< 以斯拉記 4 >

1 猶大和本雅明的敵人,一聽說充軍回來的子民,為上主以色列的天主修建聖宇,
Forsothe the enemyes of Juda and of Beniamyn herden, that the sones of caitifte bildiden a temple to the Lord God of Israel;
2 便來見則魯巴貝耳、耶叔亞和族長,向他們說:「讓我們同你們一同建築吧! 因為我們同你們一樣,求問你們的天主;從亞述王厄撒哈冬,將我們帶到這裏之日起,我們即向衪獻祭」。
and thei neiyeden to Zorobabel, and to the princes of fadris, and seiden to hem, Bilde we with you, for so as ye, we seken youre God; lo! we han offrid sacrificis fro the daies of Assoraddon, kyng of Assur, that brouyte vs hidur.
3 但是,則魯巴貝耳、耶叔亞和以色列的族長,回答他們說:「你們不能同我們一起,給我們的天主修建殿宇,因為按波斯王居魯士我們的命令,我們應單獨給上主以色列的天主修建殿宇」。
And Zorobabel, and Josue, and the othere princes of the fadris of Israel, seiden to hem, It is not to vs and to you, that we bilde an hows to oure God; but we vs silf aloone schulen bilde to `oure Lord God, as Cirus, the kyng of Persis, comaundide to vs.
4 時便有當地人來挫折猶大人民的勇氣,擾亂他們的建築的工作;
Forsothe it was doon, that the puple of the lond lettide the hondis of the puple of Juda, and trobliden hem in bildyng.
5 還買通了一些議,員來反對反對他們,破壞他們的計劃;整個波斯王居魯士朝代,自始至終,直到波斯王達理阿朝代,常是如此。
And thei hiriden counselouris ayens the Jewis, that thei schulden destrie the counseil of the Jewis, in alle the daies of Cirus, king of Persis, and `til to the rewme of Darius, king of Persis.
6 在薛西斯朝代,在他登極之初,他們還了訴狀,控告猶大和耶路撒冷的居民。
Forsothe in the rewme of Assueris, he is Artaxersis, in the bigynnyng of his rewme, thei writiden accusing ayens the dwellers of Juda and of Jerusalem;
7 阿塔薛西斯年間,彼舍藍、米特達特、塔貝耳和其餘的同僚,也曾上書於波斯王阿塔薛西斯;奏文是用阿刺美文字,也是用阿刺語言的。
and in the daies of Artaxarses, Besellam wroot, Mytridates, and Thabel, and othere, that weren in the counsel of hem, to Artaxarses, kyng of Persis. For the pistle of accusyng was writun in langage of Sirie, and was red in word of Sirie.
8 以後,勒洪總督和史默秘書,為耶路撒冷事,也曾上書於阿塔薛西斯王,其文如下:──
Reum, Beel, Theem, and Samsai, the scryuen, writen sich oon epistle fro Jerusalem to the kyng Artaxerses; Reum,
9 上書的是勒洪總督、史默瑟秘書和其餘的同僚:即判官和欽差、人物書記、厄勒客人。巴比倫人、叔商人即厄藍人,
Beel, Theem, and Samsai, the writere, and othere counselouris of hem, Dyney, Pharsathei, and Therphalei, Arphasei, Harthuei, men of Babiloyne, Susanne, Thanei, Dacei, men of Helam,
10 以及偉大和顯貴的阿斯納帕所遺來,安置在撒馬黎雅城和河西其餘地區的各民族。──
and othere of hethene men, whiche the grete and gloriouse Asennaphar translatide, and made hem to dwelle in the citees of Samarie, and in othere cuntrees biyonde the flood, `in pees.
11 以下是送於王的奏文本:「你的臣僕,河西的人民上奏阿塔薛西斯王:
This is the saumplere of the pistle, which thei senten to the kyng. `To Artaxerses, king, thi seruauntis, men `that ben biyende the flood, seyn helthe.
