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.
Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem; in the name of the God of Israel [did they prophesy] 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 Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, who helped 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 that time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus to them: Who gave you orders to build this house and to complete this wall?
4 Vilevile walisema, “Ni majina ya watu gani wanaoshughulika na ujenzi huu?”
And they said to them after this manner: What are the names of the men that build this building?
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 eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease till the matter came to Darius; and then they returned answer by letter concerning it.
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 the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, who were on this side the river, sent to Darius the king.
7 Wakatuma ujumbe, wakiandika kwa mfalme Dario, “Amani tele iwe kwako”
They sent a report to him in which was written thus: To Darius the king, all peace!
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 province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work is being carried on with diligence, and prospers in their hand.
9 Tukawauliza wazee, ni nani aliyewapa agizo la kujenga nyumba na ukuta?'
Then asked we those elders: thus we said to them, Who gave you orders to build this house and to complete this wall?
10 Pia tuliwauliza majina yao ili kwamba ujue majina ya kila mtu ambaye aliwaongoza.
We asked their names also, to inform thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.
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 thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of the heavens and the earth, and build the house that was built these many years ago; and a great king of Israel built and completed it.
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 had provoked the God of the heavens to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, and he destroyed this house, and carried the people away unto Babylon.
13 Pia, katika mwaka wa kwanza wa kutawala Koreshi mfalme wa Babeli, Koreshi aliamuru nyumba ya Mungu kujengwa.
But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, king Cyrus gave orders to build this house of God.
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 vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was at Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, those did king Cyrus take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one Sheshbazzar by name, whom he had appointed governor.
15 Naye akamwambia, “Chukua hivi vitu. Uondoke na kuviweka kwenye Hekalu Yerusalem. Na nyumba ya Mungu ijengwe kule.”
And he said to him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is at Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in its place.
16 Ndipo huyu Sheshbaza akaja na kuweka msingi kwa nyumba ya Mungu katika Yerusalem: na ikaendelea kujengwa, lakini bado haijakamilika
Then came the same Sheshbazzar, [and] laid the foundation of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and since that time even until now has it been in building, and it is not completed.
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, let search be made in the king's treasure-house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that orders were given by king Cyrus to build this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.
