Ezra 7
1 Sasa baada ya hili, kipindi cha kutawala Artashasta mfalme wa Uajemi, Ezra akaja kutoka Babeli. Watangulizi wa Ezra walikuwa: Seraya, Azaria, Hilkia,
After all this, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra arrived from Babylon. He was the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,
2 Shalumu, Sadoki, Ahitubu,
son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,
3 Amaria, Azaria, Merayothi,
son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,
4 Zerahia, Uzi, Buki,
son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,
5 Abishaua, Fineasi, Eliazari ambaye ni mtoto wa Haruni kuhani mkuu.
son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the high priest.
6 Ezra akaja kutoka Babeli na alikuwa mtalaam mwandishi wa sheria ya Musa, ambayo Yahwe, Mungu wa Israel aliwapa. Mfalme akampatia kila kitu alichooomba kwa kuwa mkono wa Yahwe ulikuwa pamoja naye.
This Ezra arrived from Babylon, and was a scribe who was an expert in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given to Israel. The king had granted Ezra everything he'd asked for, because the Lord his God was with him.
7 Baadhi ya wazao wa Israel, na makuhani, walawi, waimbaji, walinzi, na wale waliochaguliwa kuhudumu katika Hekalu pia wakaenda Yerusalem katika mwaka wa saba wa mfalme Artashasta.
In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes left for Jerusalem, accompanied by some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests and Levites, singers and gatekeepers, and Temple servants.
8 Naye akafika Yerusalem mwezi wa tano kama mwaka huo.
Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of King Artaxerxes' reign.
9 Naye akaondoka Babeli siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa kwanza. Ilikuwa siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa tano ambapo alifika Yerusalem, kwa kuwa mkono mzuri wa Mungu ulikuwa pamoja naye.
He had started the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, his gracious God going with him.
10 Ezra alikuwa ametoa moyo wake kusoma, kutenda, na kufundisha maagizo na sheria za Yahwe.
For Ezra had committed himself to gaining insights from the Law of the Lord, wanting to practice it and to teach in Israel its rules and how to live.
11 Hii ndio amri ambayo mfalme Artashasta alimpa Ezra kuhani na mwandishi wa sheria za Yahwe na maagizo kwa Israeli.
This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, who had studied the Lord's commandments and regulations given to Israel:
12 Mfalme wa wafalme Artashasta, kwa kuhani Ezra, mwandishi wa sheria za Mungu wa mbinguni.
“Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.
13 Ninatoa amri kwamba mtu yeyote Israel katika ufalme wangu pamoja na makuhani na walawi ambao wanatamani kwenda Yerusalem, wanaweza kwenda pamoja na wewe.
I hereby issue this decree: Any of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom who voluntarily decide to go to Jerusalem with you may do so.
14 Mimi mfalme na washauri wangu saba, tunawatuma wote kwenda kufahamu kuhusu Yuda na Yerusalem kuhusiana na sheria ya Mungu, ambayo iko mkononi mwako.
You are being sent by the king and his seven counselors to investigate the situation in Judah and Jerusalem as it relates to the Law of your God, which you carry with you.
15 Itakupasa kuleta Dhahabu na fedha ambazo walitoa kwa ajili ya Mungu wa Israel, ambaye makazi yake ni Yerusalem.
We also instruct you to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have voluntarily donated to the God of Israel, whose lives in Jerusalem,
16 Fedha iliyotolewa kwa hiari na Dhahabu yote iliyotolewa Babeli pamoja na matoleo ya hiari waliotoa watu na makuhani kwa ajili ya nyumba ya Mungu katika Yerusalem.
together with all the silver and gold you may receive from the province of Babylon, as well as the voluntary donations of the people and priests to the Temple of their God in Jerusalem.
17 Basi ununue vyote sadaka ya kondoo, beberu, kondoo, unga na kinywaji, uvitoe kwenye madhabahu ambayo ni nyumba ya Mungu wako katika Yerusalem.
