Ezra 4

1 Adui za Yuda na Benyamini waliposikia kwamba watu waliorudi kutoka uhamishoni wanajenga Hekalu kwa ajili ya Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli,

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple unto the LORD, the God of Israel;

2 wakamjia Zerubabeli na viongozi wa jamaa, nao wakasema, “Turuhusuni tuwasaidie kujenga, kwa sababu sisi tunamtafuta Mungu wenu kama ninyi na tumekuwa tukimtolea dhabihu tangu wakati wa Esar-Hadoni mfalme wa Ashuru, aliyetuleta hapa.”

then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers' houses, and said unto them: 'Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up hither.'

3 Lakini Zerubabeli, Yeshua na viongozi wengine wa jamaa ya Israeli wakawajibu, “Ninyi hamna sehemu nasi katika kujenga Hekalu la Mungu wetu. Sisi peke yetu tutajenga Hekalu kwa ajili ya Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, kama Mfalme Koreshi, mfalme wa Uajemi alivyotuagiza.”

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses of Israel, said unto them: 'Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.'

4 Ndipo watu waliowazunguka wakajipanga kuwakatisha tamaa watu wa Yuda na kuwafanya waogope walipokuwa wakiendelea na ujenzi.

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and harried them while they were building,

5 Wakaajiri washauri kuwapinga katika kazi yao, nao wakaipinga mipango yao wakati wote wa utawala wa Koreshi mfalme wa Uajemi hadi wakati wa utawala wa Dario mfalme wa Uajemi.

and hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

6 Mnamo mwanzo wa utawala wa Ahasuero, hao adui waliandika mashtaka dhidi ya watu wa Yuda na Yerusalemu.

And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 Pia katika siku za utawala wa Artashasta mfalme wa Uajemi, Bishlamu, Mithredathi, Tabeeli pamoja na wenzao waliandika barua kwa Artashasta. Barua hiyo iliandikwa kwa mwandiko wa Kiaramu na katika lugha ya Kiaramu.

And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Aramaic character, and set forth in the Aramaic tongue.

8 Rehumu afisa msimamizi na mwandishi Shimshai waliandika barua kwa Mfalme Artashasta dhidi ya watu wa Yerusalemu kama ifuatavyo:

Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort —

9 Rehumu afisa msimamizi na mwandishi Shimshai, pamoja na wenzao, yaani mahakimu na maafisa walio juu ya watu kuanzia Tripoli, Uajemi, Ereki na Babeli, Waelami wa Shushani,

then wrote Rehum the commander, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinites, and the Apharesattechites, the Tarpelites, the Apharesites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehites, the Elamites,

10 na watu wengine ambao mheshimiwa Asur-Banipali aliwahamisha na kuwakalisha katika mji wa Samaria na mahali pengine Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati.

and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asenappar brought over, and set in the city of Samaria, and the rest that are in the country beyond the River: — 'And now —

11 (Hii ndiyo nakala ya barua waliyompelekea.) Kwa Mfalme Artashasta, Kutoka kwa watumishi wako, watu wa Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati:

this is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king — thy servants the men beyond the River — and now

12 Yapasa Mfalme ajue kuwa Wayahudi waliopanda kuja kwetu kutoka kwenu, wamekwenda Yerusalemu nao wanaujenga upya ule mji wa uasi na uovu. Wanajenga kuta upya na kukarabati misingi yake.

be it known unto the king, that the Jews that came up from thee are come to us unto Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and have finished the walls, and are digging out the foundations.

13 Zaidi ya hayo, mfalme yampasa ajue kwamba kama mji huu ukijengwa na kuta zake zikafanywa upya, hakutakuwa na ulipaji wa kodi wala ada au ushuru, hivyo hazina za mfalme zitaathirika.

Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, impost, or toll, and so thou wilt endamage the revenue of the kings.

14 Sisi sasa kwa kuwa tunawajibika kwa jumba la kifalme na kwamba siyo sawasawa kwetu kuona mfalme akidharauliwa, basi tunatuma ujumbe huu kumtaarifu mfalme,

Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and announced to the king,

15 ili kwamba ufanyike uchunguzi kwenye kumbukumbu ya maandishi ya waliokutangulia. Katika kumbukumbu hizi utagundua kwamba mji huu ni wa maasi, unaowataabisha wafalme na majimbo, ni mahali pa maasi tangu zamani. Ndiyo maana mji huu uliharibiwa.

that search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers; so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time; for which cause was this city laid waste.

16 Tunamjulisha mfalme kwamba kama mji huu ukijengwa na kuta zake zikifanywa upya, hutabakiwa na chochote Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati.

We announce to the king that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, by this means thou shalt have no portion beyond the River.'

17 Mfalme alirudisha jibu hili: Kwa Rehumu, afisa msimamizi, mwandishi Shimshai na wenzenu wote wanaoishi katika Samaria na penginepo Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati: Salamu.

Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the commander, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the River: 'Peace, and now

18 Barua mliyotutumia imesomwa na kutafsiriwa mbele yangu.

the letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.

19 Nilitoa amri na uchunguzi ukafanyika na imegundulika kwamba mji huu una historia ndefu ya maasi dhidi ya wafalme na pamekuwa mahali pa maasi na uchochezi.

And I decreed, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.

20 Yerusalemu umepata kuwa na wafalme wenye nguvu wakitawala nchi yote iliyo Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati, wakitoza kodi, ada na ushuru huko.

There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, impost, and toll, was paid unto them.

21 Kwa hiyo toeni amri kwa watu hawa wasimamishe ujenzi, ili kwamba mji huu usiendelee kujengwa hadi nitakapoagiza.

Make ye now a decree to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until a decree shall be made by me.

22 Mwe waangalifu msipuuze jambo hili. Kwa nini kuruhusu tishio hili kuendelea na kusababisha hasara kwa ufalme?

And take heed that ye be not slack herein; why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?'

23 Mara waliposomewa nakala ya barua ya Mfalme Artashasta, Rehumu na Shimshai aliyekuwa mwandishi na wenzao, walikwenda mara moja kwa Wayahudi huko Yerusalemu na kuwalazimisha kwa nguvu kusimamisha ujenzi.

Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

24 Hivyo kazi ya ujenzi wa nyumba ya Mungu huko Yerusalemu ikasimamishwa kabisa hadi mwaka wa pili wa utawala wa Dario mfalme wa Uajemi.

Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.