Nehemia 6
1 Wakati Sanbalati, Tobia, Geshemu Mwarabu na adui zetu wengine waliposikia kwamba nilijenga upya ukuta na kwamba hakuna sehemu yoyote iliyoachwa ya wazi, ingawa sijawaweka milango katika malango,
When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and our other enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and there were no gaps left—though at that time I still had not put the doors into the gates—
2 Sanbalati na Geshemu akatuma wajumbe akasema, “Njoni, tukutane pamoja mahali fulani katika tambarare ya Ono.” Lakini walitaka kunidhuru.
they sent a message to me, saying, “Come on, let's meet in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they intended to kill me.
3 Niliwatuma wajumbe kwao, nikasema, “Ninafanya kazi kubwa na siwezi kushuka. Kwa nini kazi isimame wakati nitakapoondoka na kuja kwako?”
So I sent messengers to tell them, “I'm busy with important work and I can't come down. Why should I stop what I'm doing and leave it to come and see you?”
4 Walituma ujumbe huo huo mara nne, na mimi niliwajibu vile vile kila wakati.
They sent me the same message four times, and every time my reply was the same.
5 Sanbalati alimtuma mtumishi wake kwangu kwa njia ile ile mara ya tano, na barua iliyo wazi mkononi mwake.
Sanballat sent me the same message the fifth time by his servant, who brought in his hand an open letter.
6 Imeandikwa, “Inaripotiwa kati ya mataifa, na Geshemu pia anasema, kwamba wewe na Wayahudi mna mpango wa kuasi, kwa sababu hiyo ndio mnajenga ukuta. Kutokana na taarifa hizi, unakaribia kuwa mfalme wao.
The letter read: “People around are saying, and Geshem confirms it, that you and the Jews are planning a rebellion, and that's why you're building the wall. You also plan to become their king, so they say,
7 Nawe umewachagua manabii kutangaza habari zako juu ya Yerusalemu, wakisema, “Kuna mfalme huko Yuda!” Unaweza kuwa na hakika mfalme atasikia ripoti hizi. Basi, hebu njoo tuzungumze.
and you have even arranged for prophets in Jerusalem to announce for you, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ The king will soon get to hear about this. So come, and let's talk this over.”
8 Kisha nikamtuma neno nikisema, “mambo kama hayo hayajafanyika kama unavyosema, kwa maana ndani ya moyo wako umeyabuni.”
I replied, telling him, “Nothing's happening like you're saying! In fact you're just making it all up!”
9 Kwa maana wote walitaka kututisha, wakifikiri, “Wataacha mikono yao kufanya kazi hiyo, na haitafanyika.” Lakini sasa, Mungu, tafadhali imarisha mikono yangu.
They were all just trying to scare us, telling themselves, “They won't have the strength to work so it won't ever get finished.” But I prayed, now make me strong!
10 Nikaenda nyumbani kwa Shemaya mwana wa Delaya, mwana wa Mehetabeli, aliyefungwa nyumbani mwake. Akasema, “Hebu tukutane pamoja katika nyumba ya Mungu, ndani ya hekalu, na tufunge milango ya hekalu, kwa maana wanakuja kukuua. Usiku wanakuja kukuua.”
Later on, I went to Shemaiah's house (he was the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel) who had shut himself in his house. He said: “Come and meet me at the house of God inside the Temple. Then we can bolt the Temple doors shut because they are coming to kill you! They're coming to kill you tonight!”
11 Nikajibu, “Je! Mtu kama mimi ninaweza kukimbia? Na mtu kama mimi ninaweza kuingia hekaluni ili nipate kuishi? Sitaingia.”
I replied, “Should someone like me run away? Should someone like me go and hide in the Temple so I can survive? I'm not going!”
12 Niligundua kwamba sio Mungu aliyemtuma, lakini alikuwa amefanya unabii dhidi yangu. Tobia na Sanbalati walimwajiri.
I thought about it and saw that God hadn't sent him, but that he had spoken this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
13 Walimpa kazi kunifanya niwe na hofu, ili nifanye kile alichosema na kutenda dhambi, hivyo wangeweza kunipa jina baya ili kuniaibisha.
They'd hired him thinking I'd be scared into doing something wrong. Then they'd be able to point the finger and ruin my reputation.
14 Mungu wangu, wakumbuke Tobia na Sanbalati, na yote waliyofanya. Pia mkumbuke nabii Noadia na manabii wengine ambao walijaribu kunifanya niogope.
My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for doing this, and Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets too who tried to frighten me.
15 Kwa hiyo ukuta ukamalizika siku ya ishirini na tano ya mwezi wa Eluli, baada ya siku hamsini na mbili.
The wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul. It took fifty-two days.
16 Adui zetu wote waliposikia hayo, mataifa yote yaliyotuzunguka, waliogopa na wakakata tamaa sana machoni pao wenyewe. Kwa maana walijua kazi hiyo ilifanyika kwa msaada wa Mungu wetu.
When all our enemies found out they were frightened; all the nations around were very discouraged, for they recognized that this had been done by our God.
17 Wakati huu wakuu wa Yuda walituma barua nyingi kwa Tobia, na barua za Tobia zikawajia.
At that time the nobles of Judah were exchanging many letters with Tobiah,
18 Kwa maana walikuwa wengi huko Yuda waliofungwa kwa kiapo chake, kwa sababu alikuwa mkwewe Shekania, mwana wa Ara. Mwanawe Yehohanani alikuwa amekuwa mkewe Meshulamu mwana wa Berekia.
because many people in Judah had sworn an oath of loyalty to him as he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah, son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan was married to the daughter of Meshullam, son of Berechiah.
19 Pia walizungumza nami kuhusu matendo yake mema na kumwambia maneno yangu. Barua zililetwa kwangu kutoka kwa Tobia kunitisha.
They kept on telling me all the good things Tobiah was doing, and they reported to him what I said. Tobiah also sent letters to try and scare me.
