Ezra
1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
Ikawa baada ya mambo hayo, wakati wa kutawala kwake Artashasta, mfalme wa Uajemi, Ezra, mwana wa Seraya, mwana wa Azaria, mwana wa Hilkia,
2 the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
mwana wa Shalumu, mwana wa Sadoki, mwana wa Ahitubu,
3 the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
mwana wa Amaria, mwana wa Azaria, mwana wa Merayothi,
4 the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
mwana wa Zerahia, mwana wa Uzi, mwana wa Buki,
5 the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:
mwana wa Abishua, mwana wa Finehasi, mwana wa Eleazari, mwana wa Haruni, kuhani mkuu;
6 this Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
huyo Ezra akakwea kutoka Babeli; naye alikuwa mwandishi mwepesi katika sheria ya Musa, aliyokuwa ameitoa Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli; naye mfalme akamjalia matakwa yake yote, kama mkono wa Bwana, Mungu wake, ulivyokuwa pamoja naye.
7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
Nao wakakwea baadhi ya wana wa Israeli, na wa makuhani, na wa Walawi, na waimbaji, na mabawabu, na Wanethini, ili kwenda Yerusalemu, katika mwaka wa saba wa mfalme Artashasta.
8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
Naye Ezra akafika Yerusalemu mwezi wa tano katika mwaka wa saba wa huyo mfalme.
9 For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.
Maana alianza kukwea kutoka Babeli siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa kwanza, naye akafika Yerusalemu siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa tano, kama mkono mwema wa Mungu wake ulivyokuwa pamoja naye.
10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it , and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
Kwa maana huyo Ezra alikuwa ameuelekeza moyo wake kuitafuta sheria ya Bwana, na kuitenda, na kufundisha maagizo na hukumu katika Israeli.
Letter of Authority
11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.
Basi hii ndiyo nakala ya waraka, mfalme Artashasta aliyompa Ezra, kuhani, mwandishi, naam, mwandishi wa maneno ya amri za Bwana, na wa sheria zake alizowapa Israeli.
12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace , and at such a time.
Artashasta, mfalme wa wafalme, kwa Ezra, kuhani, mwandishi wa torati ya Mungu wa mbinguni, salamu kamili; wakadhalika.
13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.
Natoa amri ya kwamba wote walio wa watu wa Israeli, na makuhani wao, na Walawi, katika ufalme wangu, wenye nia ya kwenda Yerusalemu kwa hiari yao wenyewe, waende pamoja nawe.
14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;
Kwa kuwa umetumwa na mfalme, na washauri wake saba, ili kuuliza habari za Yuda na Yerusalemu, kwa sheria ya Mungu wako iliyo mkononi mwako;
15 and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,
na kuichukua fedha na dhahabu, ambayo mfalme, na washauri wake, kwa hiari yao, wamemtolea Mungu wa Israeli, akaaye Yerusalemu;
16 and all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:
na fedha yote na dhahabu utakayoona katika wilaya ya Babeli, pamoja na vitu watakavyotoa watu kwa hiari yao, na vitu vya makuhani walivyotoa kwa hiari yao, kwa ajili ya nyumba ya Mungu wao iliyoko Yerusalemu.
17 that thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
Kwa sababu hiyo ujitahidi kununua kwa fedha hiyo mafahali, kondoo waume, wana-kondoo, pamoja na sadaka zao za unga, na sadaka zao za kinywaji; nawe utazitoa juu ya madhabahu ya nyumba ya Mungu wenu, iliyoko Yerusalemu.
18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.
Na neno lo lote mtakaloona vema kulitenda, wewe na ndugu zako, kwa ile fedha na dhahabu itakayobaki, hilo litendeni, kama apendavyo Mungu wenu.
19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.
Na vile vyombo upewavyo kwa huduma ya nyumba ya Mungu wako, virejeze mbele za Mungu wa Yerusalemu.
20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house.
Na cho chote kitakachohitajiwa zaidi, kwa ajili ya nyumba ya Mungu wako, kitakachokupasa kukitoa, kitoe katika nyumba ya hazina ya mfalme.
21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,
Na mimi, naam mimi, mfalme Artashasta, nawapa amri wote wenye kutunza hazina, walio ng'ambo ya Mto, ya kwamba, kila neno ambalo Ezra, kuhani, mwandishi wa torati ya Mungu wa mbinguni, atalitaka kwenu, na litendeke kwa bidii nyingi,
22 unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much .
hata kiasi cha talanta mia za fedha, na vipimo mia vya ngano, na bathi mia za divai, na bathi mia za mafuta, na chumvi bila kuuliza kiasi chake.
23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
Kila neno litakaloamriwa na Mungu wa mbinguni, na litendeke halisi kwa ajili ya nyumba ya Mungu wa mbinguni. Kwa nini itokee ghadhabu juu ya ufalme wa mfalme na wanawe?
24 Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
Tena twawaarifuni ya kuwa katika habari ya makuhani, na Walawi, na waimbaji, na mabawabu na Wanethini, au watumishi wa nyumba hii ya Mungu, si halali kuwatoza kodi, wala ada, wala ushuru.
25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not.
Na wewe, Ezra, kwa kadiri ya hekima ya Mungu wako iliyo mkononi mwako, waweke waamuzi na makadhi, watakaowahukumu watu wote walio ng'ambo ya Mto, yaani, wote wenye kuzijua amri za Mungu wako; ukamfundishe yeye asiyezijua.
26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
Na kila mtu asiyekubali kuitenda sheria ya Mungu wako, na sheria ya mfalme, na apatilizwe hukumu kwa bidii, kwamba ni kuuawa, au kwamba ni kuhamishwa, au kuondolewa mali yake, au kufungwa.
27 Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem:
Na ahimidiwe Bwana, Mungu wa baba zetu, aliyetia neno kama hilo katika moyo wa mfalme, kuipamba nyumba ya Bwana iliyoko Yerusalemu.
28 and hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
Naye amenifikilizia rehema zake mbele ya mfalme, na washauri wake, na mbele ya wakuu wote wa mfalme wenye mamlaka. Nami nikatiwa nguvu, kwa kadiri mkono wa Bwana, Mungu wangu, ulivyokuwa pamoja nami, nikawakusanya wakuu wote katika Israeli, ili wakwee pamoja nami.
