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。
Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even to 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 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 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 the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai and their companions, and said thus to them, Who has commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?
4 負責建築這工程的人，他們叫什麼名字﹖」
Then said we to them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make 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, 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 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。
The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent to Darius the king:
7 他們向王所呈的奏文上這樣寫道：「達理阿陛下萬安!
They sent a letter to him, wherein was written thus; To Darius the king, 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。
Be it known to the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goes fast on, and prospers 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﹖
Then asked we those elders, and said to them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?
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 asked their names also, to certify you, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.
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 thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and set up.
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 after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to 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 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。
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 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，
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 to one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made 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 said to him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in his place.
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。
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 has it been in building, and yet it is not finished.
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 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.
