عَزْرا 6

١ 1 عِنْدَئِذٍ أَصْدَرَ دَارِيُوسُ الْمَلِكُ مَرْسُوماً بِالْبَحْثِ فِي دَارِ الْمَحْفُوظَاتِ فِي بَابِلَ، حَيْثُ تُحْفَظُ الْوَثَائِقُ،

Then gave king Darius an order, that they should make search in the house of the books, where the treasures were laid up there in Babylon.

٢ 2 فَعَثَرُوا فِي قَصْرِ أَحْمَثَا، عَاصِمَةِ إِقْلِيمِ مَادِي، عَلَى مَرْسُومٍ هَذَا نَصُّهُ: «مُذَكِّرَةٌ.

And there was found at Achmetha, in the castle that is in the province of Media, a roll, and therein was thus written: A record.

٣ 3 أَصْدَرَ الْمَلِكُ كُورَشُ فِي السَّنَةِ الأُولَى لِحُكْمِهِ مَرْسُوماً بِشَأْنِ هَيْكَلِ اللهِ فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ، جَاءَ فِيهِ: لِيُعَدْ بِنَاءُ الْهَيْكَلِ الَّذِي يُقَرِّبُونَ فِيهِ الذَّبَائِحَ، وَلْتُرْسَ أُسُسُهُ بِحَيْثُ يَكُونُ ارْتِفَاعُهُ سِتِّينَ ذِرَاعاً (نَحْوَ ثَلاثِينَ مِتْراً) وَعَرْضُهُ سِتِّينَ ذِرَاعاً

In the first year of king Cyrus, king Cyrus gave an order concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be built, the place where they used to offer sacrifices, and let its foundations be strongly laid: its height shall be sixty cubits, its breadth sixty cubits,

٤ 4 عَلَى أَنْ يَتَكَوَّنَ مِنْ ثَلاثَةِ صُفُوفٍ مِنْ حِجَارَةٍ عَظِيمَةٍ، وَصَفٍّ رَابِعٍ مِنْ خَشَبٍ جَدِيدٍ. وَتَتَكَفَّلُ خَزِينَةُ الْمَلِكِ بِنَفَقَةِ الْبِنَاءِ.

With three rows of heavy stones, and a row of new timber; and let the expenses be given out of the king's house.

٥ 5 كَمَا يَتَحَتَّمُ رَدُّ آنِيَةِ هَيْكَلِ اللهِ الذَّهَبِيَّةِ وَالْفِضِّيَّةِ الَّتِي غَنِمَهَا نَبُوخَذْنَصَّرُ مِنْ هَيْكَلِ أُورُشَلِيمَ وَنَقَلَهَا إِلَى بَابِلَ، إِلَى مَوْضِعِهَا فِي هَيْكَلِ اللهِ فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ.

And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took away out of the temple which is in Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought back unto the temple which is in Jerusalem, every one to its place, and let them be put in the house of God.

٦ 6 وَالآنَ يَا تَتْنَايُ وَالِي عَبْرِ النَّهْرِ وَشَتَرْبُوزْنَايُ وَسَائِرَ رِفَاقِكُمَا الأَفَرْسَكِيِّينَ الْمُقِيمِينَ فِي عَبْرِ النَّهْرِ: ابْتَعِدُوا مِنْ هُنَاكَ.

Now Thathnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-bozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the river, be ye far from there:

٧ 7 لَا تَتَدَخَّلُوا فِي سَيْرِ عَمَلِ بِنَاءِ هَيْكَلِ اللهِ هَذَا؛ وَلْيُتَابِعْ وَالِي الْيَهُودِ وَشُيُوخُهُمْ بِنَاءَهُ فِي ذَاتِ مَوْقِعِهِ السَّابِقِ.

Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God on its site.

