Ezira 4
1 Vavengi veJudha neBhenjamini vakati vanzwa kuti vatapwa vakanga vachivaka temberi yaJehovha, Mwari weIsraeri,
The enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a Temple to the Lord, the God of Israel.
2 vakauya kuna Zerubhabheri nokuvakuru vedzimba vakati, “Titenderei kuti tikubatsirei kuvaka nokuti tinotsvaka Mwari wenyu, sezvamunoitawo, uye tinomubayira kubva pamazuva aEsarihadhoni mambo weAsiria, akatisvitsa pano.”
They came to Zerubbabel and the family leaders and said, “Please let us help you with the building work, for we worship your God like you do. In fact we have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”
3 Asi Zerubhabheri, Jeshua navamwe vose vakuru vedzimba dzeIsraeri vakapindura vakati, “Hamuna mugove nesu mukuvaka temberi yaMwari wedu. Isu pachedu ndisu tichaivakira Jehovha, Mwari waIsraeri, sezvatakarayirwa naMambo Sirasi, mambo wePezhia.”
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the family leaders of Israel replied, “You can't share with us in building a Temple for our God. Only we can build it for the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what Cyrus the king of Persia has ordered us to do.”
4 Ipapo marudzi akanga akavakomberedza akauya kuzoodza mwoyo yavanhu veJudha uye nokuvaita kuti vatye kuramba vachivaka.
Then the local people set out to intimidate the people of Judah and make them too scared to go on building.
5 Vakapa mari vapi vamazano kuti vavapikise uye vavakanganise paurongwa hwavo panguva yose yokutonga kwaSirasi mambo wePezhia uye kusvikira pakutonga kwaDhariasi mambo wePezhia.
They bribed officials to oppose them and to obstruct their plans. This continued during the whole reign of Cyrus king of Persia up until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6 Pakutanga kwokubata ushe kwaZekisesi vakapomera mhosva kuvanhu veJudha neveJerusarema.
When Ahasuerus became king the local people sent him a written accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 Uye napamazuva aAtazekisesi mambo wePezhia, Bhishirami, Mitiredhati, Tabheeri navamwe vake vose vakanyora tsamba kuna Atazekisesi. Tsamba yacho yakanga yakanyorwa namavara echiAramu uye nomutauro wechiAramu.
During the time of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their fellow officers wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated from Aramaic.
8 Rehumi muchinda mukuru naShimishai munyori vakanyora tsamba kuna mambo Atazekisesi vachipomera Jerusarema vachiti:
Rehum the officer in command and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes condemning Jerusalem stating,
9 Rehumi muchinda mukuru naShimishai munyori, pamwe chete navamwe vavo vose, vatongi namakurukota vanotungamirira vanhu veTiriporisi, nevePezhia, neveEreki neBhabhironi, navaEramu veSusa,
This comes from Rehum the officer in command, Shimshai the scribe, and fellow officers: the judges and officials and those in charge of Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,
10 uye navamwe vanhu avo vakadzingwa naAshuribhanipari mukuru uye anokudzwa, uye vakandogara muguta reSamaria nokune dzimwe nzvimbo dziri mhiri kwaYufuratesi.
and the rest of the people whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria and other places west of the Euphrates.
11 Aya ndiwo mashoko etsamba yavakatumira kwaari: Kuna Mambo Atazekisesi, Kubva kuvaranda venyu, varume vagere mhiri kwaYufuratesi:
The following is a copy of the letter they sent to him. To King Artaxerxes, from your servants, men beyond the River Euphrates:
12 Mambo ngaazvizive kuti vaJudha vakabva kwenyu vakauya kwatiri kuno vakaenda kuJerusarema uye vava kuvakazve guta riya rokumukira uye rakaipa. Vari kuvakazve masvingo aro uye vari kugadziridza nheyo dzayo.
Your Majesty should be informed that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city, completing repairs to the walls, and mending its foundations.
