1
Lakini ikawa, Sanbalati aliposikia ya kwamba tulikuwa tukiujenga ukuta, akaghadhibika, akaingiwa na uchungu sana, akawadhihaki Wayahudi.
Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews
2
Akanena mbele ya nduguze na mbele ya jeshi la Samaria, akisema, Wayahudi hawa wanyonge wanafanyaje? Je! Watajifanyizia boma? Watatoa dhabihu? Au watamaliza katika siku moja? Je! Watayafufua mawe katika chungu hizi za kifusi, nayo yameteketezwa kwa moto?
before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?”
3
Basi Tobia, Mwamoni, alikuwa karibu naye, akasema, Hata hiki wanachokijenga, angepanda mbweha, angeubomoa ukuta wao wa mawe.
Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!”
4
Sikia, Ee Mungu wetu; maana tunadharauliwa; ukawarudishie mashutumu yao juu ya vichwa vyao, ukawatoe watekwe katika nchi ya uhamisho;
Hear us, O God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn back upon their own heads, and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity.
5
wala usiusitiri uovu wao, wala isifutwe dhambi yao, mbele zako; kwa maana wamekukasirisha mbele ya hao wanaojenga.
Do not cover up their iniquity or let their sin be blotted out from Your sight, for they have provoked the builders.
6
Basi tukaujenga ukuta; nao ukuta wote ukaungamanishwa kiasi cha nusu ya kimo chake; maana watu walikuwa na moyo wa kufanya kazi.
So we rebuilt the wall until all of it was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
7
Lakini ikawa, Sanbalati, na Tobia, na Waarabu, na Waamoni, na Waashdodi, waliposikia ya kuwa kazi ya kuzitengeneza kuta za Yerusalemu inaendelea, na ya kuwa mahali palipobomoka panaanza kuzibwa, basi wakaghadhibika mno;
When Sanballat and Tobiah, together with the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they were furious,
8
wakafanya shauri wote pamoja kuja kupigana na Yerusalemu, na kufanya machafuko humo.
and all of them conspired to come and fight against Jerusalem and create a hindrance.
9
Bali sisi tulimwomba dua Mungu wetu, tena tukaweka walinzi, mchana na usiku, kwa sababu yao, ili kuwapinga.
So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night.
10
Wakasema Yuda, Nguvu zao wachukuao mizigo zimedhoofika, na kifusi tele zipo; tusiweze kuujenga ukuta.
Meanwhile, the people of Judah said: “The strength of the laborer fails, and there is so much rubble that we will never be able to rebuild the wall.”
11
Nao adui zetu wakasema, Hawatajua wala kuona, hata tutakapokuja kati yao, na kuwaua, na kuikomesha kazi hiyo.
And our enemies said, “Before they know or see a thing, we will come into their midst, kill them, and put an end to the work.”
12
Kisha ikawa, Wayahudi walipokuja, wale waliokaa karibu nao, wakatuambia mara kumi, Kutoka kila mahali mtakaporejea watatushambulia.
At that time the Jews who lived nearby came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
13
Basi, nikaweka watu, mahali pa chini pa nafasi iliyokuwa nyuma ya ukuta, mahali palipokuwa wazi, kwa kadiri ya jamaa zao, nikawaweka wenye panga zao, na mikuki yao, na pinde zao.
So I stationed men behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows.
14
Nikatazama, nikaondoka, nikawaambia wakuu, na mashehe, na watu wengine waliobaki, Msiwaogope; mkumbukeni Bwana, aliye mkuu mwenye kuogofya, mkawapiganie ndugu zenu, na wana wenu, na binti zenu, na wake zenu, na nyumba zenu.
After I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
15
Kisha ikawa, adui zetu waliposikia ya kuwa tumekwisha kupata habari, na ya kuwa Mungu amelibatilisha shauri lao, ndipo sisi sote tukarudi ukutani, kila mtu kwa kazi yake.
When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall.
16
Ikawa tokea wakati huo, nusu ya watumishi wangu walitumika katika kazi hiyo, na nusu yao wakaishika mikuki, na ngao, na pinde, na darii; na maakida walikuwa nyuma ya nyumba yote ya Yuda.
And from that day on, half of my servants did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers stationed themselves behind all the people of Judah
17
Watu wale walioujenga ukuta, na wale waliochukua mizigo, walijitweka wenyewe, kila mtu alifanya kazi kwa mkono mmoja, na kwa mkono wake wa pili alishika silaha yake;
who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.
18
nao wajenzi, kila mtu alikuwa na upanga wake, umefungwa ubavuni mwake, ndivyo alivyojenga. Na yeye aliyepiga baragumu alikuwa karibu na mimi.
And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me.
19
Nikawaambia wakuu, na mashehe na watu wengine; Kazi hii ni nyingi, tena kubwa, nasi tumetawanyika juu ya ukuta, kila mtu mbali na mwenzake;
Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “The work is great and extensive, and we are spread out far from one another along the wall.
20
basi mahali po pote mtakaposikia sauti ya baragumu, enendeni huko, mkatujie; Mungu wetu atatupigania.
Wherever you hear the sound of the horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!”
21
Hivyo tukajitia katika kazi hiyo; na nusu yao waliishika mikuki, tangu alfajiri hata nyota zikatokea.
So we continued the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.
22
Kadhalika, wakati ule ule, nikawaambia watu, Kila mtu na akae ndani ya Yerusalemu pamoja na mtumishi wake, wapate kuwa walinzi wetu wakati wa usiku, na kufanya kazi wakati wa mchana.
At that time I also said to the people, “Let every man and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.”
23
Basi mimi, na ndugu zangu, na watumishi wangu, na watu wa ulinzi walionifuata, hatukuvua nguo zetu hata mmoja; kila mtu alikwenda kuteka maji akichukua silaha yake.
So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the guards with me changed out of our clothes; each carried his weapon, even to go for water.