٨ 8 وَقَدْ صَدَرَ مِنِّي أَمْرٌ بِمَا تَصْنَعُونَ مَعَ شُيُوخِ الْيَهُودِ هَؤُلاءِ بِصَدَدِ بِنَاءِ هَيْكَلِ اللهِ: عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تَدْفَعُوا عَاجِلاً لِهَؤُلاءِ نَفَقَاتِ الْبِنَاءِ مِنْ مَالِ الْمَلِكِ مِنَ الْجِزْيَةِ الَّتِي تُجْبَى مِنْ عَبْرِ النَّهْرِ، لِئَلّا يَتَعَطَّلُوا عَنِ الْعَمَلِ.

And by me is the order given what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God, that out of the king's property, arising out of the tax beyond the river, the expenses shall forthwith be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.

٩ 9 وَكَذَلِكَ مَا يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الثِّيرَانِ وَالْكِبَاشِ وَالْخِرَافِ لِتَكُونَ قَرَابِينَ لإِلَهِ السَّمَاءِ. وَقَدِّمُوا لَهُمْ حِنْطَةً وَمِلْحاً وَخَمْراً وَزَيْتاً بِمُوْجِبِ طَلَبِ كَهَنَةِ أُورُشَلِيمَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ بِيَوْمِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ مُمَاطَلَةٍ،

And what they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt-offerings unto the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the requirement of the priests who are a Jerusalem, shall be given unto them day by day, without fail.

١٠ 10 لِيُوَاظِبُوا عَلَى تَقْرِيبِ ذَبَائِحِ سُرُورٍ لإِلَهِ السَّمَاءِ، وَيُثَابِرُوا عَلَى الصَّلاةِ مِنْ أَجْلِ حَيَاةِ الْمَلِكِ وَأَبْنَائِهِ.

That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savors unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons.

١١ 11 وَقَدْ أَمَرْتُ أَنَّ كُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ يُغَيِّرُ مِنْ هَذَا الْمَرْسُومِ تُسْحَبُ خَشَبَةٌ مِنْ بَيْتِهِ تَصْلِبُونَهُ عَلَيْهَا مُعَلَّقاً، وَيَتَحَوَّلُ بَيْتُهُ إِلَى كَوْمَةٍ مِنَ الأَطْلالِ جَزَاءَ جَرِيمَتِهِ.

Also is by me the order given, that if any man should alter this command, timber shall be pulled down from his house, and being set up, he shall be hanged thereon; and his house shall be made a dunghill for this.

١٢ 12 وَلْيُهْلِكِ اللهُ، الَّذِي وَضَعَ اسْمَهُ هُنَاكَ، كُلَّ مَلِكٍ أَوْ شَعْبٍ يَسْعَى لِتَغْيِيرِ هَذَا الْمَرْسُومِ، أَوْ لِهَدْمِ هَيْكَلِ اللهِ الَّذِي فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ. أَنَا دَارِيُوسُ قَدْ أَمَرْتُ فَلْيُجْرَ تَنْفِيذُ هَذَا الْمَرْسُومِ عَلَى الْفَوْرِ».

And may the God that causeth his name to dwell there cast down every king and people that will stretch forth their hand to alter, to destroy this house of God which is in Jerusalem. I Darius have given the order: let it be done speedily.

١٣ 13 حِينَئِذٍ أَسْرَعَ تَتْنَايُ وَالِي عَبْرِ النَّهْرِ، وَشَتَرْبُوزْنَايُ وَرِفَاقُهُمَا بِتَنْفِيذِ أَمْرِ الْمَلِكِ دَارِيُوسَ بِدِقَّةٍ.

Then did Thathnai the, governor on this aide of the river, Shethar-bozenai, and their companions, in accordance with what king Darius had sent, act in this manner speedily.

١٤ 14 وَهَكَذَا تَابَعَ شُيُوخُ الْيَهُودِ الْبِنَاءَ بِنَجَاحٍ، تَتْمِيماً لِنُبُوءَةِ حَجَّيِ النَّبِيِّ وَزَكَرِيَّا بْنِ عِدُّو، فَاسْتَكْمَلُوا الْبِنَاءَ حَسَبَ أَمْرِ إِلَهِ إِسْرَائِيلَ وَأَمْرِ كُورَشَ وَدَارِيُوسَ وَأَرْتَحْشَشْتَا مُلُوكِ فَارِسَ.

