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,
Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that there were no longer any sections left broken open, although I had not yet set up the doors in the gates,
2 Sanbalati na Geshemu akatuma wajumbe akasema, “Njoni, tukutane pamoja mahali fulani katika tambarare ya Ono.” Lakini walitaka kunidhuru.
Sanballat and Geshem sent to me saying, “Come, let us meet together somewhere in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do harm to me.
3 Niliwatuma wajumbe kwao, nikasema, “Ninafanya kazi kubwa na siwezi kushuka. Kwa nini kazi isimame wakati nitakapoondoka na kuja kwako?”
I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”
4 Walituma ujumbe huo huo mara nne, na mimi niliwajibu vile vile kila wakati.
They sent me the same message four times, and I answered them the same way each time.
5 Sanbalati alimtuma mtumishi wake kwangu kwa njia ile ile mara ya tano, na barua iliyo wazi mkononi mwake.
Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand.
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.
In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel, for that is why you are rebuilding the wall. From what these reports say, you are about to become their king.
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.
You have also appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem, saying, 'There is a king in Judah!' You can be sure the king will hear these reports. Therefore come, let us speak with one another.”
8 Kisha nikamtuma neno nikisema, “mambo kama hayo hayajafanyika kama unavyosema, kwa maana ndani ya moyo wako umeyabuni.”
Then I sent word to him saying, “No such things have occurred as you say, for within your heart you invented them.”
9 Kwa maana wote walitaka kututisha, wakifikiri, “Wataacha mikono yao kufanya kazi hiyo, na haitafanyika.” Lakini sasa, Mungu, tafadhali imarisha mikono yangu.
For they all wanted to make us afraid, thinking, “They will drop their hands from doing the work, and it will not be done.” But now, God, please strengthen my hands.
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.”
I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah son of Mehetabel, who was confined in his home. He said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. At night they are coming to kill you.”
11 Nikajibu, “Je! Mtu kama mimi ninaweza kukimbia? Na mtu kama mimi ninaweza kuingia hekaluni ili nipate kuishi? Sitaingia.”
I replied, “Would a man like me run away? Would a man like me go into the temple just so he could save his own life? I will not go in!”
12 Niligundua kwamba sio Mungu aliyemtuma, lakini alikuwa amefanya unabii dhidi yangu. Tobia na Sanbalati walimwajiri.
I realized that it was not God who sent him, but that he had prophesied against me. 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 hired him to make me afraid, so that I might do what he said and sin, so they could give me a bad name in order to humiliate me.
14 Mungu wangu, wakumbuke Tobia na Sanbalati, na yote waliyofanya. Pia mkumbuke nabii Noadia na manabii wengine ambao walijaribu kunifanya niogope.
Call to mind Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, and all that they did. Also call to mind the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who tried to make me be afraid.
15 Kwa hiyo ukuta ukamalizika siku ya ishirini na tano ya mwezi wa Eluli, baada ya siku hamsini na mbili.
So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul, after 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 heard of it, all the nations around us, they became afraid and they fell greatly in their own eyes. For they knew the work was done with the help of our God.
17 Wakati huu wakuu wa Yuda walituma barua nyingi kwa Tobia, na barua za Tobia zikawajia.
At this time the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them.
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.
For there were many in Judah who were bound by an oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah. His son Jehohanan had taken as his wife 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 also spoke to me about his good deeds and reported my words back to him. Letters were sent to me from Tobiah to frighten me.
