Ezra 4
1 Ndipo maadui wa Yuda na Benjamini waliposikia kwamba watu waliokuwa uhamishoni walikuwa wanajenga Hekalu la Yahwe, Mungu wa Israel.
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity built the temple to the LORD 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.”
Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said to them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as you do; and we do sacrifice to him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up 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, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said to them, You have nothing to do with us to build an house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the 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 weakened the hands of the people of Judah, 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 hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6 Tena katika kuanza kutawala kwake Ahasuero wakaandika mashitaka dhidi ya wenyeji wa Yuda na Yerusalem
And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they to him an accusation against the inhabitants 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 wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.
8 Rehumu jemedari na Shimshai mwandishi wakaandika hivi kwa Artashasta kuhusu Yerusalem.
Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
9 Tena Rehumu, Shimshai na wenzao ambao ni waamuzi na maofisa wengine wa Serikali, kutoka Waarkewi, Wababeli na washushami katika Waelami,
Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, 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 noble Asnapper brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.
11 Hii ni nakala waliotuma kwa Artashasta: “Watumishi wako, watu wa mji ngambo ya mto, waandika hivi:
This is the copy of the letter that they sent to him, even to Artaxerxes the king; Your servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.
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 which came up from you to us are come to Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.
13 Sasa mfalme atambue kwamba endapo mji utajengwa na kuta zake kukamilika, hawatatoa ushuru na kodi, lakini watawadhuru wafalme.
Be it known now to the king, that, if this city be built, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so you shall damage the revenue of the kings.
14 Hakika kwa kuwa tumekula chumvi ya Ikulu, haitopendeza sisi kuona heshima ya mfalme inavunjwa, kwa sababu hiyo tunamtaarifu mfalme
Now because we have maintenance from the king’s palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king’s dishonor, therefore have we 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 book of the records of your fathers: so shall you find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city 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 again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means you shall have no portion on this side 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.
Then sent the king an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and to the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.
18 Barua mliyonitumia imetafsiliwa na kusomwa kwangu.
The letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me.
19 Hivyo niliagiza uchunguzi ufanywe na ikabainika kwamba zamani uliasi na kuwafitinisha wafalme.
And I commanded, and search has been made, and it is found that this city of old time has made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.
20 Wafalme wakuu walitawala Yerusalem yote na kuongoza kila sehemu ya mji ngambo ya mto. Ada na kodi walilipwa.
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid to them.
21 Sasa, wekeni agizo kwa watu hawa wasiendelee na kujenga mji mpaka nitakapotoa amri.
Give you now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not built, until another commandment shall be given from me.
22 Muwe waangalifu msipuuze hili. Kwa nini kuruhusu tishio hili kuongezeka na kusababisha hasara kwa matakwa ya ufalme?
Take heed now that you fail not to do this: why should damage 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 when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
24 Hivyo kazi ya nyumba ya Mungu Yerusalem ikasitishwa mpaka kutawala mara ya pili kwa mfalme Dario wa Uajemi.
Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased to the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
