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 exile were building the 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 came they near to Zerubbabel, and to the chiefs of the divisions, and said unto them, Let us build with you; for like you will we seek your God; and unto him do we sacrifice since the days of Essar-chaddon the king of Asshur, who hath 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 of the divisions of Israel, said unto them, It is not obligatory on you and on us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together must 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 did the people of the land weaken the hands of the people of Judah, and frightened them off from 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 they hired against them counsellors, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus the king of Persia, and even until the reign of Darius the 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 Achashverosh, in the beginning of his reign they wrote 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 their companions, unto Artaxerxes the king of Persia: and the writing of the letter was written in Aramic, and interpreted in Aramic.
8 Rehumu afisa msimamizi na mwandishi Shimshai waliandika barua kwa Mfalme Artashasta dhidi ya watu wa Yerusalemu kama ifuatavyo:
Rechum the counsellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a certain letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, as followeth:
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] Rechum the counsellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, from Din, and Apharsathach, Tarpel, Apharass, Erech, Babylon, Shushan, Dehav, and 'Elam,
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 honored Assnapper had brought into exile, and settled in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and so forth.
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 which they sent unto him, even unto king Artaxerxes: Thy servants the men on this side the river, and so forth.
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 made known unto the king, that the Jews who removed away from thee are come up to us unto Jerusalem: they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and are completing the walls, and are joining together 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 now known unto the king, that, if this city be rebuilt, and the walls be completed, they will not give tax, tribute, and toll, and the royal revenues will suffer damage.
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 proper for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and let the king know this:
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 memorable events of thy fathers, and thou wilt find in the book of the memorable events, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have practised sedition within the same from the most ancient time; for which cause this city was destroyed.
16 Tunamjulisha mfalme kwamba kama mji huu ukijengwa na kuta zake zikifanywa upya, hutabakiwa na chochote Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati.
We let the king know that, if this city be rebuilt, and its walls be completed, by this means thou wilt have no more any portion on this side of 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 a reply unto Rechum the counsellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest of those beyond the river, Peace, and so forth.
18 Barua mliyotutumia imesomwa na kutafsiriwa mbele yangu.
The letter which ye have 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 an order was given by me, and search was made, and it was found that this city from the most ancient time hath lifted itself up against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been practised therein.
20 Yerusalemu umepata kuwa na wafalme wenye nguvu wakitawala nchi yote iliyo Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati, wakitoza kodi, ada na ushuru huko.
And that mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over all the countries beyond the river; and that tax, tribute, and toll was given unto them.
21 Kwa hiyo toeni amri kwa watu hawa wasimamishe ujenzi, ili kwamba mji huu usiendelee kujengwa hadi nitakapoagiza.
Now give ye the order to stop these men, and this city shall not be built, until the order be given from me.
22 Mwe waangalifu msipuuze jambo hili. Kwa nini kuruhusu tishio hili kuendelea na kusababisha hasara kwa ufalme?
Take heed now that ye commit no error in this: that not any injury may grow [out of this] to the damage 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.
Thereupon so soon as the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rechum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they did go up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and stopped them 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 was stopped the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem, and it remained interrupted until the second year of the reign of Darius the king of Persia.
