Ezra 4
1 Ndipo maadui wa Yuda na Benjamini waliposikia kwamba watu waliokuwa uhamishoni walikuwa wanajenga Hekalu la Yahwe, Mungu wa Israel.
And adversaries of Judah and Benjamin hear that the sons of the captivity are building a temple to Jehovah, 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 draw nigh unto Zerubbabel, and unto heads of the fathers, and say to them, 'Let us build with you; for, like you, we seek to your God, and we are not sacrificing since the days of Esar-Haddon king of Asshur, who brought us up 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.”
And Zerubbabel saith to them, also Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers of Israel, 'Not for you, and for us, to build a house to our God; but we ourselves together do build to Jehovah God of Israel, as the king Cyrus, king of Persia, commanded us.'
4 Hivyo watu wa nchi wakadhoofisha mikono ya wayahudi, wakawafanya wayahudi waogope kujenga nyumba.
And it cometh to pass, the people of the land are making the hands of the people of Judah feeble, and troubling 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 are hiring against them counsellors to make void their counsel all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even till 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 commencement of his reign, they have written 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 have Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions written unto Artaxerxes king of Persia, and the writing of the letter is written in Aramaean, and interpreted in Aramaean.
8 Rehumu jemedari na Shimshai mwandishi wakaandika hivi kwa Artashasta kuhusu Yerusalem.
Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe have written a letter concerning Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, thus:
9 Tena Rehumu, Shimshai na wenzao ambao ni waamuzi na maofisa wengine wa Serikali, kutoka Waarkewi, Wababeli na washushami katika Waelami,
Then Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe, and the rest of their companions, Dinaites, and Apharsathchites, Tarpelites, Apharsites, Archevites, Babylonians, Susanchites, (who are 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 that the great and honourable Asnapper removed and set in the city of Samaria, and the rest beyond 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] a copy of a letter that they have sent unto him, unto Artaxerxes the king: 'Thy servants, men beyond 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 who have come up from thee unto us, have come in to Jerusalem, the rebellious and base city they are building, and the walls they have finished, and the foundations they join.
13 Sasa mfalme atambue kwamba endapo mji utajengwa na kuta zake kukamilika, hawatatoa ushuru na kodi, lakini watawadhuru wafalme.
'Now, be it known to the king, that if this city be builded, and the walls finished, toll, tribute, and custom they do not give; and at length [to] the kings it doth cause loss.
14 Hakika kwa kuwa tumekula chumvi ya Ikulu, haitopendeza sisi kuona heshima ya mfalme inavunjwa, kwa sababu hiyo tunamtaarifu mfalme
Now, because that the salt of the palace [is] our salt, and the nakedness of the king we have no patience to see, therefore we have sent and made known to 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.
so that he doth seek in the book of the records of thy fathers, and thou dost find in the book of the records, and dost know, that this city [is] a rebellious city, and causing loss [to] kings and provinces, and makers of sedition [are] in its midst from the days of old, therefore hath this city been wasted.
16 Tunamtaarifu mfalme kuwa endapo mji na ukuta ukijengwa, Hakuna kitakachobakia kwa ajili yako katika mji ngambo ya mto.”
We are making known to the king that, if this city be builded and the walls finished, by this means a portion beyond the river thou hast none.'
17 Ndipo mfalme akarudisha majibu kwa Rehumu na Shimshai na wenzao katika Samalia na waliobaki katika mji ngambo ya mto. “Amani iwe pamoja nanyi.
An answer hath the king sent unto Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe, and the rest of their companions who are dwelling in Samaria, and the rest beyond the river, 'Peace, and at such a time:
18 Barua mliyonitumia imetafsiliwa na kusomwa kwangu.
The letter that ye sent unto us, explained, hath been read before me,
19 Hivyo niliagiza uchunguzi ufanywe na ikabainika kwamba zamani uliasi na kuwafitinisha wafalme.
and by me a decree hath been made, and they sought, and have found that this city from the days of old against kings is lifting up itself, and rebellion and sedition is made in it,
20 Wafalme wakuu walitawala Yerusalem yote na kuongoza kila sehemu ya mji ngambo ya mto. Ada na kodi walilipwa.
and mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, even rulers over all beyond the river, and toll, tribute, and custom is given to them.
21 Sasa, wekeni agizo kwa watu hawa wasiendelee na kujenga mji mpaka nitakapotoa amri.
'Now, make ye a decree to cause these men to cease, and this city is not builded, till by me a decree is made.
22 Muwe waangalifu msipuuze hili. Kwa nini kuruhusu tishio hili kuongezeka na kusababisha hasara kwa matakwa ya ufalme?
And beware ye of negligence in doing this; why doth the hurt become great to the loss 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.
Then from the time that a copy of the letter of king Artaxerxes is read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they have gone in haste to Jerusalem, unto the Jews, and caused them to cease by force and strength;
24 Hivyo kazi ya nyumba ya Mungu Yerusalem ikasitishwa mpaka kutawala mara ya pili kwa mfalme Dario wa Uajemi.
then ceased the service of the house of God that [is] in Jerusalem, and it ceased till the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
