Ezra 4

1 Mgbe ndị iro Juda na Benjamin nụrụ na ndị ahụ a dọtara nʼagha alọtala, nụkwa na ha na-ewugharị ụlọnsọ ukwu Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel,

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple unto the LORD, the God of Israel;

2 ha bịakwutere Zerubabel na ndịisi ezinaụlọ sị ha, “Kwerenụ ka anyị nyere unu aka nʼọrụ iwu ụlọ a, nʼihi na anyị hụrụ Chineke unu nʼanya dịka unu onwe unu si hụ ya nʼanya. Lee na kemgbe Isahadon eze Asịrịa butere anyị nʼebe a, anyị alabeghị azụ ịchụrụ ya aja.”

then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers' houses, 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 Assyria, who brought us up hither.'

3 Ma Zerubabel, na Jeshua na ndịisi ọzọ zara sị ha, “Unu enweghị oke ọbụla nʼọrụ iwuru Chineke anyị ụlọnsọ. Naanị ndị anyị ga-ewuru Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel ụlọ ukwu a dịka Sairọs eze Peshịa nyere nʼiwu.”

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses of Israel, said unto them: 'Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.'

4 Ya mere ndị niile nọ ha gburugburu malitere ime ihe ga-ewetara ndị Juda ịda mba nʼobi, na ihe ga-eme ka ụjọ tụọ ha ịga nʼihu nʼọrụ iwu ụlọ ahụ.

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and harried them while they were building,

5 Ha ji ngarị gota ụfọdụ ndịisi ka ha megide ha, mebikwaa atụmatụ ha niile nʼoge niile Sairọs bụ eze Peshịa, ruokwa nʼoge Daraiọs ghọrọ eze ọhụrụ Peshịa.

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.

6 Na mmalite ọchịchị Sekses, ha deere ya akwụkwọ ebubo megide ndị Juda na Jerusalem.

And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 Nʼụbọchị niile ahụ Ataksekses bụ eze ndị Peshịa, ka Bishlam, na Mitredat, na Tabeel, na ndị otu ya fọdụrụ degaara Ataksekses akwụkwọ. E dere akwụkwọ ozi ahụ nʼodide akwụkwọ ndị Aramaik, a sụgharịkwara ya nʼasụsụ Aramaik.

And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Aramaic character, and set forth in the Aramaic tongue.

8 Ndị ọzọ soro ha gbaa ajọ izu a bụ Rehum onyeisi ọchịchị, na Shimshai ode akwụkwọ. Ha deere Ataksekses akwụkwọ megide ndị Jerusalem sị ya:

Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort —

9 “Akwụkwọ ozi a si nʼaka Rehum, onyeisi agha na Shimshai ode akwụkwọ, na ndị otu anyị ndị ọzọ, na ndị ikpe, na ndịisi obodo na-elekọta ndị ahụ niile si Tripolis, na Peshịa, na Erek, na Babilọn, na Susa nke dị nʼElam,

then wrote Rehum the commander, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinites, and the Apharesattechites, the Tarpelites, the Apharesites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehites, the Elamites,

10 na ọtụtụ ndị ọzọ ahụ onye ukwu ahụ na onye a na-asọpụrụ bụ Ashobanipal si nʼala ha bupụ bute na Sameria, na obodo ndị ọzọ dị nʼọdịda anyanwụ Yufretis.”

and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asenappar brought over, and set in the city of Samaria, and the rest that are in the country beyond the River: — 'And now —

11 Nke a bụ ihe ha dere nʼakwụkwọ ha zigaara Eze Ataksekses. Ọ bụ gị, eze ukwu Ataksekses, ka ndị ohu gị bi nʼakụkụ ọdịda anyanwụ Yufretis na-edetara akwụkwọ a.

this is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king — thy servants the men beyond the River — and now

12 Nke a bụ ime ka ị mata na ndị Juu si Babilọn lọta Jerusalem ọhụrụ a ebidola iwughachi obodo ọjọọ nke nnupu isi ahụ. Ha ewuolarị mgbidi ya, tọkwaa ntọala ya.

be it known unto the king, that the Jews that came up from thee are come to us unto Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and have finished the walls, and are digging out the foundations.

