1 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. 2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.
3 ¶ At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall? 4 Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building? 5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter .
6 ¶ The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king: 7 They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace. 8 Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands. 9 Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls? 10 We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them. 11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up. 12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon. 13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God. 14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one , whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; 15 And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place. 16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished. 17 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so , that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.
Kumusa Ng'umba ye Ndzimu kotangisa kakale
1 Ipapo balebesambeli, Hagayi na Zekariya nkololo wa Ido, bakalebesambeli ku Bajuta bakabe begala mu Juda neku Jerusalema mu zina le Ndzimu we Iziraela wabakabe balipasi kwawo. 2 Ngono Zerubhabeli nkololo wa Shealitiyele na Jeshuwa nkololo wa Jozadaki bakamilika bakatangisa kumusa Ng'umba ye Ndzimu mu Jerusalema. Balebesambeli be Ndzimu bakabe banabo bebabhatsha.
3 Mu tjibaka itjetjo Tatenayi nlauli we ntuthu uku gwizi gwe golombedzo le Yufuratesi na Shetaribhozenayi ne bamwe babakabe beshingidzana nabo bakayenda ku bali bakaswika be bhuzwa beti “Ndiyani wamupa simba lekuti mumuse ng'umba iyeyi ne kuibgwiliza mutjimo itjetji kene?” 4 Bakababhuzwa kakale beti, “Mazina e bathu banobumba ng'umba iyeyi ndiboani?” 5 Koga Ndzimu wakabe una bakulu be Bajuta, abazomisiwa mu kubaka kuswikilila zibiso iswika kuna Dariyasi, ngono shandulo ikayisiwa ili mu nkwalo. 6 Woyu ndiwo ntutshi we lukwalo wakatumiligwa ndi Tatenayi nlauli we golombedzo le Yufuratesi na Shetaribhozenayi ne bakabe beshingidzana naye ne bamwe balauli be Golombedzo le Yufuratesi betumilila Mambo Dariyasi. 7 Mbiko yabakayisa yakabe yakakwagwa sahwoku:
“Kuna Mambo Dariyasi. Tshene mungabusa nge mbakiso!
8 “Mambo bazibe kuti takayenda ku ntuthu we Juda, ku Ng'umba ye Ndzimu nkulu. Inobakiwa nge mabgwe makulukulu, banobiga mapango akasima mu makuma. Kose ikoku banokushinga bakalonga mafupa mu nyama, ngono nshingo wakadwilila kwazo.
9 “Takabhuzwisisa bakulu ibabo, takababhuzwa kuti ‘Ndiyani wakamupa simba lekuti mumuse Ng'umba ye Ndzimu ne kuibgwiliza mu mbumbiko iyeyi?’ 10 “Kakale takababhuzwa mazina abo kuti ndizo tiakwale muzibe mazina e batungamili ibabo.
11 “Ngono eyi ndiyo dabilo yabakatipa: ‘Iswi ti balanda be Ndzimu we kudzimu ne shango, ngono tomusa Ng'umba ye Ndzimu yakabe yakabakwa makole manjinji akapinda, iyo yakabe yabakiwa ikapela ndi mambo nkulu we Iziraela. 12 Koga nge kuti botate bedu bakatanga Ndzimu we kudzimu, wakaletjedza Mambo Nebukadineza we Bhabhiloni Nkhaladiya kakolomodza Ng'umba iyeyi ye Ndzimu, katola bathu bose kabayisa ku Bhabhiloni. 13 Ne kwakajalo, mu gole le kutanga la Sirasi mambo we Bhabhiloni, Mambo Sirasi wakadusa ndaulo yekuti kumusiwe Ng'umba ye Ndzimu. 14 Wakatola zwija zwe golide ne siliva ne zwakabe zwatogwa ndi Nebukadineza mu Ng'umba ye Ndzimu mu Jerusalema enozwibiga ku ng'umba ye midzimu ku Bhabhiloni. Mambo Sirasi bakatola zwithu izwezo bakazwipa nlume unodang'wa Sheshibhaza wabakabiga kuti abe nlauli. 15 Ngono kandwa kati, “Tola zwija izwezwi unozwibiga ku Ng'umba ye Ndzimu ku Jerusalema, kube kumusiwa Ng'umba ye Ndzimu payakabe ilipo kutanga.” 16 Ndizo Sheshibhaza kazha kabiga nteyo we Ng'umba ye Ndzimu mu Jerusalema. Kudwa mu zhuba ilelo kuswikila ngwenu kubumbiwa kwakadwilila, ngono akuthu kukapela.’
17 “Ha kushathisa mambo, bangaletja kukathamiwa shakisiso mu matula e thawu dze bushe dze Bhabhiloni, kubona kuti Mambo Sirasi bakabe badusa ndaulo yekuti kumusiwe Ng'umba ye Ndzimu mu Jerusalema. Ngono tokumbila kuti mambo batitumilile nkumbulo wabo nge kwe ndebo iyeyi.”