Ezra 4 – NEN & NIVUK

Kiswahili Contemporary Version (Neno: Bibilia Takatifu)

Ezra 4:1-24

Upinzani Kuhusu Ujenzi Mpya

1Adui za Yuda na Benyamini waliposikia kwamba watu waliorudi kutoka uhamishoni wanajenga Hekalu kwa ajili ya Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, 24:2 Es 8:17; 2Fal 17:24, 41; 19:37wakamjia Zerubabeli na viongozi wa jamaa, nao wakasema, “Turuhusuni tuwasaidie kujenga, kwa sababu sisi tunamtafuta Mungu wenu kama ninyi na tumekuwa tukimtolea dhabihu tangu wakati wa Esar-Hadoni mfalme wa Ashuru, aliyetuleta hapa.”

34:3 Yn 4:9; 2Nya 36:22-23; Ezr 1:1-4; 6:3; Isa 44:28; Neh 2:20; Mdo 8:21Lakini Zerubabeli, Yeshua na viongozi wengine wa jamaa ya Israeli wakawajibu, “Ninyi hamna sehemu nasi katika kujenga Hekalu la Mungu wetu. Sisi peke yetu tutajenga Hekalu kwa ajili ya Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, kama Mfalme Koreshi, mfalme wa Uajemi alivyotuagiza.”

44:4 Ezr 3:3; Yer 38:4; Isa 35:3-4Ndipo watu waliowazunguka wakajipanga kuwakatisha tamaa watu wa Yuda na kuwafanya waogope walipokuwa wakiendelea na ujenzi. 5Wakaajiri washauri kuwapinga katika kazi yao, nao wakaipinga mipango yao wakati wote wa utawala wa Koreshi mfalme wa Uajemi hadi wakati wa utawala wa Dario mfalme wa Uajemi.

Upinzani Mwingine Chini Ya Ahasuero Na Artashasta

64:6 Es 3:13; 9:5; Dan 9:1Mnamo mwanzo wa utawala wa Ahasuero, hao adui waliandika mashtaka dhidi ya watu wa Yuda na Yerusalemu.

74:7 Ezr 7:1; Isa 36:11; Neh 2:1Pia katika siku za utawala wa Artashasta mfalme wa Uajemi, Bishlamu, Mithredathi, Tabeeli pamoja na wenzao waliandika barua kwa Artashasta. Barua hiyo iliandikwa kwa mwandiko wa Kiaramu na katika lugha ya Kiaramu.

84:8 Za 112:6; Zek 1:14; Rum 8:28Rehumu afisa msimamizi na mwandishi Shimshai waliandika barua kwa Mfalme Artashasta dhidi ya watu wa Yerusalemu kama ifuatavyo:

94:9 Ezr 5:6; 2Fal 17:30, 31Rehumu afisa msimamizi na mwandishi Shimshai, pamoja na wenzao, yaani mahakimu na maafisa walio juu ya watu kuanzia Tripoli, Uajemi, Ereki na Babeli, Waelami wa Shushani, 104:10 Neh 4:2; Ezr 7:12na watu wengine ambao mheshimiwa Asur-Banipali4:10 Yaani Osnapali au Asnapali kwa Kiaramu. aliwahamisha na kuwakalisha katika mji wa Samaria na mahali pengine Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati.

11(Hii ndiyo nakala ya barua waliyompelekea.)

Kwa Mfalme Artashasta,

Kutoka kwa watumishi wako, watu wa Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati:

124:12 Amo 7:10; Lk 23:2; Mdo 24:5Yapasa Mfalme ajue kuwa Wayahudi waliopanda kuja kwetu kutoka kwenu, wamekwenda Yerusalemu nao wanaujenga upya ule mji wa uasi na uovu. Wanajenga kuta upya na kukarabati misingi yake.

134:13 Ezr 7:24; Neh 5:4; Mt 9:9Zaidi ya hayo, mfalme yampasa ajue kwamba kama mji huu ukijengwa na kuta zake zikafanywa upya, hakutakuwa na ulipaji wa kodi wala ada au ushuru, hivyo hazina za mfalme zitaathirika. 14Sisi sasa kwa kuwa tunawajibika kwa jumba la kifalme na kwamba siyo sawasawa kwetu kuona mfalme akidharauliwa, basi tunatuma ujumbe huu kumtaarifu mfalme, 154:15 Ezr 5:17; Es 3:8; Mdo 17:6-7ili kwamba ufanyike uchunguzi kwenye kumbukumbu ya maandishi ya waliokutangulia. Katika kumbukumbu hizi utagundua kwamba mji huu ni wa maasi, unaowataabisha wafalme na majimbo, ni mahali pa maasi tangu zamani. Ndiyo maana mji huu uliharibiwa. 16Tunamjulisha mfalme kwamba kama mji huu ukijengwa na kuta zake zikifanywa upya, hutabakiwa na chochote Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati.

17Mfalme alirudisha jibu hili:

Kwa Rehumu, afisa msimamizi, mwandishi Shimshai na wenzenu wote wanaoishi katika Samaria na penginepo Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati:

Salamu.

18Barua mliyotutumia imesomwa na kutafsiriwa mbele yangu. 194:19 2Fal 18:7Nilitoa amri na uchunguzi ukafanyika na imegundulika kwamba mji huu una historia ndefu ya maasi dhidi ya wafalme na pamekuwa mahali pa maasi na uchochezi. 204:20 Mwa 15:18-21; Kut 23:31; Za 72:8; 1Nya 18:3Yerusalemu umepata kuwa na wafalme wenye nguvu wakitawala nchi yote iliyo Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati, wakitoza kodi, ada na ushuru huko. 21Kwa hiyo toeni amri kwa watu hawa wasimamishe ujenzi, ili kwamba mji huu usiendelee kujengwa hadi nitakapoagiza. 224:22 Dan 6:2Mwe waangalifu msipuuze jambo hili. Kwa nini kuruhusu tishio hili kuendelea na kusababisha hasara kwa ufalme?

234:23 Mit 4:16Mara waliposomewa nakala ya barua ya Mfalme Artashasta, Rehumu na Shimshai aliyekuwa mwandishi na wenzao, walikwenda mara moja kwa Wayahudi huko Yerusalemu na kuwalazimisha kwa nguvu kusimamisha ujenzi.

244:24 Dan 9:25; Ay 20:5Hivyo kazi ya ujenzi wa nyumba ya Mungu huko Yerusalemu ikasimamishwa kabisa hadi mwaka wa pili wa utawala wa Dario mfalme wa Uajemi.

New International Version – UK

Ezra 4:1-24

Opposition to the rebuilding

1When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 2they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, ‘Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.’

3But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, ‘You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.’

4Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.4:4 Or and troubled them as they built 5They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Later opposition under Xerxes and Artaxerxes

6At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes,4:6 Hebrew Ahasuerus they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.

7And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language.4:7 Or written in Aramaic and translated4:7 The text of 4:8–6:18 is in Aramaic.

8Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:

9Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with the rest of their associates – the judges, officials and administrators over the people from Persia, Uruk and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa, 10and the other people whom the great and honourable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates.

11(This is a copy of the letter they sent him.)

To King Artaxerxes,

From your servants, the men of Trans-Euphrates:

12The king should know that the people who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.

13Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.4:13 The meaning of the Aramaic for this clause is uncertain. 14Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonoured, we are sending this message to inform the king, 15so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place with a long history of sedition. That is why this city was destroyed. 16We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.

17The king sent this reply:

To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates:

Greetings.

18The letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence. 19I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition. 20Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them. 21Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order. 22Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?

23As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.

24Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.