Nehemia 5
1 Wakati huu wanaume na wake zao wakalia kilio kikuu dhidi ya ndugu zao Wayahudi.
And it was cry of distress of the people and wives their great against countrymen their the Jews.
2 Baadhi yao walikuwa wakisema, “Sisi na wana wetu na binti zetu tuko wengi. Ili tuweze kula na kuishi, ni lazima tupate nafaka.”
And there [were those] who [were] saying sons our and daughters our we [are] many and let us get grain so we may eat and we may live.
3 Wengine walikuwa wakisema, “Tunaweka rehani mashamba yetu, mashamba ya mizabibu, na nyumba zetu ili tupate nafaka wakati wa njaa.”
And there [were those] who [were] saying fields our and vineyards our and houses our we [are] mortgaging and we will get grain in the famine.
4 Bado kukawa na wengine waliokuwa wakisema, “Ilitubidi tukope fedha ili kulipa kodi ya mfalme kwa ajili ya mashamba yetu na mashamba yetu ya mizabibu.
And there [were those] who [were] saying we have borrowed money for [the] tribute of the king fields our and vineyards our.
5 Ingawa sisi ni mwili na damu moja sawa na watu wa nchi yetu, na ijapo wana wetu ni wazuri kama wana wao, bado inatupasa kuwatoa wana wetu na binti zetu kwenye utumwa. Baadhi ya binti zetu wameshakuwa watumwa tayari, lakini hatuna uwezo wa kuwakomboa, kwa sababu mashamba yetu na mashamba ya mizabibu yetu ni mali ya wengine.”
And now [is] like [the] flesh of countrymen our flesh our [are] like children their children our and there! we [are] bringing into bondage sons our and daughters our to slaves and there [are] some of daughters our being brought into bondage and there not [is] to [the] power of hand our and fields our and vineyards our [belong] to others.
6 Niliposikia kilio chao na malalamiko haya, nilikasirika sana.
And it burned to me exceedingly when I heard outcry their and the words these.
7 Nikayatafakari katika akili yangu, nikiwalaumu wakuu na maafisa. Nikawaambia, “Mnawaonea ndugu zenu kwa kuwatoza riba!” Basi nikaitisha mkutano mkubwa ili kuwashughulikia
And it considered heart my with me and I contended! with the nobles and with the officials and I said! to them usury each on brother his you ([are] lending *Q(K)*) and I made on them an assembly great.
8 na kusema: “Kulingana na uwezo wetu, tumewakomboa ndugu zetu Wayahudi waliokuwa wameuzwa kwa watu wasioamini. Sasa mnawauza ndugu zenu, ili wauzwe tena kwetu!” Walinyamaza kimya, kwa sababu hawakupata chochote cha kusema.
And I said! to them we we have bought countrymen our the Jews who sold themselves to the nations according to [the] sufficiency in us and also you you sold countrymen your and they were sold to us and they were silent and not they found a word.
9 Basi nikaendelea kusema, “Mnachokifanya si sawa. Je, haikuwapasa kutembea katika hofu ya Mungu wetu ili tuepukane na shutuma za adui zetu wasioamini?
(And I said *Q(K)*) not [is] good the thing which you [are] doing ¿ not in [the] fear of God our are you walking from [the] reproach of the nations enemies our.
10 Mimi na ndugu zangu na watu wangu tunawakopesha watu fedha na nafaka. Lakini jambo hili la kutoza riba likome!
And also I brothers my and servants my [are] lending to them money and grain let us abandon please the usury this.
11 Warudishieni mara moja mashamba yao, mashamba yao ya mizabibu, mashamba yao ya mizeituni, na nyumba zao, pia riba yao mnayowatoza na sehemu ya fungu la mia la fedha, nafaka, divai mpya na mafuta.”
Return please to them as this day fields their vineyards their olive trees their and houses their and [the] hundred of the money and the grain the new wine and the fresh oil which you [are] lending to them.
12 Wakasema, “Tutawarudishia na hatutataka kitu chochote zaidi kutoka kwao. Tutafanya kama ulivyosema.” Kisha nikawaita makuhani na kuwafanya wakuu na maafisa kuapa kufanya kile walichoahidi.
And they said we will return [it] and from them not we will require [it] so we will do just as you [are] saying and I summoned the priests and I made swear an oath them to do according to the manner this.
13 Pia nikakungʼuta makunjo ya vazi langu na kusema, “Kila mtu ambaye hatatimiza ahadi hii, Mungu na amkungʼute hivi kutoka nyumba yake na katika mali zake. Basi mtu wa namna hiyo akungʼutiwe nje na aachwe bila kitu!” Waliposikia hili, mkutano wote ukasema, “Amen,” na wakamtukuza Bwana. Nao watu wakafanya kama walivyokuwa wameahidi.
Also bosom my I shook out and I said! thus may he shake out God every person who not he will carry out the word this from house his and from property his and thus may he be shaken out and empty and they said all the assembly amen and they praised Yahweh and it did the people according to the manner this.
14 Zaidi ya hayo, kutoka mwaka wa ishirini wa Mfalme Artashasta, wakati nilipoteuliwa kuwa mtawala wao katika nchi ya Yuda, mpaka mwaka wake wa thelathini na mbili, yaani miaka kumi na miwili, mimi wala ndugu zangu hatukula chakula ambacho kwa kawaida hupewa watawala.
Also from [the] day - when someone appointed me to be governor their in [the] land of Judah from year twenty and until year thirty and two of Artaxerxes the king years two [plus] ten I and brothers my [the] food of the governor not I ate.
15 Lakini watawala wa mwanzoni, wale walionitangulia, waliwalemea watu na kuchukua kutoka kwao shekeli arobaini za fedha, pamoja na chakula na mvinyo. Wasaidizi wao pia walijifanya wakuu juu ya watu. Lakini kwa kumheshimu Mungu sikufanya hivyo.
And the governors former who [were] before me they made heavy on the people and they took from them food and wine after silver shekels forty also servants their they domineered over the people and I not I did thus because of [the] fear of God.
16 Badala yake, nilijitoa kwa bidii katika kazi ya ukuta huu. Watu wangu wote walikutanika pale kwa ajili ya kazi. Hatukujipatia shamba lolote.
And also on [the] work of the wall this I kept hold and a field not we acquired and all servants my [were] assembled there on the work.
17 Zaidi ya hayo, Wayahudi na maafisa 150 walikula mezani pangu, pamoja na wale waliotujia kutoka mataifa jirani.
And the Jews and the officials one hundred and fifty person[s] and the [ones who] came to us from the nations which [were] around us [were] at table my.
18 Kila siku niliandaliwa maksai mmoja, kondoo sita wazuri, na kuku, na mvinyo wa kila aina kwa wingi kila baada ya siku kumi. Licha ya mambo haya yote, sikudai chakula kilichokuwa fungu la mtawala, kwa sababu madai yalikuwa mazito sana kwa watu hawa.
And [that] which it was made for a day one [was] an ox one sheep six chosen and poultry they were made for me and between ten days in all wine to abundance and beside this [the] food of the governor not I sought for it was heavy the service on the people this.
19 Unikumbuke kwa fadhili, Ee Mungu wangu, kwa yote niliyofanya kwa ajili ya watu hawa.
Remember! to me O God my for good all that I have done on the people this.