And the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of 'Iddo. And they built, and completed it, according to the order of the God of Israel, and according to the order of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes the king of Persia.

١٥ 15 وَتَمَّ بِنَاءُ الْهَيْكَلِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الثَّالِثِ مِنْ شَهْرِ آذَارَ، فِي السَّنَةِ السَّادِسَةِ مِنْ مُلْكِ دَارِيُوسَ الْمَلِكِ.

And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of king Darius.

١٦ 16 وَدَشَّنَ كَهَنَةُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَاللاوِيُّونَ وَبَقِيَّةُ الْمَسْبِيِّينَ الْعَائِدِينَ هَيْكَلَ اللهِ بِفَرَحٍ.

Then celebrated the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the exile, the dedication of this house of God with joy;

١٧ 17 وَقَرَّبُوا احْتِفَالاً بِتَدْشِينِ هَيْكَلِ اللهِ: مِئَةَ ثَوْرٍ وَمِئَتَيْ كَبْشٍ وَأَرْبَعَ مِئَةِ خَرُوفٍ؛ وَاثْنَيْ عَشَرَ تَيْسَ مِعْزَى، لِتَكُونَ ذَبِيحَةَ خَطِيئَةٍ عَنْ جَمِيعِ إِسْرَائِيلَ، بِحَسَبِ عَدَدِ أَسْبَاطِهِمْ.

And they offered for the dedication of this house of God one hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

١٨ 18 وَتَوَزَّعَ الْكَهَنَةُ وَاللّاوِيُّونَ حَسَبَ فِرَقِهِمِ الْمُخْتَلِفَةِ لِيَقُومُوا بِخِدْمَةِ الرَّبِّ، كَمَا هُوَ مَنْصُوصٌ عَلَيْهِ فِي شَرِيعَةِ مُوسَى.

And they stationed the priests in their orders, and the Levites in their divisions, for the service of God, which is in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.

١٩ 19 وَاحْتَفَلَ الْعَائِدُونَ مِنَ السَّبْيِ بِالْفِصْحِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الرَّابِعَ عَشَرَ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ الأَوَّلِ،

And the children of the exile prepared the passover-[sacrifice] on the fourteenth day of the first month.

٢٠ 20 إِذْ كَانَ الْكَهَنَةُ وَاللّاوِيُّونَ قَدْ تَطَهَّرُوا جَمِيعاً، فَذَبَحُوا حُمْلانَ الْفِصْحِ لِجَمِيعِ الْمَسْبِيِّينَ الْعَائِدِينَ وَلإِخْوَتِهِمِ الْكَهَنَةِ وَلأَنْفُسِهِمْ.

For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves, as one man were all of them clean; and they slaughtered the passover-sacrifice for all the children of the exile, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

٢١ 21 وَأَكَلَ الإِسْرَائِيلِيُّونَ الرَّاجِعُونَ مِنَ السَّبْيِ الْفِصْحَ، مَعَ سَائِرِ الَّذِينَ انْفَصَلُوا عَنْ مُمَارَسَةِ رَجَاسَاتِ أُمَمِ الأَرْضِ. وَجَاءُوا لِيَعْبُدُوا الرَّبَّ إِلَهَ إِسْرَائِيلَ.

And then did the children of Israel, who were returned out of the exile, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the uncleanness of the nations of the earth, to seek the Lord the God of Israel, eat thereof.

٢٢ 22 وَاحْتَفَلُوا بِعِيدِ الْفَطِيرِ سَبْعَةَ أَيَّامٍ بِفَرَحٍ، لأَنَّ الرَّبَّ مَلأَهُمْ بِالْغِبْطَةِ، إِذْ جَعَلَ قَلْبَ مَلِكِ أَشُّورَ يَمِيلُ نَحْوَهُمْ، فَشَدَّ أَزْرَهُمْ لِمُتَابَعَةِ الْعَمَلِ فِي بِنَاءِ هَيْكَلِ اللهِ إِلَهِ إِسْرَائِيلَ.

And they celebrated the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; for the Lord had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Asshur toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.