Nehemiah 4

1 Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews

1 Sanbalati aliposikia kwamba tulikuwa tunajenga ukuta upya, alikasirika na akawa na uchungu sana. Aliwadhihaki Wayahudi

2 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?”

2 mbele ya rafiki zake na jeshi la Samaria, akisema, “Hawa Wayahudi wanyonge wanafanya nini? Je, wataweza kuurudishia ukuta wao? Je, watatoa dhabihu? Je, wataweza kumaliza kuujenga kwa siku moja? Je, wataweza kufufua mawe kutoka malundo ya vifusi yaliyoungua hivyo?”

3 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!”

3 Tobia Mwamoni aliyekuwa upande wake akasema, “Wanachokijenga, hata kama mbweha angepanda juu yake, huo ukuta wao wa mawe angeliubomoa!”

4 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.

4 Ee Mungu wetu, utusikie, kwa kuwa tumedharauliwa. Warudishie matukano yao kwenye vichwa vyao wenyewe. Uwatoe ili wawe nyara katika nchi ya waliowateka.

5 Do not cover up their iniquity or let their sin be blotted out from Your sight, for they have provoked the builders.

5 Usiusitiri uovu wao, wala usifute dhambi zao mbele zako, kwa kuwa wamewatukana wajenzi mbele.

6 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.

6 Basi tuliujenga upya ukuta mpaka wote ukafikia nusu ya kimo chake, kwa kuwa watu walifanya kazi kwa moyo wote.

7 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,

7 Lakini wakati Sanbalati, Tobia, Waarabu, Waamoni na watu wa Ashdodi waliposikia kuwa ukarabati wa kuta za Yerusalemu ulikuwa umeendelea na mianya ilikuwa inazibwa, walikasirika sana.

8 and all of them conspired to come and fight against Jerusalem and create a hindrance.

8 Wote walifanya shauri pamoja kuja kupigana dhidi ya Yerusalemu, na kuchochea machafuko dhidi yake.

9 So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night.

9 Lakini tulimwomba Mungu wetu, na tukaweka ulinzi usiku na mchana kupambana na tishio hili.

10 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.”

10 Wakati ule ule, watu wa Yuda wakasema, “Nguvu za wafanyakazi zinapungua, nacho kifusi ni kingi mno, kiasi kwamba hatuwezi kuujenga upya ukuta.”

11 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.”

11 Pia adui zetu walisema, “Kabla hawajajua au kutuona, tutakuwa palepale katikati yao, na tutawaua na kuikomesha hiyo kazi.”

12 At that time the Jews who lived nearby came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

12 Kisha Wayahudi ambao waliishi karibu nao walikuja zaidi ya mara kumi na kutuambia, “Popote mtakapoelekea, watatushambulia.”

13 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.

13 Kwa hiyo nikaweka baadhi ya watu nyuma ya sehemu za chini za ukuta kwenye sehemu zilizo wazi, nikawaweka kufuatana na jamaa zao, wakiwa na panga, mikuki na pinde zao.

14 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.”

14 Baada ya kuona hali ilivyo, nikasimama na kuwaambia wakuu, maafisa na wengine wote, “Msiwaogope. Mkumbukeni Bwana, ambaye ni mkuu mwenye kuogofya. Piganeni kwa ajili ya ndugu zenu, wana wenu na binti zenu, wake zenu na nyumba zenu.”

15 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.

15 Adui zetu waliposikia kwamba tumetambua hila yao, na kwamba Mungu amevuruga shauri lao, sote tulirudi kwenye ukuta, kila mmoja kwenye kazi yake.

16 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

16 Kuanzia siku ile na kuendelea, nusu ya watu wangu walifanya kazi ya ujenzi, na nusu nyingine wakashika mikuki, ngao, pinde na dirii. Maafisa walijipanga nyuma ya watu wote wa Yuda

17 who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.

17 waliokuwa wakijenga ukuta. Wale waliobeba vifaa vya ujenzi walifanya kazi yao kwa mkono mmoja, na kushika silaha kwa mkono mwingine,

18 And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me.

18 na kila mjenzi alijifunga upanga wake upande mmoja akiwa anafanya kazi. Lakini mtu wa kupiga baragumu alikaa pamoja nami.

19 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.

19 Kisha nikawaambia wakuu, maafisa na watu wengine wote, “Kazi hii ni kubwa na imeenea sehemu kubwa, nasi tumetawanyika kila mmoja akiwa mbali na mwenzake juu ya ukuta.

20 Wherever you hear the sound of the horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!”

20 Popote mtakaposikia sauti ya baragumu, jiungeni nasi huko. Mungu wetu atatupigania!”

21 So we continued the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.

21 Basi tuliendelea na kazi, nusu ya watu wakishikilia mikuki, kuanzia mawio ya jua hadi nyota zilipoonekana.

22 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.”

22 Wakati huo pia niliwaambia watu, “Kila mtu na msaidizi wake wakae ndani ya Yerusalemu wakati wa usiku, ili waweze kutumika kama walinzi wakati wa usiku, na kufanya kazi wakati wa mchana.”

23 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.

23 Mimi, wala ndugu zangu, wala watu wangu, wala walinzi waliokuwa pamoja nami hatukuvua nguo zetu. Kila mmoja alikuwa na silaha yake, hata alipokwenda kuchota maji.