Esidrasi 4
1 Tango banguna ya Yuda mpe ya Benjame bayokaki ete bato oyo bawutaki na bowumbu bazali kotonga Tempelo ya Yawe, Nzambe ya Isalaele,
The enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a Temple to the Lord, the God of Israel.
2 bayaki epai ya Zorobabeli mpe bakambi ya mabota; balobaki na bango: — Botika ete tosunga bino na mosala ya kotonga Tempelo oyo, pamba te biso mpe tolukaka Nzambe na bino mpe tobonzelaka Ye mbeka wuta na tango ya Esari-Adoni, mokonzi ya Asiri, oyo amemaki biso awa.
They came to Zerubbabel and the family leaders and said, “Please let us help you with the building work, for we worship your God like you do. In fact we have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”
3 Kasi Zorobabeli, Jozue mpe bakambi mosusu ya mabota ya Isalaele bazongisaki: — Bokotonga te elongo na biso Tempelo ya Yawe, Nzambe na biso; tokotonga yango biso moko mpo na Yawe, Nzambe ya Isalaele, kolanda mitindo ya Sirisi, mokonzi ya Persi.
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the family leaders of Israel replied, “You can't share with us in building a Temple for our God. Only we can build it for the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what Cyrus the king of Persia has ordered us to do.”
4 Bato ya bikolo oyo ezalaki elongo na bango kati na mboka balembisaki bato ya Yuda nzoto mpe babangisaki bango mpo ete bakoba lisusu te kotonga;
Then the local people set out to intimidate the people of Judah and make them too scared to go on building.
5 bapesaki bapesi toli kanyaka mpo ete batelemela mpe babebisa mabongisi na bango na nzela ya batoli ya mabe, na mikolo nyonso ya Sirisi kino na oyo ya Dariusi, bango mibale bakonzi ya Persi.
They bribed officials to oppose them and to obstruct their plans. This continued during the whole reign of Cyrus king of Persia up until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6 Kaka na ebandeli ya bokonzi ya Kizerisesi, batindelaki ye mokanda mpo na kofunda bato ya Yuda mpe ya Yelusalemi.
When Ahasuerus became king the local people sent him a written accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 Bongo na mikolo ya Aritakizerisesi lokola mokonzi ya Persi, Bishilami, Mitredati, Tabeyeli mpe baninga na bango ya mosala bakomelaki Aritakizerisesi mokanda. Bakomaki yango na makomi mpe na lokota ya Arami.
During the time of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their fellow officers wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated from Aramaic.
8 Moyangeli Rewumi mpe Shimishayi, mokomi mikanda na ye, bakomelaki mokonzi Aritakizerisesi mokanda oyo na tina na Yelusalemi:
Rehum the officer in command and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes condemning Jerusalem stating,
9 « Moyangeli Rewumi mpe Shimishayi, mokomi mikanda, elongo na baninga na bango, basambisi mpe bakambi ya bato ya Dini, ya Arifarisataki, ya Taripeli, ya Afarasi, ya Ereki, ya Babiloni, ya Size, ya Deya, ya Elami,
This comes from Rehum the officer in command, Shimshai the scribe, and fellow officers: the judges and officials and those in charge of Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,
10 mpe bato ya bikolo mosusu oyo Asuribanipali, mokonzi monene mpe mokonzi ya lokumu, amemaki na bowumbu mpo na kotia bango kati na engumba Samari mpe kati na bituka nyonso ya ngambo ya weste ya ebale Efrate. »
and the rest of the people whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria and other places west of the Euphrates.
11 Tala maloba oyo batindelaki ye na mokanda: « Epai ya mokonzi Aritakizerisesi. Maloba kowuta na biso basali na yo, bato ya ngambo ya weste ya ebale Efrate.
The following is a copy of the letter they sent to him. To King Artaxerxes, from your servants, men beyond the River Euphrates:
12 Tika ete mokonzi ayeba ete Bayuda oyo bawutaki epai na yo bakomi kati na biso, na Yelusalemi; bazali kotonga engumba ya batomboki mpe ya bato ya mobulu, bazali kotonga bamir mpe kobongisa lisusu miboko.
Your Majesty should be informed that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city, completing repairs to the walls, and mending its foundations.
