以斯拉記 5
1 那時，有哈蓋和依多的兒子匝加利亞二位先知，受感動奉以色列天主的名，勸勉在猶大和的猶太人。
Later, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them.
2 於是沙耳提耳的兒子則魯巴貝耳，和約匝達克的兒子耶叔亞起來，下手修建耶路撒冷的天主殿宇；身邊有天主的二位先知，鼓勵人民。
Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak rose up and began to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, helping them.
3 當時，河西州長塔特乃和舍達波則乃，以及他們的同僚，來到他們那裏，問他們說：「誰給了你們許可，建築這殿，修理城牆呢﹖
At that time Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates went to the Jews and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?”
4 負責建築這工程的人，他們叫什麼名字﹖」
They also asked, “What are the names of the men who are constructing this building?”
5 於是天主垂顧了人的長老，沒有讓人限令他們停工，直到上書達理阿，有了關於此事的覆文。
But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, so that they were not stopped until a report was sent to Darius and written instructions about this matter were returned.
6 以下是河西州長塔特乃和舍達波則乃，以及他們在河西的同僚官員，上呈達理阿王奏文的副本。
This is the text of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, the officials in the region, sent to King Darius.
7 他們向王所呈的奏文上這樣寫道：「達理阿陛下萬安!
The report they sent him read as follows: To King Darius: All peace.
8 奉奏我大王，我們日前去過猶大省，到了偉大天主的殿宇那裏，見那殿正在用一石塊修建，牆上也在安放木板；這工程在他們手下，進行的非常快，又非常順利。
Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. The people are rebuilding it with large stones, and placing timbers in the walls. This work is being carried out diligently and is prospering in their hands.
9 我們詢問了那些長老，這樣問他們說：誰給了你們許可修建這殿，打奠牆基﹖
So we questioned the elders and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?”
10 我們也詢問了他們的名字，為奏知大王；所以我們能給陛下出他們的名字。
We also asked for their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.
11 他們如此答覆我們說：我們是天地大主的僕人，重修多年以前所修建的殿宇，這殿是一位以色列偉大的君王所建築完成的。
And this is the answer they returned: “We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed.
12 但因為我們的祖先冒犯了上天的大主，衪便把他們交在加色丁人巴比倫王拿步高手中，讓他破壞了這座殿宇，將人民擄到巴比倫去。
But since our fathers angered the God of heaven, He delivered them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean who destroyed this temple and carried away the people to Babylon.
13 然而，在巴比倫王居魯士元年，居魯士王頒發諭旨，令重建這座天主的殿宇。
In his first year, however, Cyrus king of Babylon issued a decree to rebuild this house of God.
14 居魯士王且把拿步高從耶路撒冷殿內，帶到巴比倫殿的天主殿宇的金銀器，從巴比倫殿拿出來，交給了一個名叫市巴匝的，並立他為省長，
He also removed from the temple of Babylon the gold and silver articles belonging to the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken and carried there from the temple in Jerusalem. King Cyrus gave these articles to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he appointed governor
15 向他說：你將這些器冊拿去，安放在耶路撒冷的殿內，並將天主的殿宇，重建在原的地方。
and instructed, ‘Take these articles, put them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its original site.’
16 於是這位舍市巴匝便來，安放了耶路撒冷的天主殿宇的基石；從那時修建至今，沒有竣工。
So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it has been under construction, but it has not yet been completed.”
17 現在大王若以為好，就派人檢查大王在巴比倫的寶庫，看看是否居魯士王，曾對重建耶路撒冷的天主殿宇，頒發過諭令，並祈大王對此事給我們頒下聖旨。
Now, therefore, if it pleases the king, let a search be made of the royal archives in Babylon to see if King Cyrus did indeed issue a decree to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.
