Ezra 5
1 Ndipo Hagai nabii na Zakaria mtoto wa Ido nabii wakatabiri kwa jina la Mungu wa Israel kwa wayahudi wa Yuda na Yerusalem.
And Aggaeus the prophet, and Zacharias the [son] of Addo, prophesied a prophesy to the Jews in Juda and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, [even] to them.
2 Zerubabeli mtoto wa Shealtieli na Yoshua mtoto wa Yosadaki wakainuka na kuanza kujenga nyumba ya Mungu Yerusalem pamoja na manabii ambao waliwahamasisha wao.
Then rose up Zorobabel the [son] of Salathiel, and Jesus the son of Josedec, and began to build the house of God that was in Jerusalem: and with them [were] the prophets of God assisting them.
3 Ndipo Tatenai Mkuu wa mji ngambo ya mto, Shethar - Bozenai, na mshirika wao, wakaja na kusema kwao, “Nani aliyewapa agizo la kujenga nyumba hii na kukamilisha ukuta?”
At the same time came there upon them Thanthanai, the governor on this side the river, and Satharbuzanai, and their fellow-servants, and spoke thus to them, Who has ordained a decree for you to build this house, and to [provide] this preparation?
4 Vilevile walisema, “Ni majina ya watu gani wanaoshughulika na ujenzi huu?”
Then they spoke thus to them, What are the names of the men that build this city?
5 Lakini jicho la Mungu lilikuwa pamoja na viongozi wa Wayahudi na maadui wao hawakuweza kuwazuia. Walikuwa wakisubiri barua kutumwa kwa mfalme na amri kurudi kwao kwa ajili ya suala hili.
But the eyes of God were upon the captivity of Juda, and they did not cause them to cease till the decree was brought to Darius; and then was sent by the tribute-gatherer concerning this
6 Hii ni nakala ya barua kwa Tatenai, mkuu wa mji ngambo ya mto, na Shethar - Bozenai na wenzao katika mji ngambo ya Mto, ambao waliwatuma kwa mfalme Dario.
the copy of a letter, which Thanthanai, the governor of the part on this side the river, and Satharbuzanai, and their fellow-servants the Apharsachaeans who were on this side of the river, sent to king Darius.
7 Wakatuma ujumbe, wakiandika kwa mfalme Dario, “Amani tele iwe kwako”
They sent an account to him, and thus it was written in it: All peace to king Darius.
8 Mfalme atambue kwamba tulikwenda Yuda kwenye nyumba ya Mungu Mkuu. Imeshajengwa kwa mawe makubwa na mbao zimewekwa katika kuta. Hii kazi inafanyika kwa utaratibu na inaendelea vizuri kwa mikono yao.
Be it known to the king, that we went into the land of Judea, to the house of the great God; and it is building with choice stones, and they are laying timbers in the walls, and that work is prospering, and goes on favourably in their hands.
9 Tukawauliza wazee, ni nani aliyewapa agizo la kujenga nyumba na ukuta?'
Then we asked those elders, and thus we said to them, Who gave you the order to build this house, and to [provide] this preparation?
10 Pia tuliwauliza majina yao ili kwamba ujue majina ya kila mtu ambaye aliwaongoza.
And we asked them their names, [in order] to declare [them] to you, so as to write to you the names of their leading men.
11 Nao wakatujibu na kusema, “Sisi tu watumishi wa Mungu wa mbingu na nchi na sisi tunaijenga nyumba hii ambayo ilijengwa miaka mingi iliyopita wakati mfalme mkuu wa Israel alijenga na kuikamisha.
And they answered us thus, saying, We [are] the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we [are] building the house which had been built many years before this, and a great king of Israel built it, and established it for them.
12 Ingawa, watangulizi wetu walipomchukiza Mungu wa mbinguni, Mungu akawatia katika mikono ya mfalme wa Babeli Nebukadineza, ambaye alivunja nyumba na kuwachukua watu mateka Babeli.
But after that our fathers provoked the God of heaven, he gave them into the hands of Nabuchodonosor the Chaldean, king of Babylon, and he destroyed this house, and carried the people captive to Babylon.
13 Pia, katika mwaka wa kwanza wa kutawala Koreshi mfalme wa Babeli, Koreshi aliamuru nyumba ya Mungu kujengwa.
And in the first year of king Cyrus, Cyrus the king made a decree that this house of God should be built.
14 Mfalme Koreshi pia alirudisha vitu vya dhahabu na fedha vya nyumba ya Mungu ambavyo Nebukadineza alivichukua kwenye hekalu Yerusalem na kuvipeleka kwenye hekalu Babeli. Naye akavitunza kwa Sheshbaza, ambaye alimchagua kuwa kiongozi.
And the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nabuchodonosor brought out from the house that was in Jerusalem, and carried them into the temple of the king, them did king Cyrus bring out from the temple of the king, and gave them to Sabanasar the treasurer, who was over the treasurer;
15 Naye akamwambia, “Chukua hivi vitu. Uondoke na kuviweka kwenye Hekalu Yerusalem. Na nyumba ya Mungu ijengwe kule.”
and said to him, Take all the vessels, and go, put them in the house that is in Jerusalem in their place.
16 Ndipo huyu Sheshbaza akaja na kuweka msingi kwa nyumba ya Mungu katika Yerusalem: na ikaendelea kujengwa, lakini bado haijakamilika
Then that Sabanazar came, and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem: and from that time even until now it has been building, and has not been finished.
17 Sasa ikiwa itampendeza mfalme, na uchunguzi ufanyike kwenye nyumba ya ukumbusho Babeli Ikiwapo hukumu ya mfalme wa Koreshi ya kujenga nyumba ya Mungu Yerusalem. Na mfalme anaweza kutuma uamuzi wake kwetu.
And now, if it [seem] good to the king, lest search be made in the treasure-house of the king at Babylon, that you may know [if it be] that a decree was made by king Cyrus to build that house of God that was in Jerusalem, and let the king send to us when he has learnt concerning this [matter].
