1
Ikawa baada ya mambo hayo, wakati wa kutawala kwake Artashasta, mfalme wa Uajemi, Ezra, mwana wa Seraya, mwana wa Azaria, mwana wa Hilkia,
Many years later, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
2
mwana wa Shalumu, mwana wa Sadoki, mwana wa Ahitubu,
the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
3
mwana wa Amaria, mwana wa Azaria, mwana wa Merayothi,
the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
4
mwana wa Zerahia, mwana wa Uzi, mwana wa Buki,
the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
5
mwana wa Abishua, mwana wa Finehasi, mwana wa Eleazari, mwana wa Haruni, kuhani mkuu;
the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—
6
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.
this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted Ezra all his requests, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.
7
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.
So in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, he went up to Jerusalem with some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants.
8
Naye Ezra akafika Yerusalemu mwezi wa tano katika mwaka wa saba wa huyo mfalme.
Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king.
9
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.
He had begun the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him.
10
Kwa maana huyo Ezra alikuwa ameuelekeza moyo wake kuitafuta sheria ya Bwana, na kuitenda, na kufundisha maagizo na hukumu katika Israeli.
For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.
11
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.
This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in the commandments and statutes of the LORD to Israel:
12
Artashasta, mfalme wa wafalme, kwa Ezra, kuhani, mwandishi wa torati ya Mungu wa mbinguni, salamu kamili; wakadhalika.
Artaxerxes, king of kings. To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.
13
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.
I hereby decree that any volunteers among the Israelites in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may go up with you to Jerusalem.
14
Kwa kuwa umetumwa na mfalme, na washauri wake saba, ili kuuliza habari za Yuda na Yerusalemu, kwa sheria ya Mungu wako iliyo mkononi mwako;
You are sent by the king and his seven counselors to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.
15
na kuichukua fedha na dhahabu, ambayo mfalme, na washauri wake, kwa hiari yao, wamemtolea Mungu wa Israeli, akaaye Yerusalemu;
Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
16
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.
together with all the silver and gold you may find in all the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem.
17
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.
With this money, therefore, you are to buy as many bulls, rams, and lambs as needed, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem.
18
Na neno lo lote mtakaloona vema kulitenda, wewe na ndugu zako, kwa ile fedha na dhahabu itakayobaki, hilo litendeni, kama apendavyo Mungu wenu.
You and your brothers may do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God.
19
Na vile vyombo upewavyo kwa huduma ya nyumba ya Mungu wako, virejeze mbele za Mungu wa Yerusalemu.
You must deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God.
20
Na cho chote kitakachohitajiwa zaidi, kwa ajili ya nyumba ya Mungu wako, kitakachokupasa kukitoa, kitoe katika nyumba ya hazina ya mfalme.
And if anything else is needed for the house of your God that you may have occasion to supply, you may pay for it from the royal treasury.
21
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,
I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers west of the Euphrates: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it must be provided promptly,
22
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.
up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit.
23
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?
Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for His house. For why should wrath fall on the realm of the king and his sons?
24
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.
And be advised that you have no authority to impose tribute, duty, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
25
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.
And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God, which you possess, are to appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people west of the Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach these laws to anyone who does not know them.
26
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.
If anyone does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let a strict judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.
27
Na ahimidiwe Bwana, Mungu wa baba zetu, aliyetia neno kama hilo katika moyo wa mfalme, kuipamba nyumba ya Bwana iliyoko Yerusalemu.
Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put into the heart of the king to so honor the house of the LORD in Jerusalem,
28
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. </p>
and who has shown me favor before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officials. And because the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, I took courage and gathered the leaders of Israel to return with me.