Nekkemiya 4
1 Awo Sanubalaati olwawulira nga tuddaabiriza bbugwe, n’anyiiga nnyo era n’ajjula obuswandi. N’aduulira Abayudaaya
When Sanballat found out that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious—really mad! He made fun of the Jews
2 mu maaso ga mikwano gye ne mu maaso g’eggye ly’e Samaliya n’ayogera nti, “Bano Abayudaaya abanafu bali ku ki? Balizzaawo bbugwe waabwe? Baliwaayo ssaddaaka? Balimalira mu lunaku lumu? Bayinza okulamusa amayinja okuva mu ntuumu z’ebisaaniiko, ate ebyayokebwa?”
in front of his colleagues and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these useless Jews trying to achieve? Do they think they can rebuild the wall? Are they going to offer sacrifices? Are they going to finish it in a day? Do they think they can re-use stones from piles of rubble and dirt, especially since they've all been burned?”
3 Tobiya Omwamoni yali amuyimiridde kumpi, n’ayogera nti, “Ebyo bye bazimba, singa ekibe kinaalinnyako kinaasuula bbugwe waabwe ow’amayinja!”
Tobiah the Ammonite, standing beside him, commented, “Even a fox walking on what they're building would knock down their wall of stones!”
4 Ne nsaba Katonda nti, “Otuwulire Ayi Katonda waffe kubanga tunyoomebwa. Ebivumo byabwe bizze ku mitwe gyabwe bo, era baweeyo eri okunyagibwa mu nsi eribafuula abasibe.
I prayed, “Lord, please listen to us, because we are being treated with contempt. Rain down their insults on their own heads! Let them be taken away like plunder, prisoners in a foreign land!
5 Oleme okubikka ku musango gwabwe newaakubadde ekibi kyabwe okukisangula mu maaso go kubanga bakusunguwazizza mu maaso g’abazimbi.”
Don't forgive their guilt or blot out their sins, for they have made you angry in front of the builders.”
6 Awo ne tweyongerayo n’okuzimba bbugwe okutuuka wakati w’obugulumivu bwayo, kubanga abantu baakolanga n’obumalirivu.
So we rebuilt the wall until it was all connected, reaching half its height, because the people were keen to work.
7 Naye Sanubalaati, ne Tobiya, n’Abawalabu, n’Abamoni, n’Abasudodi bwe baawulira ng’omulimu gw’okuddaabiriza bbugwe wa Yerusaalemi gugenda mu maaso, nga tutandise n’okuziba ebituli, ne banyiiga nnyo.
When Sanballat and Tobiah, and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being filled in, they were furious.
8 Bonna ne beegatta wamu ne basala olukwe okulwanyisa Yerusaalemi n’okugitabulatabula.
They all plotted together to come and attack Jerusalem and to throw everything into confusion.
9 Ne tusaba eri Katonda waffe, ne tuteekawo n’abakuumi abaakuumanga emisana n’ekiro.
So we prayed to our God, and we had guards ready to defend against them day and night.
10 Mu kiseera kyekimu abantu b’e Yuda ne boogera nti, “Abakozi bagenda baggwaamu amaanyi, ate nga wakyaliwo ebifunfugu bingi nnyo, tetuyinza kuddaabiriza bbugwe.”
Then people of Judah started grumbling, saying, “The workmen are exhausted. There's just too much rubble to clear. We'll never be able to finish the wall.”
11 N’abalabe baffe ne boogera nti, “Baliba tebanamanya newaakubadde okukiraba, tulibagwako kiyiifuyiifu, era tulibatta ne tukomya omulimu.”
Our enemies were saying to themselves, “Before they know it, before they're aware of anything, we'll appear right in among them, kill them, and put a stop to what they're doing.”
12 Awo Abayudaaya abaali babeera okumpi nabo ne bajja ne batulabula emirundi kkumi, nga boogera nti, “Balitulumba enjuuyi zonna.”
The Jews who lived close by came and told us over and over again, “They're going to attack us from all directions!”
13 Kyennava nteeka abamu ku bantu mu njuyi eza wansi eza bbugwe awali amabanga, nga balina ebitala, n’amafumu n’emitego n’obusaale.
So I positioned defenders behind the lowest, most vulnerable sections, of the wall. I had them take their positions by families, armed with their swords, spears, and bows.
14 Bwe namala okulaba embeera bwe yali, ne ngolokoka ne ŋŋamba abakungu, n’abakulu, n’abantu abalala nti, “Temubatya. Mujjukire Mukama, omukulu era ow’entiisa, mulwanirire baganda bammwe, ne batabani bammwe, ne bawala bammwe, ne bakyala bammwe n’amaka gammwe.”
After inspecting our defenses, I stood up and addressed the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, saying, “Don't be afraid of them! Remember the Lord, who is powerful and formidable! Fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes!”
15 Awo abalabe baffe bwe baawulira nga tutegedde olukwe lwabwe, nga Katonda alemesezza enteekateeka yaabwe, ffenna ne tuddayo ku bbugwe, buli muntu ku mulimu gwe.
When our enemies discovered that we knew about their plan, and that God had foiled it, we all went back to our work on the wall.
16 Okuva ku lunaku olwo, ekitundu ku basajja bange bazimbanga n’ekitundu ekirala nga bakutte amafumu, n’engabo, n’obusaale n’ebyokulwanyisa ebirala. Abakulembeze bonna ne bawagira abantu bonna aba Yuda abaali bazimba bbugwe.
From then on, half of my men were doing the work while the other half were ready to fight, holding their spears, shields, bows, and armor. The leaders stood behind all the people of Judah
17 Abeetikkanga, baasitulanga n’omukono gumu eby’okuzimbisa n’omulala ne gukwata ekyokulwanyisa,
who were building the wall. Those carrying materials worked with one hand, holding a weapon in the other.
18 na buli muzimbi yalina ekitala mu kiwato kye ng’akola. Naye omusajja eyafuwanga ekkondeere yambeeranga kumpi.
All the builders carried a sword strapped to their side, and the trumpeter stood beside me.
19 Ne ŋŋamba abakungu n’abakulu n’abantu abalala nti, “Omulimu munene ate mugazi, ate twesudde amabanga ku bbugwe, buli muntu ali wala ne munne.
Then I told the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “We have a lot to do everywhere, so we're very spread out along the wall.
20 Buli kifo gye munaawuliriranga eddoboozi ly’ekkondeere nga mujja okutudduukirira. Katonda waffe alitulwanirira.”
Wherever you are and you hear the sound of the trumpet, run to join us there. Our God will fight for us!”
21 Ne tweyongerayo n’omulimu, ekitundu ekimu ne kikwatanga amafumu obudde we bwakereranga okutuusa emmunyeenye lwe zaalabikanga.
We went on working, with half of the men holding spears from dawn until the stars came out.
22 Mu biro ebyo, ne nnyongera okutegeeza abantu nti, “Buli muntu n’oyo amubeera, basigalenga mu Yerusaalemi ekiro, bakuumenga ekiro, naye emisana babe nga bakola.”
I also told the people, “Everyone including servants must spend the night inside Jerusalem, so they can be on guard duty at night and work during the day.”
23 Tewaali n’omu ku ffe newaakubadde nze newaakubadde baganda bange newaakubadde abasajja bange wadde abakuumi, eyayambulangamu engoye; buli omu yalina ekyokulwanyisa kye, ne bwe yagendanga ku luzzi.
During that time none of us changed our clothes—not me or my brothers or my men or the guards with me. Everyone carried their weapons at all times, even to go for water.