13 Tika ete mokonzi ayeba lisusu ete, soki engumba oyo etongami lisusu mpe babongisi bamir na yango, bakofuta lisusu te mpako ya mokonzi, mpako ya mabele mpe mpako ya nzela; na bongo, bomengo ya mokonzi ekokita.
Your Majesty should realize that if this city is rebuilt and its walls repaired, they will not pay tax, tribute, or fees, and the king's revenue will suffer.
14 Sik’oyo, lokola tozwi libaku ya kosala epai ya mokonzi mpe lokola ezali malamu te mpo na biso komona lokumu ya mokonzi kobebisama, totindi sango oyo mpo na kotalisa makambo oyo epai ya mokonzi
Now because we are in the king's service and it is not right for us to see Your Majesty disrespected, we are sending this letter so that you can be informed,
15 mpo ete baluka kati na babuku ya bakonzi oyo bazalaki liboso na yo mpo na kososola malamu. Okomona solo kati na babuku yango ete engumba oyo ezali engumba ya batomboki, etungisaka bakonzi mpe bituka. Mpe lisusu, wuta kala, ezali esika ya batomboki. Yango wana engumba oyo ebebisamaki.
and order a search of the royal archives. You will discover in these records that this is a rebellious city, damaging to kings and countries, having often risen up in revolt in the past. That is what led to this city being destroyed.
16 Tozali koyebisa mokonzi ete soki batongi lisusu engumba oyo mpe babongisi bamir na yango, okotikala lisusu na eloko moko te na ngambo ya weste ya ebale Efrate. »
We wish to inform Your Majesty that if this city is rebuilt and the walls completed, you will lose this province west of the Euphrates.
17 Mokonzi azongisaki eyano oyo: « Epai ya moyangeli Rewumi; Shimishayi, mokomi mikanda na ye, mpe baninga na bango mosusu ya mosala oyo bavandaka na Samari mpe kati na bituka nyonso na ngambo ya weste ya ebale Efrate: Napesi bino mbote.
The king replied as follows: “To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and fellow officers living in Samaria and in other areas west of the Euphrates: Greetings.
18 Batangaki mpe babongolaki na miso na ngai mokanda oyo botindelaki biso.
The letter you sent to us has been translated and read to me.
19 Napesaki mitindo mpo ete baluka koyeba mpe kososola bosolo. Boye emonani solo ete, wuta na kala, engumba oyo etombokelaka kaka bakonzi mpe etindaka bato na botomboki mpe na mobulu.
I ordered a search to be conducted. It was discovered that this city has often risen up in revolt against kings in the past, frequently promoting insurrection and rebellion.
20 Na Yelusalemi, ezalaki na bakonzi ya nguya oyo bazalaki kokonza etuka mobimba ya ngambo ya weste ya ebale Efrate mpe epai ya banani bazalaki kofuta mpako ya mokonzi, mpako ya mabele mpe mpako ya nzela.
Powerful kings have ruled over Jerusalem and throughout the whole area west of the Euphrates, and they received tax, tribute, and fees.
21 Boye, bopesa sik’oyo mitindo epai ya bato wana ete bakoba lisusu te kotonga mpo ete engumba wana etongama lisusu te kino tango ngai moko nakopesa mitindo.
Issue an immediate order for these men to stop work. This city is not to be rebuilt until I authorize it.
22 Bosala keba ete bozwa likambo oyo na pete te. Mpo na nini kotika nzela ete mobulu oyo ekola mpe ekitisa bomengo ya mokonzi? »
See that you do not neglect this matter. Why should this problem be allowed to grow and damage royal interests?”
23 Tango kaka batangaki mokanda ya mokonzi Aritakizerisesi liboso ya Rewumi; Shimishayi, mokomi mikanda na ye, mpe baninga na bango ya mosala bakendeki mbala moko na Yelusalemi epai ya Bayuda mpe bapekisaki bango na makasi ete bakoba lisusu te kotonga.
As soon as this letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their fellow officers, they rushed to the Jews in Jerusalem and used their power to forcibly make them stop work.
24 Wuta tango wana, misala ya Ndako ya Nzambe kati na Yelusalemi etelemaki kino na mobu ya mibale ya bokonzi ya Dariusi, mokonzi ya Persi.
Consequently work on God's Temple in Jerusalem came to a halt. The stoppage continued until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.