13 Anyị chọrọ ka o doo gị anya na ọ bụrụ na ha ewuchaa ya, ọ ga-abụ nsogbu nye alaeze gị, nʼihi na ndị Juu agaghị ekwekwa ịtụrụ gị ụtụ isi ha.

Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, impost, or toll, and so thou wilt endamage the revenue of the kings.

14 Ebe anyị na-asọpụrụ gị dịka nna anyị ukwu, anyị achọghị ka ihe ọjọọ mee nʼalaeze gị, ya mere anyị ji kpebie idere gị akwụkwọ a.

Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and announced to the king,

15 Anyị chọrọ ka i leba anya nʼakwụkwọ akụkọ nke mgbe ochie, ka ị chọpụta na ọ dịghị mgbe Jerusalem na-ejighị bụrụ obodo nnupu isi. Nʼezie, ọ bụ nʼihi nnupu isi a na nkwulu nke ha na-ekwulu ndị eze dị iche iche, ka e ji bibie ya na mbụ.

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 laid waste.

16 Anyị chọrọ ka ị mata na ọ bụrụ na e wuchaa mgbidi obodo a, ọ ga-esi ike ka akụkụ alaeze gị a, nke dị ruo nʼosimiri Yufretis, bụrụkwa nke gị ọzọ.

We announce to the king that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, by this means thou shalt have no portion beyond the River.'

17 Eze ahụ si otu a saa akwụkwọ ahụ, Ọ sịrị ha, Rehum onyeisi ọchịchị, na Shimshai ode akwụkwọ, na ndị otu ha bi na Sameria ruo nʼọdịda anyanwụ nke osimiri Yufretis. Ndeewonụ.

Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the commander, 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 now

18 Akwụkwọ ozi ahụ unu zitere anyị, agụọla ma tapịakwaa ya nʼihu m.

the letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.

19 Enyere m iwu ka e nyochaa chọpụta, e mere nyochaa, a chọpụtakwara ya nʼakwụkwọ na obodo a siterị nʼoge gara aga bụ obodo na-ebuli onwe ya megide ọtụtụ ndị eze, bụrụkwa ebe na-akpali nnupu isi na okwu na-eweta ọgbaaghara.

And I decreed, 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.

20 Jerusalem e nweela ụfọdụ ndị eze nke chịrị nʼIzrel, ndị dị ike a maara aha ha, ndị alaeze ha gbasara rute nʼosimiri Yufretis, ndị a na-atụkwara ụtụ dị iche iche.

There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, impost, and toll, was paid unto them.

21 Ugbu a, nye iwu ka ndị ikom ndị ahụ kwụsị ọrụ, ka a ghara iwuzi obodo a tutu ruo mgbe m ga-enye iwu.

Make ye now a decree to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until a decree shall be made by me.

22 Lezienụ anya ka unu ghara i lepụrụ okwu a anya. Gịnị ga-eme ka a hapụ ihe iyi egwu a ka ọ gaa nʼihu, ime ka ihe jọrọ alaeze a njọ karịa?

And take heed that ye be not slack herein; why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?'

23 Ngwangwa a gụrụ akwụkwọ ozi si nʼaka eze Ataksekses, nye Rehum na Shimshai bụ ode akwụkwọ, na ndị otu ha, ha mere ọsịịsọ gakwuru ndị Juu na Jerusalem jiri ike kwagide ha ka ha kwụsị ịrụ ọrụ ahụ.

Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

24 Ya mere, ha kwụsịrị ịrụ ọrụ nʼụlọnsọ ukwu Chineke na Jerusalem tutu ruo nʼafọ abụọ nke ọchịchị Daraiọs eze Peshịa.

Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.