You are to use this money first to buy as many bulls, rams, and lambs as necessary, along with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and present them on the altar at the Temple of your God in Jerusalem.
18 Fanya hivyo pamoja na sehemu ya fedha na dhahabu, vyovyote utakavyoona inakupendeza wewe na ndugu zako, kumpendeza Mungu.
Then you and those with you may decide to use the rest of the silver and gold in whatever way you think best, in accordance with the will of your God.
19 Viweke vitu vilivyotolewa kwa hiari mbele yako kwa ajili ya huduma ya nyumba ya Mungu Yerusalem.
But the items you have been given for the service of the Temple of your God must be all delivered to the God of Jerusalem.
20 Kitu chochote kingine ambacho kinahitajika kwenye nyumba ya Mungu wako ambacho unahitaji, Gharama yake itatoka kwenye hazina yangu.
If there is anything else required for the Temple of your God that you have to provide, you may charge it to the royal treasury.
21 Mimi mfalme Artashasta, natoa amri kwa wotunza hazina wote mjini ngambo ya mto, chochote Ezra atakachoomba kwenu anapaswa kupewa chote,
I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers west of the Euphrates should provide whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require from you, and it must be provided in full,
22 hata zaidi ya talanta mia moja za fedha, vipimo mia vya ngano, bathi mia za divai na bathi mia za mafuta, pia na chumvi isiyo na kikomo.
up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred cors of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of olive oil, and unrestricted amounts of salt.
23 Chochote ambacho kimeamriwa kutoka kwa Mungu wa mbinguni, kifanye hicho kwa utukufu wa nyumba yake. Kwa nini hasira yake ije kwenye ufalme wangu na watoto wangu?
Make sure you provide in full whatever the God of heaven requires for his Temple, for why should his anger be brought down on the king and his sons?
24 Tutawapa taarifa wao kuhusu ninyi kwamba wasiwatoze ushuru wowote au kodi kwa kuhani, mlawi, mwimbaji, mlinzi au kwa mtu aliyechaguliwa kwenye huduma ya Hekalu na mtumishi katika nyumba ya Mungu.
Also be aware that all of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Temple servants, or other workers of this Temple are exempt from paying any tax, tribute, or fees, and you are not authorized to charge them.
25 Ezra, kwa hekima aliyokupa Mungu, inakulazimu kuteua waamuzi na mtu muelewa kuwahudumia watu katika mji ngambo ya mto na kusaidia yeyote anayejua sheria za Mungu wako. Pia inakubidi ufundishe wale ambao hawajui sheria.
You, Ezra, are to follow the wisdom of your God which you possess, shall appoint magistrates and judges to provide justice to all the people west of the Euphrates—all those who follow the laws of your God. You are to teach these laws to those who do not.
26 Toa adhabu kwa yeyote asiyetii sheria ya Mungu au sheria ya mfalme, ikiwezekana kwa kifo, kuhamishwa, kuchukuliwa mali zake au kufungwa.
Anyone who does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, will be severely punished, either by death, banishment, seizure of property, or imprisonment.”
27 Atukuzwe, Yahwe, Mungu wa watangulizi wetu, ambaye aliweka ndani ya moyo wa mfalme ili kutuza Nyumba ya Yahwe Yerusalem,
Praise the Lord, the God of our forefathers, who put into the king's mind to honor the Lord's Temple in Jerusalem in this way,
28 ambaye akaendeleza agano kwangu kwa uaminifu mbele ya mfalme, na washauri wake na wakuu wake wenye mamlaka, nilitiwa nguvu na mikono ya Yahwe, Mungu wangu, nami nikawakusanya viongozi kutoka Israel kwenda pamoja nami.
and who has shown me such kindness by honoring me before the king, his counselors, and all his high officials. Because the Lord my God was with me, I was encouraged and called together the leaders of Israel to return to Jerusalem with me.
