एज़्रा 4

1Now the enemies of Juda and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to the Lord the God of Israel.

2And they came to Zorobabel, and the chief of the fathers, and said to them: Let us build with you, for we seek your God as ye do: behold we have sacrificed to him, since the days of Asor Haddan king of Assyria, who brought us hither.

3But Zorobabel, and Josue, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel said to them: You have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God, but we ourselves alone will build to the Lord our God, as Cyrus king of the Persians hath commanded us.

4Then the people of the land hindered the hands of the people of Juda, and troubled them in building.

5And they hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their design all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of the Persians.

6And in the reign of Assuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Juda and Jerusalem.

7And in the days of Artaxerxes, Beselam, Mithridates, and Thabeel, and the rest that were in the council wrote to Artaxerxes king of the Persians: and the letter of accusation was written in Syriac, and was read in the Syrian tongue.

8Reum Beelteem, and Samsai the scribe wrote a letter from Jerusalem to king Artaxerxes, in this manner:

9Reum Beelteem, and Samsai the scribe and the rest of their counsellors, the Dinites, and the Apharsathacites, the Therphalites, the Apharsites, the Erchuites, the Babylonians, the Susanechites, the Dievites, and the Elamites,

10And the rest of the nations, whom the great and glorious Asenaphar brought over: and made to dwell in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the countries of this side of the river in peace.

11(This is the copy of the letter, which they sent to him:) To Artaxerxes the king, thy servants, the men that are on this side of the river, send greeting.

12Be it known to the king, that the Jews, who came up from thee to us, are come to Jerusalem a rebellious and wicked city, which they are building, setting up the ramparts thereof and repairing the walls.

13And now be it known to the king, that if this city be built up, and the walls thereof repaired, they will not pay tribute nor toll, nor yearly revenues, and this loss will fail upon the kings.

14But we remembering the salt that we have eaten in the palace, and because we count it a crime to see the king wronged, have therefore sent and certified the king,

15That search may be made in the books of the histories of thy fathers, and thou shalt find written in the records: and shalt know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to the kings and provinces, and that wars were raised therein of old time: for which cause also the city was destroyed.

16We certify the king, that if this city be built, and the walls thereof repaired, thou shalt have no possession on this side of the river.

17The king sent word to Reum Beelteem and Samsai the scribe, and to the rest that were in their council, inhabitants of Samaria, and to the rest beyond the river, sending greeting and peace.

18The accusation, which you have sent to us, hath been plainly read before me,

19And I commanded: and search hath been made, and it is found, that this city of old time hath rebelled against kings, and seditions and wars have been raised therein.

20For there have been powerful kings in Jerusalem, who hare had dominion over all the country that is beyond the river: and have received tribute, and toll and revenues.

21Now therefore hear the sentence: Hinder those men, that this city be not built, till further orders be given by me.

22See that you be not negligent in executing this, lest by little and little the evil grow to the hurt of the kings.

23Now the copy of the edict of king Artaxerxes was read before Reum Beelteem, and Samsai the scribe, and their counsellors: and they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and hindered them with arm and power.

24Then the work of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem was interrupted, and ceased till the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.

1Audierunt autem hostes Judæ et Benjamin, quia filii captivitatis ædificarent templum Domino Deo Israël:

2et accedentes ad Zorobabel, et ad principes patrum, dixerunt eis: Ædificemus vobiscum, quia ita ut vos, quærimus Deum vestrum: ecce nos immolavimus victimas a diebus Asor Haddan regis Assur, qui adduxit nos huc.

3Et dixit eis Zorobabel, et Josue, et reliqui principes patrum Israël: Non est vobis et nobis ut ædificemus domum Deo nostro, sed nos ipsi soli ædificabimus Domino Deo nostro, sicut præcepit nobis Cyrus rex Persarum.

4Factum est igitur ut populus terræ impediret manus populi Judæ, et turbaret eos in ædificando.

5Conduxerunt autem adversus eos consiliatores, ut destruerent consilium eorum omnibus diebus Cyri regis Persarum, et usque ad regnum Darii regis Persarum.

6In regno autem Assueri, in principio regni ejus, scripserunt accusationem adversus habitatores Judæ et Jerusalem.

7Et in diebus Artaxerxis scripsit Beselam, Mithridates, et Thabeel, et reliqui qui erant in consilio eorum, ad Artaxerxem regem Persarum: epistola autem accusationis scripta erat syriace, et legebatur sermone syro.

8Reum Beelteem, et Samsai scriba, scripserunt epistolam unam de Jerusalem Artaxerxi regi, hujuscemodi:

9Reum Beelteem, et Samsai scriba, et reliqui consiliatores eorum, Dinæi, et Apharsathachæi, Terphalæi, Apharsæi, Erchuæi, Babylonii, Susanechæi, Dievi, et Ælamitæ,

10et ceteri de gentibus, quas transtulit Asenaphar magnus et gloriosus, et habitare eas fecit in civitatibus Samariæ, et in reliquis regionibus trans flumen in pace

11(hoc est exemplar epistolæ, quam miserunt ad eum), Artaxerxi regi, servi tui, viri qui sunt trans fluvium, salutem dicunt.

12Notum sit regi quia Judæi, qui ascenderunt a te ad nos, venerunt in Jerusalem civitatem rebellem et pessimam, quam ædificant exstruentes muros ejus, et parietes componentes.

