Ezra 4
1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to the LORD, the God of Israel,
Adui za Yuda na Benyamini waliposikia kwamba watu waliorudi kutoka uhamishoni wanajenga Hekalu kwa ajili ya Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli,
2 they came near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have been sacrificing to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”
wakamjia Zerubabeli na viongozi wa jamaa, nao wakasema, “Turuhusuni tuwasaidie kujenga, kwa sababu sisi tunamtafuta Mungu wenu kama ninyi na tumekuwa tukimtolea dhabihu tangu wakati wa Esar-Hadoni mfalme wa Ashuru, aliyetuleta hapa.”
3 But Zerubbabel, Yeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”
Lakini Zerubabeli, Yeshua na viongozi wengine wa jamaa ya Israeli wakawajibu, “Ninyi hamna sehemu nasi katika kujenga Hekalu la Mungu wetu. Sisi peke yetu tutajenga Hekalu kwa ajili ya Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, kama Mfalme Koreshi, mfalme wa Uajemi alivyotuagiza.”
4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building.
Ndipo watu waliowazunguka wakajipanga kuwakatisha tamaa watu wa Yuda na kuwafanya waogope walipokuwa wakiendelea na ujenzi.
5 They hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Wakaajiri washauri kuwapinga katika kazi yao, nao wakaipinga mipango yao wakati wote wa utawala wa Koreshi mfalme wa Uajemi hadi wakati wa utawala wa Dario mfalme wa Uajemi.
6 In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
Mnamo mwanzo wa utawala wa Ahasuero, hao adui waliandika mashtaka dhidi ya watu wa Yuda na Yerusalemu.
7 In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Syrian and delivered in the Syrian language.
Pia katika siku za utawala wa Artashasta mfalme wa Uajemi, Bishlamu, Mithredathi, Tabeeli pamoja na wenzao waliandika barua kwa Artashasta. Barua hiyo iliandikwa kwa mwandiko wa Kiaramu na katika lugha ya Kiaramu.
8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows.
Rehumu afisa msimamizi na mwandishi Shimshai waliandika barua kwa Mfalme Artashasta dhidi ya watu wa Yerusalemu kama ifuatavyo:
9 Then Rehum the chancellor, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,
Rehumu afisa msimamizi na mwandishi Shimshai, pamoja na wenzao, yaani mahakimu na maafisa walio juu ya watu kuanzia Tripoli, Uajemi, Ereki na Babeli, Waelami wa Shushani,
10 and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over and settled in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River, and so forth, wrote.
na watu wengine ambao mheshimiwa Asur-Banipali aliwahamisha na kuwakalisha katika mji wa Samaria na mahali pengine Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati.
11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent: To King Artaxerxes, from your servants, the people beyond the River.
(Hii ndiyo nakala ya barua waliyompelekea.) Kwa Mfalme Artashasta, Kutoka kwa watumishi wako, watu wa Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati:
12 Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us to Jerusalem. They are building the rebellious and bad city, and have finished the walls and repaired the foundations.
Yapasa Mfalme ajue kuwa Wayahudi waliopanda kuja kwetu kutoka kwenu, wamekwenda Yerusalemu nao wanaujenga upya ule mji wa uasi na uovu. Wanajenga kuta upya na kukarabati misingi yake.
13 Be it known now to the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings.
Zaidi ya hayo, mfalme yampasa ajue kwamba kama mji huu ukijengwa na kuta zake zikafanywa upya, hakutakuwa na ulipaji wa kodi wala ada au ushuru, hivyo hazina za mfalme zitaathirika.
14 Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not appropriate for us to see the king’s dishonor, therefore we have sent and informed the king,
Sisi sasa kwa kuwa tunawajibika kwa jumba la kifalme na kwamba siyo sawasawa kwetu kuona mfalme akidharauliwa, basi tunatuma ujumbe huu kumtaarifu mfalme,
15 that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will see 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 started rebellions within it in the past. That is why this city was destroyed.
ili kwamba ufanyike uchunguzi kwenye kumbukumbu ya maandishi ya waliokutangulia. Katika kumbukumbu hizi utagundua kwamba mji huu ni wa maasi, unaowataabisha wafalme na majimbo, ni mahali pa maasi tangu zamani. Ndiyo maana mji huu uliharibiwa.
16 We inform the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, then you will have no possession beyond the River.
Tunamjulisha mfalme kwamba kama mji huu ukijengwa na kuta zake zikifanywa upya, hutabakiwa na chochote Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati.
17 Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who live in Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River: Peace.
Mfalme alirudisha jibu hili: Kwa Rehumu, afisa msimamizi, mwandishi Shimshai na wenzenu wote wanaoishi katika Samaria na penginepo Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati: Salamu.
18 The letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me.
Barua mliyotutumia imesomwa na kutafsiriwa mbele yangu.
19 I decreed, and search has been made, and it was found that this city has made insurrection against kings in the past, and that rebellion and revolts have been made in it.
Nilitoa amri na uchunguzi ukafanyika na imegundulika kwamba mji huu una historia ndefu ya maasi dhidi ya wafalme na pamekuwa mahali pa maasi na uchochezi.
20 There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll was paid to them.
Yerusalemu umepata kuwa na wafalme wenye nguvu wakitawala nchi yote iliyo Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati, wakitoza kodi, ada na ushuru huko.
21 Make a decree now to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built until a decree is made by me.
Kwa hiyo toeni amri kwa watu hawa wasimamishe ujenzi, ili kwamba mji huu usiendelee kujengwa hadi nitakapoagiza.
22 Be careful that you not be slack doing so. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
Mwe waangalifu msipuuze jambo hili. Kwa nini kuruhusu tishio hili kuendelea na kusababisha hasara kwa ufalme?
23 Then when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force of arms.
Mara waliposomewa nakala ya barua ya Mfalme Artashasta, Rehumu na Shimshai aliyekuwa mwandishi na wenzao, walikwenda mara moja kwa Wayahudi huko Yerusalemu na kuwalazimisha kwa nguvu kusimamisha ujenzi.
24 Then work stopped on God’s house which is at Jerusalem. It stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Hivyo kazi ya ujenzi wa nyumba ya Mungu huko Yerusalemu ikasimamishwa kabisa hadi mwaka wa pili wa utawala wa Dario mfalme wa Uajemi.
