Ezra 7

1 Many years later, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

1 Baada ya mambo haya, wakati wa utawala wa Artashasta mfalme wa Uajemi, Ezra mwana wa Seraya, mwana wa Azaria, mwana wa Hilkia,

2 the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,

2 mwana wa Shalumu, mwana wa Sadoki, mwana wa Ahitubu,

3 the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,

3 mwana wa Amaria, mwana wa Azaria, mwana wa Merayothi,

4 the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,

4 mwana wa Zerahia, mwana wa Uzi, mwana wa Buki,

5 the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—

5 mwana wa Abishua, mwana wa Finehasi, mwana wa Eleazari, mwana wa kuhani mkuu Aroni.

6 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.

6 Huyu Ezra alipanda kutoka Babeli. Alikuwa mwalimu mwenye ujuzi mzuri katika sheria ya Mose, ambayo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, alikuwa ametoa. Mfalme alikuwa amempa Ezra kila kitu alichoomba, kwa maana Bwana Mungu wake alikuwa pamoja naye.

7 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.

7 Pia baadhi ya Waisraeli, wakiwemo makuhani, Walawi, waimbaji, mabawabu na watumishi wa Hekalu, nao walikuja Yerusalemu mwaka wa saba wa utawala wa Mfalme Artashasta.

8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king.

8 Ezra aliwasili Yerusalemu mwezi wa tano wa mwaka wa saba wa utawala wa Mfalme Artashasta.

9 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.

9 Ezra alianza safari yake kutoka Babeli tangu siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa kwanza, naye akawasili Yerusalemu siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa tano, kwa maana mkono wa neema wa Mungu wake ulikuwa juu yake.

10 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.

10 Kwa maana Ezra alikuwa amejitoa kwa moyo wote kujifunza na kushika sheria ya Bwana na kuwafundisha watu wa Israeli amri na sheria zake.

11 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:

11 Hii ni nakala ya barua ambayo Mfalme Artashasta alikuwa amempa Ezra aliyekuwa kuhani na mwalimu, mtu aliyeelimika katika mambo yahusuyo maagizo na amri za Bwana kwa Israeli.

12 Artaxerxes, king of kings. To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.

12 Artashasta, mfalme wa wafalme, Kwa Ezra kuhani, mwalimu wa Sheria ya Mungu wa mbinguni: Salamu.

13 I hereby decree that any volunteers among the Israelites in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may go up with you to Jerusalem.

13 Sasa naamuru kwamba mtu yeyote Mwisraeli katika ufalme wangu, pamoja na makuhani na Walawi, ambaye anataka kwenda Yerusalemu pamoja nawe aweza kwenda.

14 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.

14 Unatumwa na mfalme na washauri wake saba kuchunguza kuhusu Yuda na Yerusalemu kulingana na Sheria ya Mungu wako, iliyoko mkononi mwako.

15 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,

15 Zaidi ya hayo, uchukue pamoja nawe fedha na dhahabu ambazo mfalme na washauri wake wamempa Mungu wa Israeli kwa hiari, Mungu ambaye maskani yake yako Yerusalemu,

16 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.

16 pia fedha na dhahabu zote unazoweza kupata kutoka jimbo la Babeli, pamoja na sadaka za hiari watakazotoa watu na makuhani kwa ajili ya Hekalu la Mungu wao katika Yerusalemu.

17 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.

17 Hakikisha kwamba fedha hizi zimetumika kununua mafahali, kondoo dume na wana-kondoo pamoja na sadaka za nafaka na sadaka za vinywaji, uvitoe dhabihu juu ya madhabahu ya Hekalu la Mungu wenu katika Yerusalemu.

18 You and your brothers may do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God.

18 Kisha wewe na Wayahudi ndugu zako mnaweza kufanya lolote linaloonekana jema sana kwa fedha na dhahabu zilizosalia, kulingana na mapenzi ya Mungu wenu.

19 You must deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God.

19 Uvitoe kwa Mungu wa Yerusalemu vyombo vyote ulivyokabidhiwa kwa ajili ya ibada katika Hekalu la Mungu wako.

20 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.

20 Kitu kingine chochote kinachohitajika kwa ajili ya Hekalu la Mungu wenu ambacho unatakiwa kukitoa, waweza kukitoa kutoka hazina ya mfalme.

21 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,

21 Mimi, Mfalme Artashasta, sasa naagiza watunza hazina wote wa Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati kutoa kwa bidii chochote kwa Ezra kuhani na mwalimu wa Sheria ya Mungu wa mbinguni atakachohitaji kwenu,

22 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.

22 talanta 100 za fedha, ngano kori 100, divai bathi 100, mafuta ya zeituni bathi 100, na chumvi kiasi chochote.

23 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?

23 Chochote ambacho Mungu wa mbinguni ameagiza, kifanyike kwa ukamilifu kwa ajili ya Hekalu la Mungu wa mbinguni. Kwa nini pawepo ghadhabu dhidi ya utawala wa mfalme na wanawe?

24 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.

24 Pia ninyi fahamuni kuwa hamna mamlaka ya kuwatoza kodi, ushuru au ada makuhani, Walawi, waimbaji, mabawabu, watumishi wa Hekalu au wafanyakazi wengine kwenye nyumba ya Mungu.

25 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.

25 Nawe Ezra, kufuatana na hekima ya Mungu wenu uliyo nayo, weka mahakimu na waamuzi wote wanaozifahamu sheria za Mungu wenu ili watoe haki kwa watu wote wa Ngʼambo ya Mto Frati. Nawe inakupasa umfundishe yeyote ambaye hazifahamu.

26 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.

26 Yeyote ambaye hataitii sheria ya Mungu wenu pia sheria ya mfalme, hakika lazima aadhibiwe kwa kuuawa, kuhamishwa, kunyangʼanywa mali au kufungwa gerezani.

27 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,

27 Sifa ziwe kwa Bwana, Mungu wa baba zetu, Mungu ambaye kwa njia hii ameweka ndani ya moyo wa mfalme kuipa heshima nyumba ya Bwana iliyoko Yerusalemu, kwa namna hii

28 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.

28 ambaye ameniongezea kibali chake mbele ya mfalme, washauri wake na maafisa wote wa mfalme wenye uwezo. Kwa kuwa mkono wa Bwana Mungu wangu ulikuwa pamoja nami, nilijipa moyo nikakusanya watu walio viongozi kutoka Israeli wakwee pamoja nami.