U-Ezra 4
1 Kwathi izitha zakoJuda loBhenjamini sezizwile ukuthi abantwana bokuthunjwa babesakhela iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli ithempeli,
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 basebesondela kuZerubhabheli lenhlokweni zaboyise bathi kibo: Kasakhe lani, ngoba siyamdinga uNkulunkulu wenu njengani, samhlabela kusukela ensukwini zikaEsarihadoni inkosi yeAsiriya owasenyusela lapha.
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 Kodwa uZerubhabheli loJeshuwa lezinye inhloko zaboyise zakoIsrayeli bathi kibo: Kayisikho kwenu lathi ukwakhela uNkulunkulu wethu indlu, kodwa yithi sodwa esizakwakhela iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli njengokusilaya kwenkosi uKoresi inkosi yePerisiya.
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 Kwasekusithi abantu balelolizwe badondisa izandla zabantu bakoJuda, babesabisa ekwakheni.
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 Basebebaqhatshela abeluleki ukufubisa icebo labo zonke izinsuku zikaKoresi inkosi yePerisiya, kwaze kwaba sekubuseni kukaDariyusi inkosi yePerisiya.
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 Ekubuseni-ke kukaAhasuwerusi, ekuqaleni kokubusa kwakhe, babhala isimangalelo bemelene labahlali bakoJuda leJerusalema.
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 Njalo ensukwini zikaAthakisekisi oBishilamu, uMithiredathi, uTabeyeli labanye abakibo babhalela uAthakisekisi inkosi yePerisiya; lombhalo wencwadi wawubhalwe ngesiSiriya, uhunyutshwe ngesiSiriya.
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 URehuma umlawuli loShimishayi umbhali babhala incwadi bemelene leJerusalema kuAthakisekisi inkosi, ngalindlela:
Rehum, the high commissioner, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, wrote the letter to King Artaxerxes concerning what was happening in Jerusalem.
9 Khonokho uRehuma umlawuli loShimishayi umbhali labanye babangane babo, amaDinayi, amaAfarisathiki, amaTharipheli, amaAfarisi, amaArikhevi, amaBhabhiloni, amaShushaniki, amaDehavi, amaElamu,
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 lezinye izizwe uAsinaphari omkhulu lodumileyo azithumbayo wazihlalisa emzini ongoweSamariya, lezinye phetsheya komfula, lakhathesi.
[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 Le yikhophi yencwadi abayithumeza kuye, kuAthakisekisi inkosi: Izinceku, amadoda anganeno komfula, langesikhathi esinje.
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 Kakwaziwe enkosini ukuthi amaJuda enyuka evela kuwe esiza kithi asefikile eJerusalema, ayawakha lowomuzi ovukelayo lomubi, aseqedisa imiduli, avuselela izisekelo.
“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 Khathesi kakwaziwe enkosini ukuthi uba lumuzi usakhiwa lemiduli iphele, kabayikupha umthelo, imali eyimfanelo, lemali yendlela, futhi uzalimaza isikhwama samakhosi.
“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 Khathesi njengoba sisidla itswayi etswayini lesigodlo njalo kakusifanelanga ukuthi sibone ihlazo lenkosi, ngakho sithumele sayazisa inkosi;
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 ukuze kuhlolwe egwalweni lwezindaba zaboyihlo. Ngakho uzathola egwalweni lwezindaba, wazi ukuthi lumuzi ungumuzi ovukelayo, olimazayo emakhosini lemazweni, benza ukuhlamuka phakathi kwawo kwasezinsukwini zekadeni. Ngakho lumuzi wachithwa.
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 Siyayazisa inkosi ukuthi uba lumuzi usakhiwa, lemiduli yawo iphele, ngalokho kawuyikuba lesabelo nganeno komfula.
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 Inkosi yathuma impendulo kuRehuma umlawuli loShimishayi umbhali labanye babangane babo abahlala eSamariya labanye abaphetsheya komfula: Ukuthula, langesikhathi esinje.
[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 Incwadi elayithumela kithi ifundiwe ngokucacileyo phambi kwami.
The letter that you sent to me was translated and read to me.
19 Umlayo wasubekwa yimi, basebedinga bathola ukuthi kusukela ensukwini zendulo lumuzi uziphakamisele amakhosi, lomvukela lokuhlamuka kwenziwe phakathi kwawo.
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 Kwake kwaba khona amakhosi alamandla phezu kweJerusalema ayebusa phezu kwakho konke ngaphetsheya komfula; lomthelo, imali eyimfanelo, lemali yendlela kwaphiwa wona.
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 Khathesi bekani umthetho ukwenza ukuthi lababantu bayekele ukuze lumuzi ungakhiwa kuze kwenziwe umthetho yimi.
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 Njalo qaphelani ukuthi lingayekethisi ekwenzeni lokhu. Kungani ukonakala kuzakhula kukho ukulinyazwa kwamakhosi?
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 Khonokho, kusukela ikhophi yencwadi kaAthakisekisi inkosi isifundiwe phambi kwaboRehuma loShimishayi umbhali labangane babo, baya masinyane eJerusalema kumaJuda, babenza bayekela ngengalo lamandla.
[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 Khonokho wema umsebenzi wendlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema; wasusima kwaze kwaba ngumnyaka wesibili wokubusa kukaDariyusi inkosi yePerisiya.
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.
