Nehemiah 5
1 Now there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
Kisha wale wanaume na wake zao wakalia kwa nguvu dhidi ya Wayahudi wenzao.
2 And there were some that said: Our sons and our daughters are very many: Yet us take up corn for the price of them, and let us eat and live.
Kwa maana kulikuwa na baadhi ya watu ambao walisema, “Sisi na wana wetu na binti zetu tupo wengi. Basi hebu tupate nafaka tuweze kula na tukae tuishi.”
3 And there were some that said: Let us mortgage our lands, and our vineyards, and our houses, and let us take corn because of the famine.
Pia kulikuwa na baadhi ya watu ambao walisema, “Tunaweka rehani mashamba yetu, mizabibu yetu, na nyumba zetu ili tupate nafaka wakati wa njaa.”
4 And others said: Let us borrow money for the king’s tribute, and let us give up our fields and vineyards:
Wengine pia walisema, “Tumekopesha pesa kulipa kodi ya mfalme kwenye mashamba yetu na mashamba yetu ya mizabibu.
5 And now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren: and our children as their children. Behold we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters, and some of our daughters are bondwomen already, neither have we wherewith to redeem them, and our fields and our vineyards other men possess.
Hata hivyo sasa miili yetu na damu ni sawa na ndugu zetu, na watoto wetu ni sawa na watoto wao. Tunalazimishwa kuuza wana wetu na binti zetu kuwa watumwa. Baadhi ya binti zetu tayari wamekuwa watumwa. Lakini hatuna nguvu za kusaidia kwa sababu watu wengine sasa wana mashamba yetu na mizabibu yetu.”
6 And I was exceedingly angry when I heard their cry according to these words.
Nilikasirika sana niliposikia kilio chao na maneno haya.
7 And my heart thought with myself: and I rebuked the nobles and magistrates, and said to them: Do you every one exact usury of your brethren? And I gathered together a great assembly against them,
Kisha nikafikiri juu ya hili, na kuleta mashtaka dhidi ya wakuu na viongozi. Nikawaambia, “Ninyi mnatafuta riba, kila mmoja kutoka kwa ndugu yake mwenyewe.” Nikakutanisha kusanyiko kubwa juu yao
8 And I said to them: We, as you know, have redeemed according to our ability our brethren the Jews, that were sold to the Gentiles: and will you then sell your brethren, for us to redeem them? And they held their peace, and found not what to answer.
na kuwaambia, “Sisi, kwa kadiri tulivyoweza, tumewakomboa toka utumwani ndugu zetu wa Kiyahudi ambao walikuwa wameuzwa kwa mataifa, lakini hata mnawauza ndugu na dada zenu ili wauzwe tena kwetu!” Walikuwa kimya na hawakupata neno la kusema.
9 And I said to them: The thing you do is not good: why walk you not in the fear of our God, that we be not exposed to the reproaches of the Gentiles our enemies?
Pia nikasema, 'Mnachokifanya sio kizuri. Je, hampaswi kutembea katika hofu ya Mungu wetu ili kuzuia malalamiko ya mataifa ambayo ni adui zetu?
10 Both I and my brethren, and my servants, have lent money and corn to many: let us all agree not to call for it again; let us forgive the debt that is owing to us.
Mimi na ndugu zangu na watumishi wangu tunawapa fedha na nafaka. Lakini lazima tuache kutoza riba juu ya mikopo hii.
11 Restore ye to them this day their fields, and their vineyards, and their oliveyards, and their houses: and the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, which you mere wont to exact of them, give it rather for them.
Warudishieni leo leo mashamba yao, mizabibu yao, mashamba yao ya mizeituni, na nyumba zao na asilimia ya fedha, nafaka, divai mpya, na mafuta mliyowatoza.”
12 And they said: We will restore, and we will require nothing of them: and we will do as thou sayest. And I called the priests and took an oath of them, to do according to what I had said.
Wakasema, “Tutarudisha kile tulichochukua kutoka kwao, wala hatutahitaji kitu kutoka kwao. Tutafanya kama unavyosema.” Ndipo nikawaita makuhani, na kuwaapisha kuwafanya kama walivyoahidi.
13 Moreover I shook my lap, and said: So may God shake every man that shall not accomplish this word, out of his house, and out of his labours, thus may he be shaken out, and become empty. And all the multitude said: Amen. And they praised God. And the people did according to what was said.
Nikakung'uta vazi langu, nikasema, “Basi Mungu aondoe nyumba na mali ya kila mtu asiyetimiza ahadi yake. Kwa hiyo akung'utwe na kuwa hana kitu. Kusanyiko lote likasema “Amina,” na wakamsifu Bwana. Na watu wakafanya kama walivyoahidi.
14 And from the day, in which the king commanded me to be governor in the land of Juda, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, for twelve years, I and my brethren did not eat the yearly allowance that was due to the governors.
Kwa hiyo tangu wakati niliowekwa kuwa mkuu wao katika nchi ya Yuda, tangu mwaka wa ishirini mpaka mwaka wa thelathini na pili wa mfalme Artashasta, miaka kumi na miwili, mimi na ndugu zangu hatukula chakula kilichotolewa kwa gavana.
15 But the former governors that had been before me, were chargeable to the people, and took of them in bread, and wine, and in money every day forty sides: and their officers also oppressed the people. But I did not so for the fear of God.
Lakini wakuu wa zamani waliokuwa kabla yangu waliwaweka watu mizigo mizito, na wakachukua kwao shekeli arobaini za fedha kwa ajili ya chakula na divai yao ya kila siku. Hata watumishi wao waliwadhulumu watu. Lakini sikufanya hivyo kwa sababu ya hofu ya Mungu.
16 Moreover I built in the work of the wall, and I bought no land, and all my servants were gathered together to the work.
Niliendelea kufanya kazi kwenye ukuta, na hatukununua ardhi. Na watumishi wangu wote walikusanyika huko kwa ajili ya kazi hiyo.
17 The Jews also and the magistrates to the number of one hundred and fifty men, were at my table, besides them that came to us from among the nations that were round about us.
Katika meza yangu walikuwa Wayahudi na maafisa, watu 150, isipokuwa wale waliokuja kwetu kutoka kwa mataifa waliokuwa wakituzunguka.
18 And there was prepared for me day by day one ox, and six choice rams, besides fowls, and once in ten days I gave store of divers wines, and many other things: yet I did not require my yearly allowance as governor: for the people were very much impoverished.
Kila kitu kilichoandaliwa kila siku kilikuwa ng'ombe moja, kondoo sita waliochaguliwa, na ndege, na kila siku kumi aina zote za divai nyingi. Na hata kwa haya yote sikuhitaji mahitaji ya chakula cha gavana, kwa sababu madai yalikuwa mazito sana juu ya watu.
19 Remember me, O my God, for good according to all that I have done for this people.
Nikumbuke, Ee Mungu wangu, kwa wema, kwa sababu ya yote niliyoyafanya kwa watu hawa.
