< Ezra 8 >
1 Hawa ndio viongozi wa jamaa pamoja na wale walioandikwa ambao walikuja pamoja nami kutoka Babeli wakati wa utawala wa Mfalme Artashasta:
This is a list of the names of the leaders of the clans who came with me up [to Jerusalem] from Babylonia when Artaxerxes was the king [of Persia]:
2 wa wazao wa Finehasi, alikuwa Gershoni; wa wazao wa Ithamari, alikuwa Danieli; wa wazao wa Daudi, alikuwa Hatushi
Gershom, from the clan descended from [Aaron’s grandson] Phinehas Daniel, from the clan descended from [Aaron’s son] Ithamar Hattush, the son of Shecaniah, from the clan descended from King David
3 wa wazao wa Shekania; wa wazao wa Paroshi, alikuwa Zekaria, na watu 150 walioandikishwa pamoja naye;
Zechariah and 150 [other] men from the clan descended from Parosh
4 wa wazao wa Pahath-Moabu, alikuwa Eliehoenai mwana wa Zerahia na wanaume 200 pamoja naye;
Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah and 200 other men from the clan descended from Pahath-Moab
5 wa wazao wa Zatu, alikuwa Shekania mwana wa Yahazieli na wanaume 300 pamoja naye;
Shecaniah the son of Jahaziel and 300 other men from the clan descended from Zattu
6 wa wazao wa Adini, alikuwa Ebedi mwana wa Yonathani na wanaume 50 pamoja naye;
Ebed the son of Jonathan and 50 other men from the clan descended from Adin
7 wa wazao wa Elamu, alikuwa Yeshaya mwana wa Athalia, na wanaume 70 pamoja naye;
Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah and 70 other men from the clan descended from Elam
8 wa wazao wa Shefatia, alikuwa Zebadia mwana wa Mikaeli na wanaume 80 pamoja naye;
Zebadiah the son of Michael and 80 other men from the clan descended from Shephatiah
9 wa wazao wa Yoabu, alikuwa Obadia mwana wa Yehieli na wanaume 218 pamoja naye;
Obadiah the son of Jehiel and 218 other men from the clan descended from Joab
10 wa wazao wa Bani, alikuwa Shelomithi mwana wa Yosifia na wanaume 160 pamoja naye;
Shelomith the son of Josiphiah and 160 other men from the clan descended from Bani
11 wa wazao wa Bebai, alikuwa Zekaria mwana wa Bebai na wanaume 28 pamoja naye;
Zechariah the son of Bebai and 28 other men from the clan descended from [another man whose name was] Bebai
12 wa wazao wa Azgadi, alikuwa Yohanani mwana wa Hakatani na wanaume 110 pamoja naye;
Johanan the son of Hakkatan and 110 other men from the clan descended from Azgad
13 wa wazao wa Adonikamu, hawa walikuwa wa mwisho ambao majina yao ni Elifeleti, Yeueli, Shemaya na wanaume 60 pamoja nao;
Also Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, who returned [here] later with 60 men from the clan descended from Adonikam
14 wa wazao wa Bigwai, walikuwa Uthai na Zakuri na wanaume 70 pamoja nao.
And Uthai and Zaccur and 70 other men from the clan descended from Bigvai.
15 Niliwakusanya kwenye mto utiririkao kuelekea Ahava, nasi tukapiga kambi pale siku tatu. Wakati nilipokagua kati ya watu na makuhani, sikuwapata Walawi.
I gathered all of them together at the canal that goes [from Babylon] to Ahava [town]. We set up our tents there and stayed there for three days. [During that time] I checked the lists of names and found out that there were priests [going with us], but no [other] descendants of Levi [who could help them in the temple].
16 Basi niliwaita Eliezeri, Arieli, Shemaya, Elnathani, Yaribu, Elnathani, Nathani, Zekaria na Meshulamu waliokuwa viongozi na Yoyaribu na Elnathani waliokuwa wasomi,
So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, two men whose names were Elnathan, and Jarib, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were all leaders [of the people]. I also summoned Joiarib and another Elnathan, who were wise.
