Ezra 5
1 Ndipo nabii Hagai na nabii Zekaria mzao wa Ido, wakawatolea unabii Wayahudi waliokuwa Yuda na Yerusalemu kwa jina la Mungu wa Israeli, aliyekuwa pamoja nao.
Then were moved to prophesy, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah son of Iddo, the prophets, unto the Jews who were in Judaea and in Jerusalem, —in the name of the God of Israel, unto them.
2 Ndipo Zerubabeli mwana wa Shealtieli na Yeshua mwana wa Yosadaki wakaanza kujenga tena nyumba ya Mungu huko Yerusalemu. Nao manabii wa Mungu walikuwa pamoja nao, wakiwasaidia.
Then arose—Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God, which was in Jerusalem, —and, with them, were the prophets of God, strengthening them.
3 Wakati ule Tatenai mtawala wa ngʼambo ya mto Frati na Shethar-Bozenai na wenzao waliwaendea, wakawauliza, “Ni nani aliyewapa ruhusa ya kujenga tena Hekalu hili na kurudishia upya kama lilivyokuwa?”
At that time, came unto them Tattenai pasha Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, —and, thus, spake they unto them, Who hath issued unto you an edict, this house, to build, and, this wall, to complete?
4 Pia waliwauliza, “Je, majina ya watu wanaofanya ujenzi huu ni nani?”
Then, after this manner, spake we unto them, —What are the names of these men, who, this building, do rear?
5 Lakini jicho la Mungu wao lilikuwa likiwaangalia wazee wa Wayahudi, nao hawakuzuiliwa kujenga mpaka taarifa ikaandikwa kwa Dario na majibu yake kupokelewa.
Nevertheless, the eye of their God, was upon the elders of Judah, and they did not forbid them, until the matter, unto Darius, should come, —and, then, answer be returned by letter, concerning this.
6 Hii ni nakala ya barua ile Tatenai, mtawala wa ngʼambo ya mto Frati na Shethar-Bozenai na wenzao maafisa wa ngʼambo ya mto Frati waliyompelekea Mfalme Dario.
A copy of the letter which Tattenai pasha Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and his associates, the Apharsachites, who were Beyond the Rivet, sent unto Darius the king:
7 Taarifa waliyompelekea ilisomeka kama ifuatavyo: Kwa Mfalme Dario: Salamu kwa moyo mkunjufu.
a message, sent they unto him, —and, thus, was it written therein, Unto Darius the king, all prosperity!
8 Inampasa Mfalme ajue kwamba tulikwenda katika eneo la Yuda, kwenye Hekalu la Mungu mkuu. Watu wanalijenga kwa mawe makubwa na kuweka mbao kwenye kuta. Kazi inafanyika kwa bidii na inaendelea kwa haraka chini ya uongozi wao.
Be it known unto the king, that we journeyed into the province of Judah, unto the house of the Great God, and, the same, is being built with large stones, and, timber, is being laid in the walls, —and, this work, with speed, is being done, and is prospering in their hands.
9 Tuliwauliza viongozi, “Ni nani aliyewapa ruhusa kujenga upya Hekalu hili na kurejeza hali ya jengo kama lilivyokuwa?”
Then asked we of these elders, thus, we said to them, —Who hath issued to you an edict, this house, to build, and, this wall, to complete?
10 Pia tuliwauliza majina yao, ili tukuandikie kukujulisha majina ya viongozi wao.
Yea, their names also, asked we of them, to certify thee, —that we might write the name, of the men who are at their head.
11 Hili ndilo jibu walilotupa: “Sisi ni watumishi wa Mungu wa mbingu na nchi, nasi tunalijenga upya Hekalu ambalo lilijengwa miaka mingi iliyopita, lile ambalo mfalme mkuu wa Israeli alilijenga na kulikamilisha.
And, thus, returned they, answer, to us saying, —We, are servants of the God of the heavens and the earth, and are building the house which was built these many years ago, which, a great king of Israel, built and completed.
12 Lakini kwa sababu baba zetu walimkasirisha Mungu wa mbinguni, basi aliwatia mkononi mwa Nebukadneza, Mkaldayo, mfalme wa Babeli, ambaye aliliharibu Hekalu hili na kuwaondoa watu na kuwapeleka uhamishoni huko Babeli.
But, after that our fathers had provoked the God of the heavens to wrath, he delivered them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, —and, this house, he destroyed, and, the people, he exiled to Babylon.
13 “Pamoja na hayo, katika mwaka wa kwanza wa kutawala Koreshi mfalme wa Babeli, Mfalme Koreshi alitoa amri ya kujengwa upya nyumba hii ya Mungu.
Howbeit, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king, issued an edict, this house of God, to build.
14 Yeye hata aliviondoa vyombo vya dhahabu na fedha vya nyumba ya Mungu, kutoka Hekalu la Babeli ambavyo Nebukadneza alikuwa amevichukua kutoka ndani ya Hekalu huko Yerusalemu na kuvileta katika Hekalu la Babeli. “Vyombo hivyo Mfalme Koreshi alimkabidhi mtu aliyeitwa Sheshbaza, ambaye Koreshi alikuwa amemteua awe mtawala,
Moreover also, the utensils of the house of God, of gold and silver, which, Nebuchadnezzar, had brought forth out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, and had brought into the temple of Babylon, Cyrus the king, brought them forth, out of the temple of Babylon, —and they were delivered to one Sheshbazzar by name, whom he made, pasha;
15 naye akamwambia, ‘Chukua vyombo hivi uende ukaviweke ndani ya Hekalu huko Yerusalemu. Nawe uijenge upya nyumba ya Mungu mahali pake.’
and said to him—These utensils, take, go carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, —and let, the house of God, be built in its place.
16 Hivyo huyu Sheshbaza alikuja na kuweka misingi ya nyumba ya Mungu iliyoko Yerusalemu. Tangu siku hiyo hadi sasa imekuwa ikiendelea kujengwa lakini bado haijamalizika.”
Then, this Sheshbazzar, came, he laid the foundations of the house of God, which was in Jerusalem, —and, since then, even until now, it hath been in building, and is not finished.
17 Sasa kama ikimpendeza mfalme, uchunguzi na ufanyike katika kumbukumbu za maandishi ya ufalme mjini Babeli, kuona kama kweli Mfalme Koreshi alitoa amri ya kujenga upya nyumba ya Mungu katika Yerusalemu. Kisha tunaomba mfalme na atutumie uamuzi wake kuhusu jambo hili.
Now, therefore, if, unto the king, it seem good, let search be made in the treasure-house of the king which is there, in Babylon, whether it be so, that, from Cyrus the king, issued an edict, to build this house of God, in Jerusalem, —and, the pleasure of the king concerning this, let him send unto us.
