Izraa 7
1 Wantoota kanneen booddee bara Arxeksis mooticha Faares keessa Izraan ilmi Seraayaa, ilmi Azaariyaa ilmi Hilqiyaa,
[Many/Fifty years] later, while Artaxerxes was the king of Persia, I, Ezra came from Babylon here to Jerusalem. I am the son of Seraiah and the grandson of Azariah, and the great-grandson of Hilkiah.
2 ilmi Shaluum, ilmi Zaadoq, ilmi Ahiixuub,
Hilkiah was the son of Shallum, who was the son of Zadok, who was the son of Ahitub,
3 ilmi Amariyaa, ilmi Azaariyaa, ilmi Meraayoot,
who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth,
4 ilmi Zeraayaa, ilmi Uzii, ilmi Bukii,
who was the son of Zerahiah, who was the son of Uzzi, who was the son of Bukki,
5 ilmi Abiishuuwaa, ilmi Fiinehaas, ilmi Eleʼaazaar, ilmi Aroon lubicha ol aanaa
who was the son of Abishua, who was the son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eleazar, who was the son of Aaron, the [first] Supreme Priest.
6 Izraan kun Baabilonii dhufe. Innis barsiisaa Seera Musee kan Waaqayyo Waaqni Israaʼel kenne sana sirriitti beekuu dha. Sababii harki Waaqayyo Waaqa isaa isa irra tureef mootichi waan inni kadhate hunda ni kenneef.
I am a man who knows very well the laws that Moses [wrote]. Those were the laws that Yahweh, the God whom we Israeli people ([worship/belong to]), had given to us Israeli people. When I arrived in Jerusalem, Yahweh my God was kind to me, and as a result the [people] gave me everything that I had requested the king to [tell them to] give to me.
7 Akkasumas waggaa torbaffaa bara Arxeksis Mootichaa keessa Israaʼeloonni tokko tokko jechuunis luboonni, Lewwonni, faarfattoonni, eegdonni karraa fi tajaajiltoonni mana qulqullummaa gara Yerusaalemitti ol baʼan.
Some of the priests, some [other] descendants of Levi, [some] singers, [some] (gatekeepers/men who guarded the gates of the temple), and [some] men who worked in the temple, and some other [Israeli] people came up with me here to Jerusalem. That was during the seventh year that Artaxerxes was the king [of Persia].
8 Izraanis waggaa torbaffaa bara mootii sanaa keessa jiʼa shanaffaatti Yerusaalem gaʼe.
We left Babylon on April 8, which was the first day of the Jewish year. Because God was very kind to us, we arrived [safely] in Jerusalem on August 4 of that year.
9 Innis bultii tokkoffaa jiʼa jalqabaatti karaa isaa Baabilonii jalqabee bultii tokkoffaa jiʼa shanaffaatti Yerusaalem gaʼe; harki Waaqa isaa tolaan sun isa irra tureetii.
10 Izraan Seera Waaqayyoo quʼachuu fi eeguudhaaf akkasumas labsii fi ajaja seerichaa Israaʼel keessatti barsiisuudhaaf of kennee tureetii.
During my entire life, I devoted myself to studying the laws of Yahweh, and how to obey those laws. I had also taught those laws and all their regulations to the Israeli people [for many years].
11 Kun garagalcha xalayaa Arxeksis Mootichi Izraa lubichaa fi barsiisaa, namicha waaʼee ajajaa fi labsiiwwan Waaqayyo Israaʼeliif kenne sanaa baratetti ergee ti:
King Artaxerxes [knew that] I am a priest who knows the Jewish laws very well. [He knew that for many years] I had studied those laws and had taught all the rules and regulations of those laws to the Israeli people. [So before I left Babylon to come to Jerusalem, ] he wrote a letter, and gave a copy to me. [This is what he wrote]:
12 Arxeksis mootii moototaa irraa; Gara Izraa lubicha, barsiisaa Seera Waaqa samiitti: Nagaan siif haa taʼu.
[“This letter is] from me, Artaxerxes, the greatest of the kings. [I am giving it] to Ezra the priest, who has studied very well all the rules and regulations that the God [who is/rules] in heaven [gave to the Israeli people].
13 Ani amma akka namni Israaʼel kan mootummaa koo keessa jiraatu kam iyyuu luboonnii fi Lewwonni illee abbaan si wajjin Yerusaalem dhaquu barbaadu dhaquu dandaʼu labseera.
“Ezra, I command that when you return to Jerusalem, any of the Israeli people in my kingdom who want to are allowed to go with you. That includes any priests and [other] descendants of Levi [who will work in the temple] who want to go.
14 Ati akka akkuma Seera Waaqa keetii kan harka kee jiru sanaatti waaʼee Yihuudaa fi Yerusaalem qorattuuf mootichaa fi gorsitoota isaa torbaan ergamteerta.
I, along with my seven counselors/advisors, am sending you to Jerusalem, in order that you can determine what is happening there and in [other towns in] Judah. You are taking with you [MTY] a copy of God’s laws; make sure that the people are doing everything that is written in those laws.
15 Kana irrattis meetii fi warqee mootichii fi gorsitoonni isaa Waaqa Israaʼel kan Yerusaalem keessa jiraatuuf toluma kennan sana fuudhii deemi;
[We are also saying that] you should take with you the silver and gold that I and my advisors are wanting to give to you, in order that you will present it to be an offering to the God who [rules] the Israeli people and who lives in Jerusalem.
16 waan kanas meetii fi warqee kutaa biyya Baabiloniitii walitti qabde hundaa fi kennaa sabnii fi luboonni mana qulqullummaa Waaqa isaanii kan Yerusaalem keessaaf fedhiidhaan kennan wajjin fuudhii dhaqi.