17 nikawatuma kwa Ido kiongozi huko Kasifia. Niliwaambia watakayomwambia Ido na ndugu zake, watumishi wa Hekalu huko Kasifia, ili waweze kutuletea wahudumu kwa ajili ya nyumba ya Mungu wetu.
I sent them all to Iddo, the leader of the descendants of Levi, who was living in Casiphia [town], to request that he and his relatives and other men who had worked in the temple send to us some men who would [go/come with us to] work in God’s new temple [in Jerusalem].
18 Kwa sababu mkono wa neema wa Mungu wetu ulikuwa juu yetu, walituletea Sherebia, mtu mwenye uwezo kutoka wazao wa Mahli mwana wa Lawi, mwana wa Israeli, na wana wa Sherebia pamoja na ndugu zao wanaume kumi na wanane.
Because God was kind to us, they brought to us a man named Sherebiah and 18 of his sons and other relatives. Sherebiah was a very wise man, a descendant of Mahli, [who was a grandson] of Levi.
19 Naye Hashabia, pamoja na Yeshaya kutoka wazao wa Merari na ndugu zake na wapwa wake wanaume ishirini.
They also sent to us Hashabiah, along with Jeshaiah, descendants of [Levi’s son] Merari, and 20 of their relatives.
20 Vilevile walileta watumishi wa Hekalu 220, kikundi ambacho Daudi na maafisa walikuwa wamekiweka kusaidia Walawi. Wote walikuwa wameorodheshwa kwa majina.
They also sent 220 other men to work in the temple. Those men’s ancestors had been appointed by King David to assist the descendants of Levi [who helped the priests in the temple]. I listed/wrote the names of all those men.
21 Kando ya Mto Ahava, hapo nilitangaza kufunga, ili tujinyenyekeshe mbele za Mungu wetu na kumwomba kwa ajili ya kutujalia safari ya amani sisi na watoto wetu, pamoja na mali zetu zote.
There alongside the Ahava Canal, I told them that we all would (fast/abstain from eating food) and pray. I also told them that we should humble ourselves in the presence of our God. We prayed that God would protect us while we traveled, and also protect our children and our possessions/belongings.
22 Niliona aibu kumwomba mfalme askari na wapanda farasi wa kutulinda njiani kutokana na adui zetu, kwa sababu tulikwisha kumwambia mfalme, “Mkono wa neema wa Mungu wetu uko juu ya kila mmoja anayemtafuta, lakini hasira yake kubwa ni dhidi ya wote wamwachao.”
Previously we had told the king that our God takes care of all those who truly trust in him, but that he becomes very angry with those who refuse to obey him. So I would have been ashamed if I had asked the king to send soldiers and men riding on horses to protect us from our enemies while we were traveling along the road.
23 Kwa hiyo tulifunga na kumwomba Mungu wetu kuhusu jambo hili, naye akajibu maombi yetu.
So we (fasted/abstained from eating food) and requested God to protect us, and he (answered our prayers/did what we requested.)
24 Kisha niliwatenga viongozi wa makuhani kumi na wawili, pamoja na Sherebia, Hashabia na ndugu zao kumi,
I chose twelve of the leaders of the priests, Sherebiah and Hashabiah and ten of their relatives.
25 nami nikawapimia fedha, dhahabu na vifaa ambavyo mfalme, washauri wake, maafisa wake na Israeli wote waliokuwepo walikuwa wamevitoa sadaka kwa ajili ya nyumba ya Mungu wetu.
I appointed them to supervise carrying to Jerusalem the gifts of silver and gold and the other valuable items that the king and his advisors and other officials, and the Israeli people [who were living in Babylonia], had contributed for the temple of our God.
26 Niliwapimia talanta 650 za fedha, vifaa vingine vya fedha vya uzito wa talanta mia moja, talanta mia moja za dhahabu,
As I gave these various items to those priests, I weighed each of the items. This was the total: 25 tons of silver, 100 items made from silver that altogether weighed 7,500 pounds, (7,500 pounds/3,400 kg.) of gold,
27 mabakuli ishirini ya dhahabu ya thamani ya darkoni elfu moja, na vyombo viwili vya shaba iliyosuguliwa, ya thamani kama dhahabu.