13 Pamusoro pezvo, mambo ngaazive kuti kana guta iri rikavakwa uye masvingo aro akavakwazve, hakuchazova nemhando dzose dzemitero, mutero womunhu mumwe nomumwe, kana mutero wokumuganhu kwenyika, uye mari inoripwa kuna mambo ichava shoma.
Your Majesty should realize that if this city is rebuilt and its walls repaired, they will not pay tax, tribute, or fees, and the king's revenue will suffer.
14 Zvino isu zvatinokudza imba yamambo, taona zvisina kufanira kuona mambo achininipiswa, naizvozvo tatumira mashoko aya kuti tizivise mambo,
Now because we are in the king's service and it is not right for us to see Your Majesty disrespected, we are sending this letter so that you can be informed,
15 kuitira kuti kutsvagisiswe mumabhuku enhoroondo avakakutangirai. Mumabhuku aya muchaona kuti guta iri iguta rinomukira, rinotambudza madzimambo namatunhu, inzvimbo inomukira kubva kare. Ndokusaka guta iri rakaparadzwa.
and order a search of the royal archives. You will discover in these records that this is a rebellious city, damaging to kings and countries, having often risen up in revolt in the past. That is what led to this city being destroyed.
16 Tinozivisa mambo kuti kana guta iri rikavakwa uye masvingo aro akamiswazve, muchasara musina chinhu mhiri kwaYufuratesi.
We wish to inform Your Majesty that if this city is rebuilt and the walls completed, you will lose this province west of the Euphrates.
17 Mambo akatumira mhinduro iyi: Kuna Rehumi muchinda mukuru, naShimishai munyori navamwe vavo vose vagere muSamaria uye navagere mune dzimwe nzvimbo mhiri kwaYufuratesi: Kwaziwai.
The king replied as follows: “To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and fellow officers living in Samaria and in other areas west of the Euphrates: Greetings.
18 Tsamba yamakatitumira yakaverengwa uye ikadudzirwa pamberi pangu.
The letter you sent to us has been translated and read to me.
19 Ndakarayira uye zvikatsvakwa, zvikaonekwa kuti guta iri rine nhoroondo yokumukira madzimambo kubva kare uye raiva nzvimbo yokumukira madzimambo nokurangana zvakaipa.
I ordered a search to be conducted. It was discovered that this city has often risen up in revolt against kings in the past, frequently promoting insurrection and rebellion.
20 Jerusarema rakanga rine madzimambo ane simba akanga achitonga nzvimbo yose iri mhiri kwaYufuratesi, uye mitero, nemhando dzose dzemitero, mutero womunhu mumwe nomumwe, kana mutero wokumuganhu kwenyika, yairipirwa kwavari.
Powerful kings have ruled over Jerusalem and throughout the whole area west of the Euphrates, and they received tax, tribute, and fees.
21 Zvino rayirai vanhu ava kuti varege basa, kuti guta iri rirege kuvakwa, kusvikira ini ndazorayira kuti zviitwe.
Issue an immediate order for these men to stop work. This city is not to be rebuilt until I authorize it.
22 Chenjererai kuti musarega nyaya iyi. Mungaregereiko chakaipa ichi chichikura, kuti chigokanganisa zvido zvamambo?
See that you do not neglect this matter. Why should this problem be allowed to grow and damage royal interests?”
23 Pakangoverengwa tsamba yaMambo Atazekisesi kuna Rehumi naShimishai munyori navamwe vavo, vakabva vaenda pakarepo kuvaJudha vaiva muJerusarema vakavamanikidza nechisimba kuti varege kuvaka.
As soon as this letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their fellow officers, they rushed to the Jews in Jerusalem and used their power to forcibly make them stop work.
24 Nokudaro basa reimba yaMwari rakamira kuitwa muJerusarema kusvikira gore rechipiri rokutonga kwaDhariasi mambo wePezhia.
Consequently work on God's Temple in Jerusalem came to a halt. The stoppage continued until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.