You should also take any silver and gold that the people in the entire Babylonia province give to you, and the money that the priests and [other] Israeli people have happily said that they would give to you to be offerings for building the temple of their God in Jerusalem.
17 Maallaqa kanaanis jiboota, korbeeyyii hoolaa fi xobbaallaa hoolaa, kennaa midhaanii fi dhibaayyuu isaanii wajjin bitaatii iddoo aarsaa mana qulqullummaa Waaqa keessanii kan Yerusaalem sana irratti dhiʼeessaa.
With this money, you should buy the bulls, rams, lambs, and the grain and wine that the priests will burn on the altar [outside] the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
18 Ergasii atii fi obboloonni kee Yihuudoonni meetii fi warqee hafe akkuma fedhii Waaqa keessaniitti waanuma gaarii isinitti fakkaate irra oolchaa.
“If there is any silver or gold that remains [you have bought all those things], you and your companions/colleagues are permitted to use it to [buy] whatever you desire, but buy only things that [you know that] God wants you to buy.
19 Miʼa waaqeffannaa mana qulqullummaa Waaqa keetii keessaaf imaanaa sitti kenname hunda Waaqa Yerusaalem duratti dhiʼeessi.
We have given to you some valuable items to be used in the temple of your God. Take them also to Jerusalem.
20 Waan mana qulqullummaa Waaqa keetiif barbaadamu kan kennuu feetu hunda mankuusa mootii keessaa fuudhii kenni.
If you need any other things for the temple, you are permitted to get the money for those things from the building here where my government’s money is kept/stored.
21 Egaa ani Arxeksis Mootichi akka qabdoonni maallaqaa kanneen Gama Laga Efraaxiis jiran waan Izraan lubichi, barsiisaan Seera Waaqa samii kun isin gaafatu hunda arjummaadhaan isaaf kennan ajajeera;
“And I, King Artaxerxes, command this to all the treasurers in the province west of the [Euphrates] River: 'Give to Ezra, the priest who has studied very well the laws of the God [who is/rules] in heaven, everything that he requests, and give it to him quickly.
22 kunis hamma meetii taalaantii dhibba tokko, qamadii qoroosii dhibba tokko, daadhii wayinii baadoosii dhibba tokko, zayitii ejersaa baadoosii dhibba tokkoo fi soogidda hamma hin qabne haa taʼu.
The most that you should give to him is (7,500 pounds/3,400 kg.) of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, and 550 gallons of [olive] oil, but give to him all the salt that they need.
23 Wanni Waaqni samii ajaje kam iyyuu mana qulqullummaa Waaqa samiitiif of eeggannaadhaan haa godhamu. Maaliif dheekkamsi mootichaa fi ilmaan mootichaatti dhufa?
Be sure that you provide whatever their God requires for his temple, because we certainly do not [RHQ] want him to be angry with me or with my descendants who will later be kings.
24 Amma illee isin akka luboota, Lewwota, faarfattoota, eegdota karraa, tajaajiltoota mana qulqullummaa yookaan hojjettoota mana Waaqaa kana keessa hojjetan kamitti iyyuu gibira, qaraxaa fi ashuuraa murteessuuf aangoo hin qabne beekaa.
We are also commanding that none of the priests, descendants of Levi, musicians, temple guards, or other men who work in the temple, will be required to pay any kind of taxes.'
25 Egaa Izraa, ati akkuma ogummaa Waaqa keetii kan harka kee jiru sanaatti akka isaan warra Gama Laga Efraaxiis jiraatan bulchaniif abbootii seeraa fi abbootii murtii kanneen hundi isaanii seera Waaqa keetii beekan muudi. Nama seera Waaqaa hin beekne kam iyyuus barsiisi.
“Ezra, your God has enabled you to become very wise. Using that wisdom, appoint men in the province west of the [Euphrates] River who will judge cases involving the people, and men who will judge cases involving the government. You must appoint men who know the laws of your God. All of you must teach God’s laws to others who do not know them.
26 Namni seera Waaqa keetiitiif yookaan seera mootichaatiif hin ajajamne kam iyyuu dhugumaan ajjeechaadhaan, biyya keessaa ariʼamuudhaan, qabeenyi isaa irraa dhaalamuudhaan yookaan hidhaadhaan adabamuu qaba.
Everyone who does not obey God’s laws or the laws of my government must be punished severely. Some of them will be executed, some will be put in prison, some will be sent out of the country or have all their property taken away from them.”
27 Waaqayyo Waaqni abbootii keenyaa kan akka inni karaa kanaan mana Waaqayyoo kan Yerusaalem keessa jiruuf ulfina kennuuf garaa mootichaa keessa yaada kana kaaʼe sun haa galateeffamu;
[Because King Artaxerxes was very kind like that, I said], “Praise Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped/belonged to]! He has caused the king to want to honor the temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem.
28 Waaqa fuula mootichaa, fuula gorsitoota mootichaa fi fuula qondaaltota mootichaa ciccimoo hundaa duratti gaarummaa ofii isaa na argisiiseef galanni haa gaʼu. Sababii harki Waaqayyo Waaqa koo anarra tureef ani jajjabaadheen akka isaan na wajjin deemaniif Israaʼel keessaa namoota bebeekamoo walitti nan qabadhe.
Because God was very kind to me, the king and all his advisors and all his powerful officials have also been kind to me. So, because God has helped me, I have become encouraged, and I have [been able to] persuade some of the Israeli leaders to go up to Jerusalem with me.”
