Izraa 4
1 Diinonni Yihuudaa fi Beniyaam yeroo akka warri boojuudhaa deebiʼan sun Waaqayyo Waaqa Israaʼeliif mana qulqullummaa ijaaraa jiran dhagaʼanitti,
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 gara Zarubaabelii fi gara hangafoonni maatiiwwanii dhufanii akkana jedhaniin; “Sababii nus akkuma keessan Waaqa keessan barbaannee bara Eesarhadoon mooticha Asoor kan as nu fide sanaatii jalqabnee aarsaa dhiʼeessafii turreef nus isin wajjin haa ijaarru.”
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 Zarubaabel, Yeeshuuʼaa fi hangafoonni maatii Israaʼel kaan garuu, “Isin mana Waaqa keenyaa nu wajjin ijaaruuf qooda hin qabdan. Numa qofatu akkuma Qiiros Mootichi Faares nu ajaje sanatti Waaqayyo Waaqa Israaʼeliif mana qulqullummaa ijaara” jedhanii deebisan.
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 Namoonni naannoo isaanii akka isaan itti fufanii ijaaruu sodaataniif namoota Yihuudaa abdii kutachiisuuf kaʼan.
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 Isaanis bara Qiiros mooticha Faaresiitii jalqabee hamma bara Daariyoos mooticha Faaresitti jiru hunda kaayyoo isaanii gufachiisuudhaaf qondaaltota isaaniin morman itti bitan.
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 Isaanis jalqaba bara mootummaa Ahashweroositti saba Yihuudaa fi kan Yerusaalem himatan.
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 Bara Arxeksis mooticha Faares keessa Biishlaam, Mitredaat, Xaabiʼeelii fi michoota isaa biraa xalayaa tokko Arxeksisitti barreessan. Xalayaan sunis qubee Araamaayikii fi afaan Araamaayikiin barreeffame.
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 Rehuum ajajaan qondaaltichii fi Shiimshaayi barreessaan sun Yerusaalemiin mormuudhaan akkana jedhanii xalayaa tokko Arxeksis mootichatti barreessan:
Rehum, the high commissioner, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, wrote the letter to King Artaxerxes concerning what was happening in Jerusalem.
9 Rehuum ajajaan qondaaltichi, Shiimshaayi barreessaa fi michoota isaanii kaan wajjin jechuunis abbootii murtii fi qondaaltota namoota Tiripooliis, Faaresi, Arkii fi Baabilon dhufan, akkasumas warra Elaamota Suusaa dhufan bulchanii fi
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 namoota Osnaapher guddichii fi kabajamaan sun biyyaa baasee magaalaa Samaariyaa keessaa fi Laga Efraaxiis gama qubachiise kaan wajjin barreessan.
[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 Kun garagalcha xalayaa jarri isaaf erganii ti. Gara Arxeksis Mootichaa, tajaajiltoota kee warra Laga Efraaxiisiin Gamaa irraa:
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 Mootichi akka Yihuudoonni si biraa gara keenya dhufan sun Yerusaalem dhaqanii magaalaa finciltuu fi hamtuu sana deebisanii ijaaraa jiran beekuu qaba. Isaan dallaa dhagaa deebisanii ijaaruudhaan hundeewwan ishee jajjabeessaa jiru.
“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 Kana malee iyyuu mootichi akka yoo magaalaan kun ijaaramtee dallaan ishee jajjabeeffame akka siʼachi qaraxni, gibirri yookaan ashuuraan hin argamnee fi akka galiin mootummaas gad buʼu beekuu qaba.
“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 Nu amma waan itti gaafatamummaa masaraa mootummaa qabnuu fi waan akka mootichi ulfina dhabu arguu hin feeneef akka mootichi beekuuf jennee ergaa kana itti ergineerra;
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 kunis akka manneen galmee abbootii keetii sakattaʼamaniif. Atis galmeewwan kana keessatti akka magaalaan kun durumaa jalqabdee magaalaa finciltuu, kan moototaa fi kutaalee biyyaa rakkiftu, iddoo finciltuu taate ni argita. Wanni magaalaan kun barbadeeffamteefis kanuma.
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 Yaa mooticha, yoo magaalaan kun ijaaramee dallaan isaas jajjabeeffame, akka ati Laga Efraaxiis Gamaa waan tokko illee hin qabaanne nu sitti himna.
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 Mootichis akkana jedhee deebii kana erge: Gara Rehuum ajajaa qondaaltichaa, Shiimshaayi barreessaa fi michoota isaanii kanneen Samaariyaa keessaa fi Efraaxiisiin gama jiraatan kaaniitti: Nagaan keenya isin haa gaʼu.
[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 Xalayaan isin nuuf ergitan sun dubbifamee fuuluma koo duratti hiikameera.
The letter that you sent to me was translated and read to me.
19 Anis ajaja kennee galmeen qoratameera; magaalaan kunis akka durumaa jalqabee moototatti fincilaa turte, akka isheen holqa finciltootaa fi mormitootaa taates beekameera.
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 Yerusaalem mootota ciccimoo guutummaa Gama Laga Efraaxiis bulchan qabdi turte; qaraxni, gibirrii fi ashuuraan isaaniif kennama ture.
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 Akka magaalaan kun deebifamtee hin ijaaramne hamma ani labsii baasutti akka isaan hojii dhaabaniif isin amma namoota kanneenitti ajaja dabarsaa.
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 Akka waan kana hin tuffanneef of eeggadhaa. Maaliif hamma rakkoon kun guddatee fedhii mootummaatti gufuu taʼutti ittuma dhiiftuu?
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 Akkuma garagalchi xalayaa Arxeksis Mootichaa sun fuula Rehuum, Shiimshaayi barreessaa fi michoota isaanii duratti dubbifameen isaan yoosuma gara Yihuudoota Yerusaalem keessa jiraatanii dhaqanii humnaan hojii isaan dhaabsisan.
[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 Akkasiin hojiin mana Waaqaa kan Yerusaalem keessaa sun hamma waggaa lammaffaa bara Daariyoos mooticha Faaresitti ni dhaabatte.
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.
