Ezra 4
1 Ndipo maadui wa Yuda na Benjamini waliposikia kwamba watu waliokuwa uhamishoni walikuwa wanajenga Hekalu la Yahwe, Mungu wa Israel.
When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,
2 Hivyo wakamkaribia Zerubabeli na wakuu wa jamii yao. Wakawaambia: Mturuhusu tujenge pamoja nanyi, kama ninyi, tunamtafuta mungu wenu, na tumejitoa kwake tangu siku ambapo, Esar-hadoni, mfalme wa Ashuru alipotuleta mahali hapa.”
they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families, saying, “Let us build with you because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the time of King Esar-haddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”
3 Lakini Zerubabeli, Yoshua na wakuu wa kale wa jamii wakasema, “sio wewe, lakini sisi ndio tunaowajibika kujenga nyumba ya Mungu wetu, Sisi ndio tutakaomjengea Yawe, Mungu wa Israel, kama vile mfalme koreshi mfalme wa Ashuru alivyoagiza.”
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.”
4 Hivyo watu wa nchi wakadhoofisha mikono ya wayahudi, wakawafanya wayahudi waogope kujenga nyumba.
Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build.
5 Pia wakawahonga washauri ili kuwachanganya katika mipango yao. Walitenda haya kipindi chote cha Koreshi na kipindi cha utawala wa Dario mfalme wa Uajemi.
They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6 Tena katika kuanza kutawala kwake Ahasuero wakaandika mashitaka dhidi ya wenyeji wa Yuda na Yerusalem
At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, an accusation was lodged against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 Ilikuwa siku za Ahasuero ambazo Artashasta, Mithredathi, na Tabeeli na wenzake wakamwandikia Ahasuero. Barua iliandikwa Kiaramu na kutafsiliwa.
And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic and then translated.
8 Rehumu jemedari na Shimshai mwandishi wakaandika hivi kwa Artashasta kuhusu Yerusalem.
Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote the letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:
9 Tena Rehumu, Shimshai na wenzao ambao ni waamuzi na maofisa wengine wa Serikali, kutoka Waarkewi, Wababeli na washushami katika Waelami,
From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates—the judges and officials over Tripolis, Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,
10 nao wakaandika barua na waliungana na watu wakuu na mheshimiwa Asur - bani - pali aliwalazimisha kukaa Samalia pamoja na waliobaki katika mji ngambo ya mto.
and the rest of the peoples whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and elsewhere west of the Euphrates.
11 Hii ni nakala waliotuma kwa Artashasta: “Watumishi wako, watu wa mji ngambo ya mto, waandika hivi:
(This is the text of the letter they sent to him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men west of the Euphrates:
12 Mfalme atambue kwamba Wayahudi waliotoka kwako wamefanya kinyume chetu hapa Yerusalem wamejenga mji wa uasi. Wamekamilisha ukuta na marekebisho ya misingi.
Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem. And they are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city, restoring its walls, and repairing its foundations.
13 Sasa mfalme atambue kwamba endapo mji utajengwa na kuta zake kukamilika, hawatatoa ushuru na kodi, lakini watawadhuru wafalme.
Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer.
14 Hakika kwa kuwa tumekula chumvi ya Ikulu, haitopendeza sisi kuona heshima ya mfalme inavunjwa, kwa sababu hiyo tunamtaarifu mfalme
Now because we are in the service of the palace and it is not fitting for us to allow the king to be dishonored, we have sent to inform the king
15 kufanya uchunguzi wa kumbukumbu ya baba yake, na kujiridhisha kuwa mji huu ulikuwa wa uharibifu ambao utawadhuru wafalme na miji. Ulisababisha matatizo mengi kwa wafalme na miji. Ilikuwa ni kitovu cha uhalibifu tokea siku nyingi. Ni kwa sababu hiyo mji uliteketezwa.
that a search should be made of the record books of your fathers. In these books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, inciting sedition from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.
16 Tunamtaarifu mfalme kuwa endapo mji na ukuta ukijengwa, Hakuna kitakachobakia kwa ajili yako katika mji ngambo ya mto.”
We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, you will have no dominion west of the Euphrates.
17 Ndipo mfalme akarudisha majibu kwa Rehumu na Shimshai na wenzao katika Samalia na waliobaki katika mji ngambo ya mto. “Amani iwe pamoja nanyi.
Then the king sent this reply: To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of your associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates: Greetings.
18 Barua mliyonitumia imetafsiliwa na kusomwa kwangu.
The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence.
19 Hivyo niliagiza uchunguzi ufanywe na ikabainika kwamba zamani uliasi na kuwafitinisha wafalme.
I issued a decree, and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has revolted against kings from ancient times, engaging in rebellion and sedition.
20 Wafalme wakuu walitawala Yerusalem yote na kuongoza kila sehemu ya mji ngambo ya mto. Ada na kodi walilipwa.
And mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates; and tribute, duty, and toll were paid to them.
21 Sasa, wekeni agizo kwa watu hawa wasiendelee na kujenga mji mpaka nitakapotoa amri.
Now, therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.
22 Muwe waangalifu msipuuze hili. Kwa nini kuruhusu tishio hili kuongezeka na kusababisha hasara kwa matakwa ya ufalme?
See that you do not neglect this matter. Why allow this threat to increase and the royal interests to suffer?
23 Baada ya amri ya mfalme Artashasta kusomwa mbele ya Rehumu, Shimshai na wenzao, wakaondoka haraka kwenda Yerusalem, na wakawalazimisha Wayahudi kuacha kujenga.
When the text of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.
24 Hivyo kazi ya nyumba ya Mungu Yerusalem ikasitishwa mpaka kutawala mara ya pili kwa mfalme Dario wa Uajemi.
Thus the construction of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
