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 the people of [the tribes of] Judah and Benjamin heard that the [Israeli] people who had returned from Babylonia were rebuilding a temple for Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli people [worshiped].
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.
So they went to Zerubbabel [the governor] and the other leaders, and said [deceptively], “We want to help [you build the temple], because we worship that same God whom you worship, and we have been offering sacrifices to him since Esarhaddon, the King of Assyria, 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 other [Israeli] leaders replied, “We will not allow you to help us build a temple for our(exc) God. We will build it (ourselves/without your help) for Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis worship, like Cyrus, the King of Persia, told 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 people who had been living in that land [before the Israelis returned] tried to cause the Jews to become discouraged and become afraid, and to cause them to stop building the temple.
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 government officials to oppose what the Israelis were doing [and prevent them from continuing to work on the temple]. They did that all during the time that Cyrus was King of Persia. They continued to do it when Darius became the King of Persia.
6 Kaka na ebandeli ya bokonzi ya Kizerisesi, batindelaki ye mokanda mpo na kofunda bato ya Yuda mpe ya Yelusalemi.
During the first year that [Darius’ son] Xerxes was king, the [enemies of the Jews] wrote a note [to the king] saying that the Jews [were planning to rebel against the government].
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.
Later, when [Xerxes’ son] Artaxerxes [became the King of Persia], Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and their colleagues/companions wrote a letter to him. They wrote the letter in the Aramaic language, and it was translated [into another language that the king knew].
8 Moyangeli Rewumi mpe Shimishayi, mokomi mikanda na ye, bakomelaki mokonzi Aritakizerisesi mokanda oyo na tina na Yelusalemi:
Rehum, the high commissioner, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, wrote the letter to King Artaxerxes concerning what was happening in Jerusalem.
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,
They stated that the letter was from Rehum the high commissioner/governor and Shimshai the provincial secretary and from their associates, the judges, and other government officials, who were from Erech [city], Babylon [city], and Susa [city] in Elam [district].
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. »
[They also wrote that they represented] the other people-groups whom [the army of] the great and glorious/famous [King] Ashurbanipal had (deported/forced to move from their homes) and taken to live in Samaria and in other cities in the province west of the Euphrates [River].
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.
This is what they wrote in the letter: “To King Artaxerxes, From the officials who serve you who live in the province west of the Euphrates [River.]
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, we want you to know that the Jews who came here from your territories are rebuilding this city, [Jerusalem]. These people are wicked and want to rebel against you. Now they are repairing the foundations [of the walls/buildings] and building the walls [of the city].
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.
“It is important for you to know that if they rebuild the city and finish building the walls, they will stop paying any kind of taxes. As a result, there will be less money in your treasury.
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 loyal to [IDM] you, and because we do not want you to be humiliated [IDM], we are sending this information to you.
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, we suggest that you order/tell [your officials] to search the records that your ancestors made/wrote. [If you do that], you will find out that the people in this city have always rebelled [against the government]. You will also find out that from long ago these people have caused trouble for kings and for rulers of provinces. They have always revolted [against those who ruled them]. That is the reason that this city was destroyed [by the Babylonian army].
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 want you to know that if they rebuild this city and finish building its walls, you will no longer be able to control/rule [the people in] this province west of the Euphrates [River].”
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.
[After] the king [read this letter, he] sent this reply to them: “To Rehum, the high commissioner, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, and their colleagues in Samaria and in other parts of the province that is west of the [Euphrates] River: I (send you my greetings/wish that things will go well for you).
18 Batangaki mpe babongolaki na miso na ngai mokanda oyo botindelaki biso.
The letter that you sent to me was 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.
So then I ordered [my officials] to search the records. I have found out that [it is true that] the people of that city have always revolted against their rulers, and that the city is full of people who have rebelled and caused trouble.
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 in Jerusalem, and they have also ruled over the whole province west of the [Euphrates] River. [The people in that province were] paying all kinds of taxes to those kings.
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.
So you must command that the people must stop rebuilding the city. Only if I tell them [that they may rebuild it] will they be allowed to continue.
22 Bosala keba ete bozwa likambo oyo na pete te. Mpo na nini kotika nzela ete mobulu oyo ekola mpe ekitisa bomengo ya mokonzi? »
Do this immediately [LIT], because I do not want those people to do anything to harm the things/area about which I am concerned.”
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.
[Messengers took] that letter to Rehum and Shimshai and their colleagues and read it to them. Then Rehum and the others went quickly to Jerusalem, and they forced the Jews to stop [rebuilding the city wall].
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.
The result was that the Jews stopped rebuilding the temple. They did not do any more work to rebuild the temple until Darius became the King of Persia.
