Ezra 7
1 Sasa baada ya hili, kipindi cha kutawala Artashasta mfalme wa Uajemi, Ezra akaja kutoka Babeli. Watangulizi wa Ezra walikuwa: Seraya, Azaria, Hilkia,
Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
2 Shalumu, Sadoki, Ahitubu,
the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
3 Amaria, Azaria, Merayothi,
the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
4 Zerahia, Uzi, Buki,
the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
5 Abishaua, Fineasi, Eliazari ambaye ni mtoto wa Haruni kuhani mkuu.
the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest —
6 Ezra akaja kutoka Babeli na alikuwa mtalaam mwandishi wa sheria ya Musa, ambayo Yahwe, Mungu wa Israel aliwapa. Mfalme akampatia kila kitu alichooomba kwa kuwa mkono wa Yahwe ulikuwa pamoja naye.
this Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
7 Baadhi ya wazao wa Israel, na makuhani, walawi, waimbaji, walinzi, na wale waliochaguliwa kuhudumu katika Hekalu pia wakaenda Yerusalem katika mwaka wa saba wa mfalme Artashasta.
And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
8 Naye akafika Yerusalem mwezi wa tano kama mwaka huo.
And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
9 Naye akaondoka Babeli siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa kwanza. Ilikuwa siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa tano ambapo alifika Yerusalem, kwa kuwa mkono mzuri wa Mungu ulikuwa pamoja naye.
For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.
10 Ezra alikuwa ametoa moyo wake kusoma, kutenda, na kufundisha maagizo na sheria za Yahwe.
For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances.
11 Hii ndio amri ambayo mfalme Artashasta alimpa Ezra kuhani na mwandishi wa sheria za Yahwe na maagizo kwa Israeli.
Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of His statutes to Israel:
12 Mfalme wa wafalme Artashasta, kwa kuhani Ezra, mwandishi wa sheria za Mungu wa mbinguni.
'Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, and so forth. And now
13 Ninatoa amri kwamba mtu yeyote Israel katika ufalme wangu pamoja na makuhani na walawi ambao wanatamani kwenda Yerusalem, wanaweza kwenda pamoja na wewe.
I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and their priests and the Levites, in my realm, that are minded of their own free will to go with thee to Jerusalem, go.
14 Mimi mfalme na washauri wangu saba, tunawatuma wote kwenda kufahamu kuhusu Yuda na Yerusalem kuhusiana na sheria ya Mungu, ambayo iko mkononi mwako.
Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king and his seven counsellors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thy hand;
15 Itakupasa kuleta Dhahabu na fedha ambazo walitoa kwa ajili ya Mungu wa Israel, ambaye makazi yake ni Yerusalem.
and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,
16 Fedha iliyotolewa kwa hiari na Dhahabu yote iliyotolewa Babeli pamoja na matoleo ya hiari waliotoa watu na makuhani kwa ajili ya nyumba ya Mungu katika Yerusalem.
and all the silver and gold that thou shalt find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill-offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem;
17 Basi ununue vyote sadaka ya kondoo, beberu, kondoo, unga na kinywaji, uvitoe kwenye madhabahu ambayo ni nyumba ya Mungu wako katika Yerusalem.
therefore thou shalt with all diligence buy with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meal-offerings and their drink-offerings, and shalt offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
18 Fanya hivyo pamoja na sehemu ya fedha na dhahabu, vyovyote utakavyoona inakupendeza wewe na ndugu zako, kumpendeza Mungu.
And whatsoever shall seem good to thee and to thy brethren to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do ye after the will of your God.
19 Viweke vitu vilivyotolewa kwa hiari mbele yako kwa ajili ya huduma ya nyumba ya Mungu Yerusalem.
And the vessels that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.
20 Kitu chochote kingine ambacho kinahitajika kwenye nyumba ya Mungu wako ambacho unahitaji, Gharama yake itatoka kwenye hazina yangu.
And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure-house.
21 Mimi mfalme Artashasta, natoa amri kwa wotunza hazina wote mjini ngambo ya mto, chochote Ezra atakachoomba kwenu anapaswa kupewa chote,
And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers that are beyond the River, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done with all diligence,
22 hata zaidi ya talanta mia moja za fedha, vipimo mia vya ngano, bathi mia za divai na bathi mia za mafuta, pia na chumvi isiyo na kikomo.
unto a hundred talents of silver, and to a hundred measures of wheat, and to a hundred baths of wine, and to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
23 Chochote ambacho kimeamriwa kutoka kwa Mungu wa mbinguni, kifanye hicho kwa utukufu wa nyumba yake. Kwa nini hasira yake ije kwenye ufalme wangu na watoto wangu?
Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
24 Tutawapa taarifa wao kuhusu ninyi kwamba wasiwatoze ushuru wowote au kodi kwa kuhani, mlawi, mwimbaji, mlinzi au kwa mtu aliyechaguliwa kwenye huduma ya Hekalu na mtumishi katika nyumba ya Mungu.
Also we announce to you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, the singers, porters, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, impost, or toll, upon them.
25 Ezra, kwa hekima aliyokupa Mungu, inakulazimu kuteua waamuzi na mtu muelewa kuwahudumia watu katika mji ngambo ya mto na kusaidia yeyote anayejua sheria za Mungu wako. Pia inakubidi ufundishe wale ambao hawajui sheria.
And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God that is in thy hand, appoint magistrates and judges, who may judge all the people that are beyond the River, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye him that knoweth them not.
26 Toa adhabu kwa yeyote asiyetii sheria ya Mungu au sheria ya mfalme, ikiwezekana kwa kifo, kuhamishwa, kuchukuliwa mali zake au kufungwa.
And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him with all diligence, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.'
27 Atukuzwe, Yahwe, Mungu wa watangulizi wetu, ambaye aliweka ndani ya moyo wa mfalme ili kutuza Nyumba ya Yahwe Yerusalem,
Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem;
28 ambaye akaendeleza agano kwangu kwa uaminifu mbele ya mfalme, na washauri wake na wakuu wake wenye mamlaka, nilitiwa nguvu na mikono ya Yahwe, Mungu wangu, nami nikawakusanya viongozi kutoka Israel kwenda pamoja nami.
and hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened according to the hand of the LORD my God upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
