not built, until another commandment shall be given from me.
Na rĩrĩ, ruta watho kũrĩ andũ acio matige wĩra, nĩguo itũũra rĩu inene rĩtigaakwo rĩngĩ, nginya rĩrĩa ngoiga.
22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the harm of the kings?
Menyerera ũndũ ũyũ ndũkaage kũhingio. Mũngĩrekereria ũndũ ũngĩrehe ũgwati na ũthũkie ũthamaki nĩkĩ?
23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
Na rĩrĩ, kobi ya marũa ma Mũthamaki Aritashashita maarĩkia gũthomerwo Rehumu na Shimushai ũrĩa mwandĩki, na andũ a thiritũ yao, no gũthiĩ mathiire Jerusalemu kũrĩ Ayahudi, na makĩmatigithia wĩra ũcio na hinya.
24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, wĩra wa gwaka nyũmba ya Ngai kũu Jerusalemu ũkĩrũgama nginya mwaka wa keerĩ wa wathani wa Dario mũthamaki wa Perisia.

< Ezra 4 >