以斯拉记 4

1 犹大和便雅悯的敌人听说被掳归回的人为耶和华—以色列的 神建造殿宇，

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;

2 就去见所罗巴伯和以色列的族长，对他们说：“请容我们与你们一同建造；因为我们寻求你们的 神，与你们一样。自从亚述王以撒哈顿带我们上这地以来，我们常祭祀 神。”

Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye [do; ] and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

3 但所罗巴伯、耶书亚，和其余以色列的族长对他们说：“我们建造 神的殿与你们无干，我们自己为耶和华—以色列的 神协力建造，是照波斯王塞鲁士所吩咐的。”

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

4 那地的民，就在犹大人建造的时候，使他们的手发软，扰乱他们；

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

5 从波斯王塞鲁士年间，直到波斯王大流士登基的时候，贿买谋士，要败坏他们的谋算。

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

6 在亚哈随鲁才登基的时候，上本控告犹大和耶路撒冷的居民。

And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they [unto him] an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 亚达薛西年间，比施兰、米特利达、他别，和他们的同党上本奏告波斯王亚达薛西。本章是用亚兰文字，亚兰方言。

And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter [was] written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.

8 省长利宏、书记伸帅要控告耶路撒冷人，也上本奏告亚达薛西王。

Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:

9 省长利宏、书记伸帅，和同党的底拿人、亚法萨提迦人、他毗拉人、亚法撒人、亚基卫人、巴比伦人、书珊迦人、底亥人、以拦人，

Then [wrote] Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, [and] the Elamites,

10 和尊大的亚斯那巴所迁移、安置在撒马利亚城，并大河西一带地方的人等，

And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest [that are] on this side the river, and at such a time.

11 上奏亚达薛西王说：“河西的臣民云云：

This [is] the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, [even] unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.

12 王该知道，从王那里上到我们这里的犹大人，已经到耶路撒冷重建这反叛恶劣的城，筑立根基，建造城墙。

Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls [thereof], and joined the foundations.

13 如今王该知道，他们若建造这城，城墙完毕就不再与王进贡，交课，纳税，终久王必受亏损。

Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up [again, then] will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and [so] thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.

14 我们既食御盐，不忍见王吃亏，因此奏告于王。

Now because we have maintenance from [the king’s] palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;

15 请王考察先王的实录，必在其上查知这城是反叛的城，与列王和各省有害；自古以来，其中常有悖逆的事，因此这城曾被拆毁。

That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city [is] a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.

16 我们谨奏王知，这城若再建造，城墙完毕，河西之地王就无分了。”

We certify the king that, if this city be builded [again], and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.

17 那时王谕复省长利宏、书记伸帅，和他们的同党，就是住撒马利亚并河西一带地方的人，说：“愿你们平安云云。

[Then] sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and [to] Shimshai the scribe, and [to] the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and [unto] the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.

18 你们所上的本，已经明读在我面前。

The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.

19 我已命人考查，得知此城古来果然背叛列王，其中常有反叛悖逆的事。

And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and [that] rebellion and sedition have been made therein.

20 从前耶路撒冷也有大君王统管河西全地，人就给他们进贡，交课，纳税。

There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all [countries] beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.

21 现在你们要出告示命这些人停工，使这城不得建造，等我降旨。

Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until [another] commandment shall be given from me.

22 你们当谨慎，不可迟延，为何容害加重，使王受亏损呢？”

Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

23 亚达薛西王的上谕读在利宏和书记伸帅，并他们的同党面前，他们就急忙往耶路撒冷去见犹大人，用势力强迫他们停工。

Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter [was] read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

24 于是，在耶路撒冷 神殿的工程就停止了，直停到波斯王大流士第二年。

Then ceased the work of the house of God which [is] at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.