13Nunc igitur notum sit regi, quia si civitas illa ædificata fuerit, et muri ejus instaurati, tributum, et vectigal, et annuos reditus non dabunt, et usque ad reges hæc noxa perveniet.

14Nos autem memores salis, quod in palatio comedimus, et quia læsiones regis videre nefas ducimus, idcirco misimus et nuntiavimus regi,

15ut recenseas in libris historiarum patrum tuorum, et invenies scriptum in commentariis: et scies quoniam urbs illa, urbs rebellis est, et nocens regibus et provinciis, et bella concitantur in ea ex diebus antiquis: quam ob rem et civitas ipsa destructa est.

16Nuntiamus nos regi, quoniam si civitas illa ædificata fuerit, et muri ipsius instaurati, possessionem trans fluvium non habebis.

17Verbum misit rex ad Reum Beelteem, et Samsai scribam, et ad reliquos, qui erant in consilio eorum habitatores Samariæ, et ceteris trans fluvium, salutem dicens et pacem.

18Accusatio, quam misistis ad nos, manifeste lecta est coram me,

19et a me præceptum est: et recensuerunt, inveneruntque quoniam civitas illa a diebus antiquis adversum reges rebellat, et seditiones, et prælia concitantur in ea:

20nam et reges fortissimi fuerunt in Jerusalem, qui et dominati sunt omni regioni quæ trans fluvium est: tributum quoque et vectigal, et reditus accipiebant.

21Nunc ergo audite sententiam: prohibeatis viros illos, ut urbs illa non ædificetur donec si forte a me jussum fuerit.

22Videte ne negligenter hoc impleatis, et paulatim crescat malum contra reges.

23Itaque exemplum edicti Artaxerxis regis lectum est coram Reum Beelteem, et Samsai scriba, et consiliariis eorum: et abierunt festini in Jerusalem ad Judæos, et prohibuerunt eos in brachio et robore.

24Tunc intermissum est opus domus Domini in Jerusalem, et non fiebat usque ad annum secundum regni Darii regis Persarum.

1Now the enemies of Judah and of Benjamin heard that the sons of the captivity were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel.

2And so, drawing near to Zerubbabel and to the leaders of the fathers, they said to them: “Let us build with you, for we seek your God just as you do. Behold, we have immolated victims to him from the days of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, who brought us here.”

3And Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the leaders of the fathers of Israel said to them: “It is not for you to build the house of our God with us. Instead, we alone shall build to the Lord our God, just as Cyrus, the king of the Persians, has commanded us.”

4Therefore, it happened that the people of the land impeded the hands of the people of Judah, and they troubled them in building.

5Then they hired counselors against them, so that they might argue against their plan during all the days of Cyrus, king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius, king of the Persians.

6And so, during the reign of Ahasuerus, at the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and of Jerusalem.

7And so, in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, and Tabeel, and the others who were in their council wrote to Artaxerxes, king of the Persians. Now the letter of accusation was written in Syriac, and was being read in the Syrian language.

8Rehum, the commander, and Shimshai, the scribe, wrote one letter from Jerusalem to king Artaxerxes, in this manner:

9“Rehum, the commander, and Shimshai, the scribe, and the rest of their counselors, the judges, and rulers, the officials, those from Persia, from Erech, from Babylonia, from Susa, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,

10and the rest of the nations, whom the great and glorious Osnappar transferred and caused to live in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the regions across the river in peace:

11to king Artaxerxes. (This is a copy of the letter, which they sent to him.) Your servants, the men who are across the river, send a greeting.

12Let it be known to the king, that the Jews, who ascended from you to us, have arrived in Jerusalem, a rebellious and most wicked city, which they are building, constructing its ramparts and repairing the walls.

13And now let be it known to the king, that if this city will have been built up, and its walls repaired, they will not pay tribute, nor tax, nor yearly revenues, and this loss will affect even the kings.

14But, remembering the salt that we have eaten in the palace, and because we are led to believe that it is a crime to see the king harmed, we have therefore sent and reported to the king,

15so that you may search in the books of the histories of your fathers, and you may find written in the records, and you may know that this city is a rebellious city, and that it is harmful to the kings and the provinces, and that wars were incited within it from the days of antiquity. For which reason also, the city itself was destroyed.

16We report to the king that if this city will have been built, and its walls repaired, you will have no possession across the river.”

17The king sent word to Rehum, the commander, and to Shimshai, the scribe, and to the rest who were in their council, to the inhabitants of Samaria, and to the others across the river, offering a greeting and peace.

18“The accusation, which you have sent to us, has been read aloud before me.

19And it was commanded by me, and they searched and found that this city, from the days of antiquity, has rebelled against the kings, and that seditions and battles have been incited within it.

20Then too, there have been very strong kings in Jerusalem, who also ruled over the entire region which is across the river. They have also taken tribute, and tax, and revenues.

21Now therefore, hear the sentence: Prohibit those men, so that this city may be not built, until perhaps there may be further orders from me.

22See to it that you are not negligent in fulfilling this, otherwise, little by little, the evil may increase against the kings.”

23And so a copy of the edict of king Artaxerxes was read before Rehum, the commander, and Shimshai, the scribe, and their counselors. And they went away hurriedly to Jerusalem, to the Jews. And they prohibited them by force and by strength.

24Then the work of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem was interrupted, and it did not resume until the second year of the reign of Darius, the king of the Persians.