Ezra 7
1 Baada ya mambo haya, wakati wa utawala wa Artashasta mfalme wa Uajemi, Ezra mwana wa Seraya, mwana wa Azaria, mwana wa Hilkia,
Now after this, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra came up from Babylon. Ezra's ancestors were Seraiah, Azariah, Hilkiah,
2 mwana wa Shalumu, mwana wa Sadoki, mwana wa Ahitubu,
Shallum, Zadok, Ahitub,
3 mwana wa Amaria, mwana wa Azaria, mwana wa Merayothi,
Amariah, Azariah, Meraioth,
4 mwana wa Zerahia, mwana wa Uzi, mwana wa Buki,
Zerahiah, Uzzi, Bukki,
5 mwana wa Abishua, mwana wa Finehasi, mwana wa Eleazari, mwana wa kuhani mkuu Aroni.
Abishua, Phinehas, Eleazar, who was son of Aaron the high priest.
6 Huyu Ezra alipanda kutoka Babeli. Alikuwa mwalimu mwenye ujuzi mzuri katika sheria ya Mose, ambayo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, alikuwa ametoa. Mfalme alikuwa amempa Ezra kila kitu alichoomba, kwa maana Bwana Mungu wake alikuwa pamoja naye.
Ezra came up from Babylon and he was a skilled scribe in the law of Moses that Yahweh, the God of Israel, had given. The king gave him anything he asked since the hand of Yahweh was with him.
7 Pia baadhi ya Waisraeli, wakiwemo makuhani, Walawi, waimbaji, mabawabu na watumishi wa Hekalu, nao walikuja Yerusalemu mwaka wa saba wa utawala wa Mfalme Artashasta.
Some of the descendants of Israel and the priests, Levites, temple singers, gatekeepers, and those assigned to serve in the temple also went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.
8 Ezra aliwasili Yerusalemu mwezi wa tano wa mwaka wa saba wa utawala wa Mfalme Artashasta.
He arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the same year.
9 Ezra alianza safari yake kutoka Babeli tangu siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa kwanza, naye akawasili Yerusalemu siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa tano, kwa maana mkono wa neema wa Mungu wake ulikuwa juu yake.
He left Babylon on the first day of the first month. It was on the first day of the fifth month that he arrived in Jerusalem, since the good hand of God was with him.
10 Kwa maana Ezra alikuwa amejitoa kwa moyo wote kujifunza na kushika sheria ya Bwana na kuwafundisha watu wa Israeli amri na sheria zake.
Ezra had established his heart to study, carry out, and teach the statutes and decrees of the law of Yahweh.
11 Hii ni nakala ya barua ambayo Mfalme Artashasta alikuwa amempa Ezra aliyekuwa kuhani na mwalimu, mtu aliyeelimika katika mambo yahusuyo maagizo na amri za Bwana kwa Israeli.
This was the decree that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest and scribe of Yahweh's commandments and statutes for Israel:
12 Artashasta, mfalme wa wafalme, Kwa Ezra kuhani, mwalimu wa Sheria ya Mungu wa mbinguni: Salamu.
“The King of kings Artaxerxes, to the priest Ezra, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven:
13 Sasa naamuru kwamba mtu yeyote Mwisraeli katika ufalme wangu, pamoja na makuhani na Walawi, ambaye anataka kwenda Yerusalemu pamoja nawe aweza kwenda.
I am ordering that anyone from Israel in my kingdom along with their priests and Levites who desires to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
14 Unatumwa na mfalme na washauri wake saba kuchunguza kuhusu Yuda na Yerusalemu kulingana na Sheria ya Mungu wako, iliyoko mkononi mwako.
I, the king, and my seven counselors, send you all out to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to God's law, which is in your hand.
15 Zaidi ya hayo, uchukue pamoja nawe fedha na dhahabu ambazo mfalme na washauri wake wamempa Mungu wa Israeli kwa hiari, Mungu ambaye maskani yake yako Yerusalemu,
You are to bring the silver and gold that they have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem.
16 pia fedha na dhahabu zote unazoweza kupata kutoka jimbo la Babeli, pamoja na sadaka za hiari watakazotoa watu na makuhani kwa ajili ya Hekalu la Mungu wao katika Yerusalemu.
Freely give all the silver and gold that all of Babylon has given along with what is freely offered by the people and the priests for the house of God in Jerusalem.
