Ezra 4
1 Ndipo maadui wa Yuda na Benjamini waliposikia kwamba watu waliokuwa uhamishoni walikuwa wanajenga Hekalu la Yahwe, Mungu wa Israel.
Now the enemies of Juda and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to 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.”
And they came to Zorobabel, and the chief of the fathers, and said to them: Let us build with you, for we seek your God as ye do: behold we have sacrificed to him, since the days of Asor Haddan king of Assyria, who brought us hither.
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 Zorobabel, and Josue, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel said to them: You have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God, but we ourselves alone will build to the Lord our God, as Cyrus king of the Persians hath commanded us.
4 Hivyo watu wa nchi wakadhoofisha mikono ya wayahudi, wakawafanya wayahudi waogope kujenga nyumba.
Then the people of the land hindered the hands of the people of Juda, and troubled them in building.
5 Pia wakawahonga washauri ili kuwachanganya katika mipango yao. Walitenda haya kipindi chote cha Koreshi na kipindi cha utawala wa Dario mfalme wa Uajemi.
And they hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their design all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of the Persians.
6 Tena katika kuanza kutawala kwake Ahasuero wakaandika mashitaka dhidi ya wenyeji wa Yuda na Yerusalem
And in the reign of Assuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Juda 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, Beselam, Mithridates, and Thabeel, and the rest that were in the council wrote to Artaxerxes king of the Persians: and the letter of accusation was written in Syriac, and was read in the Syrian tongue.
8 Rehumu jemedari na Shimshai mwandishi wakaandika hivi kwa Artashasta kuhusu Yerusalem.
Reum Beelteem, and Samsai the scribe wrote a letter from Jerusalem to king Artaxerxes, in this manner:
9 Tena Rehumu, Shimshai na wenzao ambao ni waamuzi na maofisa wengine wa Serikali, kutoka Waarkewi, Wababeli na washushami katika Waelami,
Reum Beelteem, and Samsai the scribe and the rest of their counsellors, the Dinites, and the Apharsathacites, the Therphalites, the Apharsites, the Erchuites, the Babylonians, the Susanechites, the Dievites, and the Elamites,
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 nations, whom the great and glorious Asenaphar brought over: and made to dwell in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the countries of this side of the river in peace.
11 Hii ni nakala waliotuma kwa Artashasta: “Watumishi wako, watu wa mji ngambo ya mto, waandika hivi:
(This is the copy of the letter, which they sent to him: ) To Artaxerxes the king, thy servants, the men that are on this side of the river, send greeting.
12 Mfalme atambue kwamba Wayahudi waliotoka kwako wamefanya kinyume chetu hapa Yerusalem wamejenga mji wa uasi. Wamekamilisha ukuta na marekebisho ya misingi.
Be it known to the king, that the Jews, who came up from thee to us, are come to Jerusalem a rebellious and wicked city, which they are building, setting up the ramparts thereof and repairing the walls.
13 Sasa mfalme atambue kwamba endapo mji utajengwa na kuta zake kukamilika, hawatatoa ushuru na kodi, lakini watawadhuru wafalme.
And now be it known to the king, that if this city be built up, and the walls thereof repaired, they will not pay tribute nor toll, nor yearly revenues, and this loss will fail upon the kings.
14 Hakika kwa kuwa tumekula chumvi ya Ikulu, haitopendeza sisi kuona heshima ya mfalme inavunjwa, kwa sababu hiyo tunamtaarifu mfalme
But we remembering the salt that we have eaten in the palace, and because we count it a crime to see the king wronged, have therefore sent and certified 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 search may be made in the books of the histories of thy fathers, and thou shalt find written in the records: and shalt know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to the kings and provinces, and that wars were raised therein of old time: for which cause also the city was destroyed.
16 Tunamtaarifu mfalme kuwa endapo mji na ukuta ukijengwa, Hakuna kitakachobakia kwa ajili yako katika mji ngambo ya mto.”
We certify the king, that if this city be built, and the walls thereof repaired, thou shalt have no possession on this side of the river.
17 Ndipo mfalme akarudisha majibu kwa Rehumu na Shimshai na wenzao katika Samalia na waliobaki katika mji ngambo ya mto. “Amani iwe pamoja nanyi.
The king sent word to Reum Beelteem and Samsai the scribe, and to the rest that were in their council, inhabitants of Samaria, and to the rest beyond the river, sending greeting and peace.
18 Barua mliyonitumia imetafsiliwa na kusomwa kwangu.
The accusation, which you have sent to us, hath been plainly read before me,
19 Hivyo niliagiza uchunguzi ufanywe na ikabainika kwamba zamani uliasi na kuwafitinisha wafalme.
And I commanded: and search hath been made, and it is found, that this city of old time hath rebelled against kings, and seditions and wars have been raised therein.
20 Wafalme wakuu walitawala Yerusalem yote na kuongoza kila sehemu ya mji ngambo ya mto. Ada na kodi walilipwa.
For there have been powerful kings in Jerusalem, who hare had dominion over all the country that is beyond the river: and have received tribute, and toll and revenues.
21 Sasa, wekeni agizo kwa watu hawa wasiendelee na kujenga mji mpaka nitakapotoa amri.
Now therefore hear the sentence: Hinder those men, that this city be not built, till further orders be given by me.
22 Muwe waangalifu msipuuze hili. Kwa nini kuruhusu tishio hili kuongezeka na kusababisha hasara kwa matakwa ya ufalme?
See that you be not negligent in executing this, lest by little and little the evil grow to the hurt of the kings.
23 Baada ya amri ya mfalme Artashasta kusomwa mbele ya Rehumu, Shimshai na wenzao, wakaondoka haraka kwenda Yerusalem, na wakawalazimisha Wayahudi kuacha kujenga.
Now the copy of the edict of king Artaxerxes was read before Reum Beelteem, and Samsai the scribe, and their counsellors: and they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and hindered them with arm and power.
24 Hivyo kazi ya nyumba ya Mungu Yerusalem ikasitishwa mpaka kutawala mara ya pili kwa mfalme Dario wa Uajemi.
Then the work of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem was interrupted, and ceased till the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.
