< 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,
And it cometh to pass, when it hath been heard by Sanballat, and Tobiah, and by Geshem the Arabian, and by the rest of our enemies, that I have builded the wall, and there hath not been left in it a breach, (also, till that time the doors I had not set up in the gates, )
2 Sanbalati na Geshemu akatuma wajumbe akasema, “Njoni, tukutane pamoja mahali fulani katika tambarare ya Ono.” Lakini walitaka kunidhuru.
that Sanballat sendeth, also Geshem, unto me, saying, 'Come and we meet together in the villages, in the valley of Ono;' and they are thinking to do to me evil.
3 Niliwatuma wajumbe kwao, nikasema, “Ninafanya kazi kubwa na siwezi kushuka. Kwa nini kazi isimame wakati nitakapoondoka na kuja kwako?”
And I send unto them messengers, saying, 'A great work I am doing, and I am not able to come down; why doth the work cease when I let it alone, and have come down unto you?'
4 Walituma ujumbe huo huo mara nne, na mimi niliwajibu vile vile kila wakati.
and they send unto me, according to this word, four times, and I return them [word] according to this word.
5 Sanbalati alimtuma mtumishi wake kwangu kwa njia ile ile mara ya tano, na barua iliyo wazi mkononi mwake.
And Sanballat sendeth unto me, according to this word, a fifth time, his servant, and 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.
it is written in it, 'Among the nations it hath been heard, and Gashmu is saying: Thou and the Jews are thinking to rebel, therefore thou art building the wall, and thou hast been to them for a king — according to these words!
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 also, prophets thou hast appointed to call for thee in Jerusalem, saying, A king [is] in Judah, and now it is heard by the king according to these words; and now come, and we take counsel together.'
8 Kisha nikamtuma neno nikisema, “mambo kama hayo hayajafanyika kama unavyosema, kwa maana ndani ya moyo wako umeyabuni.”
And I send unto him, saying, 'It hath not been according to these words that thou art saying, for from thine own heart thou art devising them;'
9 Kwa maana wote walitaka kututisha, wakifikiri, “Wataacha mikono yao kufanya kazi hiyo, na haitafanyika.” Lakini sasa, Mungu, tafadhali imarisha mikono yangu.
for all of them are making us afraid, saying, 'Their hands are too feeble for the work, and it is not done;' and now, strengthen Thou 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.”
And I have entered the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabeel — and he is restrained — and he saith, 'Let us meet at the house of God, at the inside of the temple, and we shut the doors of the temple, for they are coming in to slay thee — yea, by night they are coming in to slay thee.'
11 Nikajibu, “Je! Mtu kama mimi ninaweza kukimbia? Na mtu kama mimi ninaweza kuingia hekaluni ili nipate kuishi? Sitaingia.”
And I say, 'A man such as I — doth he flee? and who as I, that doth go in unto the temple, and live? — I do not go in.'
12 Niligundua kwamba sio Mungu aliyemtuma, lakini alikuwa amefanya unabii dhidi yangu. Tobia na Sanbalati walimwajiri.
And I discern, and lo, God hath not sent him, for in the prophecy he hath spoken unto me both Tobiah and Sanballat hired him,
13 Walimpa kazi kunifanya niwe na hofu, ili nifanye kile alichosema na kutenda dhambi, hivyo wangeweza kunipa jina baya ili kuniaibisha.
so that he [is] an hireling, that I may fear and do so, and I had sinned, and it had been to them for an evil name that they may reproach me.
14 Mungu wangu, wakumbuke Tobia na Sanbalati, na yote waliyofanya. Pia mkumbuke nabii Noadia na manabii wengine ambao walijaribu kunifanya niogope.
Be mindful, O my God, of Tobiah, and of Sanballat, according to these his works, and also, of Noadiah the prophetess, and of the rest of the prophets who have been making me afraid.
15 Kwa hiyo ukuta ukamalizika siku ya ishirini na tano ya mwezi wa Eluli, baada ya siku hamsini na mbili.
And the wall is completed in the twenty and fifth of Elul, on the fifty and second day;
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.
and it cometh to pass, when all our enemies have heard, and all the nations who are round about us see, that they fall greatly in their own eyes, and know that by our God hath this work been done.
17 Wakati huu wakuu wa Yuda walituma barua nyingi kwa Tobia, na barua za Tobia zikawajia.
Also, in those days the freemen of Judah are multiplying their letters going unto Tobiah, and those of Tobiah are coming in unto 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 many in Judah are sworn to him, for he [is] son-in-law to Shechaniah son of Arah, and Jehohanan his son hath taken 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.
also, his good deeds they have been saying before me, and my words they have been taking out to him; letters hath Tobiah sent to make me afraid.