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,
And after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra 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 head 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.
Ezra himself has come up from Babylon, and he [is] a scribe ready in the Law of Moses, that YHWH God of Israel gave, and the king gives to him—according to the hand of his God YHWH on him—all his request.
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.
And there go up of the sons of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
8 Naye akafika Yerusalem mwezi wa tano kama mwaka huo.
And he comes to Jerusalem in the fifth month, that [is in] the seventh year of the king,
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.
for on the first of the month he has founded the ascent from Babylon, and on the first of the fifth month he has come to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on him,
10 Ezra alikuwa ametoa moyo wake kusoma, kutenda, na kufundisha maagizo na sheria za Yahwe.
for Ezra has prepared his heart to seek the Law of YHWH, and to do, and to teach in Israel statute and judgment.
11 Hii ndio amri ambayo mfalme Artashasta alimpa Ezra kuhani na mwandishi wa sheria za Yahwe na maagizo kwa Israeli.
And this [is] a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a scribe of the words of the commands of YHWH, and of His statutes on Israel:
12 Mfalme wa wafalme Artashasta, kwa kuhani Ezra, mwandishi wa sheria za Mungu wa mbinguni.
“Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe of the Law of the God of the heavens, and at such a time:
13 Ninatoa amri kwamba mtu yeyote Israel katika ufalme wangu pamoja na makuhani na walawi ambao wanatamani kwenda Yerusalem, wanaweza kwenda pamoja na wewe.
By me has been made a decree that everyone who is willing, in my kingdom, of the people of Israel and of its priests and Levites, to go to Jerusalem with you, go;
14 Mimi mfalme na washauri wangu saba, tunawatuma wote kwenda kufahamu kuhusu Yuda na Yerusalem kuhusiana na sheria ya Mungu, ambayo iko mkononi mwako.
because that from the king and his seven counselors you are sent, to inquire concerning Judah and concerning Jerusalem, with the Law of God that [is] in your hand,
15 Itakupasa kuleta Dhahabu na fedha ambazo walitoa kwa ajili ya Mungu wa Israel, ambaye makazi yake ni Yerusalem.
and to carry silver and gold that the king and his counselors willingly offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling place [is] 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.
and all the silver and gold that you find in all the province of Babylon, with the free-will offerings of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly, for the house of their God that [is] 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.
therefore you speedily buy with this money, bullocks, rams, lambs, and their presents, and their drink-offerings, and bring them near to the altar of the house of your God that [is] in Jerusalem,
18 Fanya hivyo pamoja na sehemu ya fedha na dhahabu, vyovyote utakavyoona inakupendeza wewe na ndugu zako, kumpendeza Mungu.
and that which to you and to your brothers is good to do with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God you do.
19 Viweke vitu vilivyotolewa kwa hiari mbele yako kwa ajili ya huduma ya nyumba ya Mungu Yerusalem.
And the vessels that are given to you, for the service of the house of your God, make perfect before the God of Jerusalem;
20 Kitu chochote kingine ambacho kinahitajika kwenye nyumba ya Mungu wako ambacho unahitaji, Gharama yake itatoka kwenye hazina yangu.
and the rest of the necessary things of the house of your God, that it falls to you to give, you give from the treasure-house of the king.
21 Mimi mfalme Artashasta, natoa amri kwa wotunza hazina wote mjini ngambo ya mto, chochote Ezra atakachoomba kwenu anapaswa kupewa chote,
And by me—I Artaxerxes the king—is made a decree to all treasurers who [are] beyond the river, that all that Ezra the priest, scribe of the Law of the God of the heavens, asks of you, be done speedily:
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.
To silver one hundred talents, and to wheat one hundred cors, and to wine one hundred baths, and to oil one hundred baths, and salt without reckoning;
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?
all that [is] by the decree of the God of the heavens, let be done diligently for the house of the God of the heavens; for why is there wrath against the kingdom of 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.
And to you we are making known, that on any of the priests and Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, and servants of the house of God, tribute and custom there is no authority to lift up.
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.
And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God, that [is] in your hand, appoint magistrates—even judges who may be judging—judging all the people who are beyond the river, to all knowing the Law of your God, and he who has not known, you cause to know;
26 Toa adhabu kwa yeyote asiyetii sheria ya Mungu au sheria ya mfalme, ikiwezekana kwa kifo, kuhamishwa, kuchukuliwa mali zake au kufungwa.
and any who does not do the Law of your God, and the law of the king, judgment is done speedily on him, whether to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of riches, and to bonds.”
27 Atukuzwe, Yahwe, Mungu wa watangulizi wetu, ambaye aliweka ndani ya moyo wa mfalme ili kutuza Nyumba ya Yahwe Yerusalem,
Blessed [is] YHWH, God of our fathers, who has given such a thing as this in the heart of the king, to beautify the house of YHWH that [is] in Jerusalem,
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 to me has stretched out kindness before the king and his counselors, and before all the mighty heads of the king: and I have strengthened myself as the hand of my God YHWH [is] on me, and I gather out of Israel heads to go up with me.
