Work is Hindered
1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;
Basi adui za Yuda na Benyamini, waliposikia ya kuwa wana wa uhamisho wanamjengea Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, hekalu,
2 then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do ; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.
wakamkaribia Zerubabeli, na wakuu wa mbari za mababa, wakawaambia, Na tujenge sisi nasi pamoja nanyi; kwa maana tunamtafuta Mungu wenu kama ninyi, nasi twamtolea dhabihu tangu zamani za Esar-hadoni, mfalme wa Ashuru, aliyetupandisha mpaka hapa.
3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
Lakini Zerubabeli, na Yoshua, na wakuu wengine wa mbari za mababa katika Israeli, wakawaambia, Ninyi haiwahusu kushirikiana nasi katika kumjengea Mungu wetu nyumba; bali sisi wenyewe peke yetu tutamjengea Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, nyumba, kama mfalme Koreshi, mfalme wa Uajemi, alivyotuamuru.
4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
Ndipo watu wa nchi wakaidhoofisha mikono ya watu wa Yuda, wakawasumbua, walipokuwa wakijenga.
5 and hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Wakawaajiri washauri juu yao, ili kuwapinga kusudi lao, siku zote za Koreshi, mfalme wa Uajemi, hata wakati wa kutawala kwake Dario, mfalme wa Uajemi.
6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
Tena, wakati wa kutawala kwake Ahasuero, mwanzo wa kutawala kwake, watu wakaandika mashitaka juu ya wenyeji wa Yuda na Yerusalemu.
7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.
Na tena, katika siku za Artashasta, Mithredathi, na Tabeeli na mabaki ya wenziwe, wakimwandikia Artashasta, mfalme wa Uajemi, salamu za heri; na mwandiko wa waraka huo, ukaandikwa kwa herufi za Kiaramu, na kunenwa kwa lugha ya Kiaramu.
8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
Nao Rehumu, Bwana shauri, na Shimshai, mwandishi, wakaandika waraka juu ya Yerusalemu kwa Artashasta, mfalme, kama hivi;
9 then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,
Rehumu, Bwana shauri, na Shimshai, mwandishi, na mabaki ya wenzao, makadhi wa Kiajemi na madiwani wa Kiajemi; na Waarkewi, Wababeli, Washushani, yaani, Waelami;
10 and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnapper brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.
na mabaki ya mataifa, ambao Asur-bani-pali mkuu, mwenye heshima, aliwavusha, na kuwakalisha katika mji wa Samaria, na mahali penginepo, ng'ambo ya Mto; wakadhalika.
11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.
Hii ndiyo nakili ya waraka waliyompelekea mfalme Artashasta; watumishi wako,watu walio ng`ambo ya mto wakadhalika.
12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof , and joined the foundations.
Ijulikane kwa mfalme ya kuwa Wayahudi, waliokwea kutoka kwako, wamefika kwetu Yerusalemu; nao wanaujenga ule mji mwasi, mbaya; wamemaliza kuta zake, na kuitengeneza misingi yake.
13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.
Basi, ijulikane kwa mfalme, ya kuwa mji huu ukijengwa, na kuta zake zikimalizika, hawatatoa kodi, wala ada, wala ushuru, na mwisho wake wafalme watapata hasara.
14 Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;
Na sisi, kwa kuwa tunakula chumvi ya nyumba ya mfalme, wala si wajibu wetu kumwona mfalme akivunjiwa heshima, basi tumetuma watu na kumwarifu mfalme.
15 that search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.
Ili habari zitafutwe katika kitabu cha tarehe za baba zako; ndivyo utakavyopata kujua kwa kitabu cha tarehe ya kuwa mji huo ni mji mwasi, wenye kuwadhuru wafalme, na maliwali, na ya kuwa wenyeji wake wamefanya fitina katika mji huo zamani; ndiyo sababu mji huo ukaangamizwa.
16 We certify the king that, if this city be builded again , and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
Twamwarifu mfalme ya kuwa mji huo ukijengwa, na kuta zake zikimalizika, hutakuwa na sehemu ya nchi ng'ambo ya Mto.
17 Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.
Ndipo mfalme akapeleka majibu; Kwa Rehumu, Bwana shauri, na Shimshai, mwandishi na wenzao wengine waliokaa katika Samaria, na penginepo ng`ambo ya mto, Salamu; wakadharika.
18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
Ule waraka mlionipelekea umesomwa mbele yangu, nami nikaelewa na maana yake.
19 And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.
Nikatoa amri, na watu wametafuta habari; ikaonekana ya kuwa mji huu zamani umefanya fitina juu ya wafalme, na ya kuwa uasi na fitina zimefanyika ndani yake.
20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
Tena walikuwako wafalme wakuu juu ya Yerusalemu, waliotawala nchi yote iliyo ng'ambo ya Mto; wakapewa kodi, na ada, na ushuru.
21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me.
Sasa toeni amri kuwakomesha watu hawa kazi yao, mji huu usijengwe, hata mimi nitakapotoa amri.
22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
Tena jihadharini, msilegee katika jambo hili; kwa nini madhara yazidi, na wafalme wapate hasara?
23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
Hata nakala ya waraka huo wa mfalme Artashasta uliposomwa mbele ya Rehumu, Bwana shauri, na Shimshai, mwandishi, na wenzao, wakaenda Yerusalemu upesi, kwa Wayahudi, wakawakomesha kwa nguvu na kwa kuwashurutisha.
24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Hivyo kazi ya nyumba ya Mungu iliyoko Yerusalemu ikakoma; nayo ikakoma hata mwaka wa pili wa kutawala kwake Dario, mfalme wa Uajemi.