20 gold bowls that altogether weighed (19 pounds/8.6 kg.), and two items made of polished bronze that were as valuable as ones made of gold.
28 Niliwaambia, “Ninyi pamoja na vyombo hivi ni wakfu kwa Bwana. Fedha na dhahabu ni sadaka ya hiari kwa Bwana, Mungu wa baba zenu.
I said to those priests, “You belong to Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors (worshiped/also belonged to), and these valuable things also belong to him. The people themselves gave these things to be offerings to Yahweh (voluntarily/because they wanted to).
29 Vilindeni kwa uangalifu mpaka mtakapovipima ndani ya vyumba vya nyumba ya Bwana katika Yerusalemu mbele ya makuhani, viongozi na Walawi pamoja na wakuu wa jamaa za Israeli.”
So guard them carefully, and [when we arrive] in Jerusalem, weigh them in the presence of the priests, the descendants of Levi [who will help the priests], and the other Israeli leaders there. They will then put them in the storerooms in the new temple.”
30 Ndipo makuhani na Walawi wakapokea fedha, dhahabu na vyombo vilivyowekwa wakfu ambavyo vilipimwa na kupelekwa katika nyumba ya Mungu wetu mjini Yerusalemu.
So the priests and [other] descendants of Levi took from me all the gifts of silver and gold and the other valuable items, in order to carry them to the temple in Jerusalem.
31 Tulianza safari kutoka Mto Ahava kwenda Yerusalemu kwenye siku ya kumi na mbili ya mwezi wa kwanza. Mkono wa Mungu wetu ulikuwa juu yetu, naye njiani alitulinda dhidi ya adui na wanyangʼanyi.
On April 19, we left the Ahava Canal and started to travel to Jerusalem. Our God took care of us, and while we traveled, he prevented our enemies and bandits from (ambushing us/suddenly attacking us).
32 Kwa hiyo tuliwasili Yerusalemu ambapo tulipumzika kwa siku tatu.
After we arrived in Jerusalem, we rested for three days.
33 Katika siku ya nne, ndani ya nyumba ya Mungu wetu, tulipima fedha, dhahabu na vyombo vilivyowekwa wakfu, tukakabidhi mikononi mwa kuhani Meremothi mwana wa Uria. Eleazari mwana wa Finehasi alikuwa pamoja naye, pia walikuwako Walawi wawili, Yozabadi mwana wa Yeshua na Noadia mwana wa Binui.
Then on the fourth/next day we went to the temple. There the silver and gold and the other items were weighed and given to the priest Meremoth, the son of Uriah. Eleazar the son of Phinehas and two descendants of Levi, Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of Binnui, were with him.
34 Kila kitu kilihesabiwa kwa idadi na kupimwa kwa uzito, nao uzito wote uliandikwa wakati ule.
They counted everything, and wrote down how much they weighed, and wrote [a description of] each item.
35 Kisha mateka waliokuwa wamerudi kutoka utumwani wakatoa sadaka za kuteketezwa kwa moto kwa Mungu wa Israeli: mafahali kumi na wawili kwa ajili ya Israeli wote, kondoo dume tisini na sita, wana-kondoo sabini na saba na mbuzi dume kumi na wawili kuwa sadaka ya dhambi. Hii yote ilikuwa sadaka ya kuteketezwa kwa moto kwa Bwana.
We who had returned from Babylonia offered to God sacrifices on the altar. We offered twelve bulls for all us Israeli people. We also offered 96 rams and 27 lambs. We also sacrificed twelve goats [to atone] for the sins that all the people had committed. These were all completely burned on the altar.
36 Pia walikabidhi manaibu wa mfalme na watawala wa Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati maagizo ya mfalme, ambao baadaye walitoa msaada kwa watu na kwa nyumba ya Mungu.
Some of us who returned [from Babylonia] took to the governors and other officials of the province west of the [Euphrates] River the letter that the king had given to us. [After they read the letter, ] they did all [that they were able to do] for us Israeli people and for the temple of God.