17 Hakikisha kwamba fedha hizi zimetumika kununua mafahali, kondoo dume na wana-kondoo pamoja na sadaka za nafaka na sadaka za vinywaji, uvitoe dhabihu juu ya madhabahu ya Hekalu la Mungu wenu katika Yerusalemu.
So buy in full the oxen, rams and lambs, and grain and drink offerings. Offer them on the altar that is in the house of your God in Jerusalem.
18 Kisha wewe na Wayahudi ndugu zako mnaweza kufanya lolote linaloonekana jema sana kwa fedha na dhahabu zilizosalia, kulingana na mapenzi ya Mungu wenu.
Do with the rest of the silver and gold whatever seems good to you and your brothers, to please your God.
19 Uvitoe kwa Mungu wa Yerusalemu vyombo vyote ulivyokabidhiwa kwa ajili ya ibada katika Hekalu la Mungu wako.
Place the objects that were freely given to you before him for the service of the house of your God in Jerusalem.
20 Kitu kingine chochote kinachohitajika kwa ajili ya Hekalu la Mungu wenu ambacho unatakiwa kukitoa, waweza kukitoa kutoka hazina ya mfalme.
Anything else that is needed for the house of your God that you require, take its cost from my treasury.
21 Mimi, Mfalme Artashasta, sasa naagiza watunza hazina wote wa Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati kutoa kwa bidii chochote kwa Ezra kuhani na mwalimu wa Sheria ya Mungu wa mbinguni atakachohitaji kwenu,
I, King Artaxerxes, make a decree to all the treasurers in the Province Beyond the River, that anything that Ezra asks from you should be given in full,
22 talanta 100 za fedha, ngano kori 100, divai bathi 100, mafuta ya zeituni bathi 100, na chumvi kiasi chochote.
up to one hundred silver talents, one hundred cors of grain, one hundred baths of wine, and one hundred baths of oil, also salt without limit.
23 Chochote ambacho Mungu wa mbinguni ameagiza, kifanyike kwa ukamilifu kwa ajili ya Hekalu la Mungu wa mbinguni. Kwa nini pawepo ghadhabu dhidi ya utawala wa mfalme na wanawe?
Anything that comes from the decree of the God of Heaven, do it with devotion for his house. For why should his wrath come upon the kingdom of me and my sons?
24 Pia ninyi fahamuni kuwa hamna mamlaka ya kuwatoza kodi, ushuru au ada makuhani, Walawi, waimbaji, mabawabu, watumishi wa Hekalu au wafanyakazi wengine kwenye nyumba ya Mungu.
We are informing them about you not to impose any tribute or taxes on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, or on the people assigned to the service of the temple and servants of the house of this God.
25 Nawe Ezra, kufuatana na hekima ya Mungu wenu uliyo nayo, weka mahakimu na waamuzi wote wanaozifahamu sheria za Mungu wenu ili watoe haki kwa watu wote wa Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati. Nawe inakupasa umfundishe yeyote ambaye hazifahamu.
Ezra, with the wisdom that God has given you, you must appoint judges and magistrates to judge all the people in the Province Beyond the River, and to serve all who know the laws of your God. You must also teach those who do not know the law.
26 Yeyote ambaye hataitii sheria ya Mungu wenu pia sheria ya mfalme, hakika lazima aadhibiwe kwa kuuawa, kuhamishwa, kunyangʼanywa mali au kufungwa gerezani.
Punish anyone who does not fully obey God's law or the king's law, whether by death, banishment, confiscation of their goods, or imprisonment.
27 Sifa ziwe kwa Bwana, Mungu wa baba zetu, Mungu ambaye kwa njia hii ameweka ndani ya moyo wa mfalme kuipa heshima nyumba ya Bwana iliyoko Yerusalemu, kwa namna hii
Praise Yahweh, our ancestors' God, who placed all this into the king's heart to glorify Yahweh's house in Jerusalem,
28 ambaye ameniongezea kibali chake mbele ya mfalme, washauri wake na maafisa wote wa mfalme wenye uwezo. Kwa kuwa mkono wa Bwana Mungu wangu ulikuwa pamoja nami, nilijipa moyo nikakusanya watu walio viongozi kutoka Israeli wakwee pamoja nami.
and who extended covenant faithfulness to me before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officials. I have been strengthened by the hand of Yahweh my God, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go with me.