12 今上奏大王,前由大王那裏上到我們這裏來的猶太人,一到了那座作亂邪惡的耶路撒冷城,便大興土木,修建城牆,已打好基礎。
Be it knowun to the kyng, that the Jewis, that stieden fro thee, ben comun to vs `in to Jerusalem, the rebel and worste citee, which thei bilden, and thei maken the ground wallis therof, and arayen the wallis aboue.
13 今上奏大王,那城若的建成,城垣若是修完,他們便不再納糧、出捐和完稅了,如此於大王的國庫必定有害。
Nou therfor be it knowun to the kyng, that if thilke citee be bildid, and the wallis therof be restorid, thei schulen not yyue tribut, and tol, and annuel rentis, and this trespas schal come `til to the kyng.
14 現今我們既食王家的鹽,自不應坐視大王受害,為此我們上奏,稟告大王:
Therfor we ben myndeful of the salt, which we eeten in the paleis, and for we holden it vnleueful to se the harmes of the kyng, therfor we han sent and teld to the kyng;
15 請大王查閱先王記錄,在記錄上必會查出,從而知道這座城是座好亂的城,曾加害先王和各省;自古以來,其中常發生叛亂,故此才被毀滅。
that thou acounte in the bokis of stories of thi fadris, and thou schalt fynde writun in cronyclis, and thou schalt wite, that thilke citee is a rebel citee, and that it anoieth kyngis and prouynces, and batels ben reisid therynne of elde daies; wherfor also thilke citee was distried.
16 為此我們奏明大王:如果那城建成,牆垣築完,從此大王便沒有河西的版圖」。
We tellen to the kyng, that if thilke citee be bildid, and the wallis therof be restorid, thou schalt not haue possessioun biyende the flood.
17 君王覆文如下:「願勒洪總督、史默秘書、以及其餘住在撒馬黎雅的官,和河西其餘的人民平安:
The kyng sente word to Reum, Beel, Theem, and to Samsai, the scryuen, and to othere that weren in the counsel of hem, to the dwelleris of Samarie, and to othere biyendis the flood, and seide, Helthe and pees.
18 你們呈來的奏疏,已在我們清楚誦讀了。
The accusyng, which ye senten to vs, was red opynli bifor me;
19 我下命檢查,的確發現那座城,自古以來即違抗君王,其中常發生叛亂造反之事。
and it was comaundid of me, and thei rekenyden, and thei foundun, that thilke citee rebellith of elde daies ayens kyngis, and dissenciouns and batels ben reisid therynne;
20 先前曾有英武的君王,治理過耶路撒冷,統轄過整個河西之地,人都給他們納糧、出捐和完稅。
for whi `and ful stronge kyngis weren in Jerusalem, which also weren lordis of al the cuntrei which is biyende the flood; also thei token tribut, and tol, and rentis.
21 所以現在,你們應發一道命令,叫這些人停工,不准修城,我們另發指令。
Now therfor here ye the sentence, that ye forbede tho men, and that thilke citee be not bildid, til if perauenture it be comaundid of me.
22 你們應注意,對此不可疏忽,免得捐害加重,禍及君王」。
Se ye, that this be not fillid necgligentli, and yuel encreesse litil `and litil ayens kyngis.
23 當阿塔薛西斯王的覆文副本,在勒洪、史默秘書和他們同僚前,誦讀之後,這些人就急速前往耶路撒冷,來到猶太人那裏,用威脅和武力迫使他們停工。
Therfor the saumple of the comaundement of kyng Artaxarses was red bifor Reum, Beel, Theem, and Samsai, the scryueyn, and her counseleris; and thei yeden hastili in to Jerusalem to the Jewis, and forbediden hem with arm and myyt.
24 耶路撒冷天主殿宇的工程,便停頓了,一直停到波斯王達理阿, 在位第二年。
Thanne the werk of Goddis hows in Jerusalem was left, and it was not maad til to the secounde yeer of Darius, king of Persis.

< 以斯拉記 4 >