以斯拉記 4
1 猶大和便雅憫的敵人聽說被擄歸回的人為耶和華－以色列的上帝建造殿宇，
And they that afflicted Juda and Benjamin heard, that the children of the captivity were building a house to the Lord God of Israel.
2 就去見所羅巴伯和以色列的族長，對他們說：「請容我們與你們一同建造；因為我們尋求你們的上帝，與你們一樣。自從亞述王以撒哈頓帶我們上這地以來，我們常祭祀上帝。」
And they drew near to Zorobabel, and to the heads of families, and said to them, We will build with you; for as ye [do], we seek [to serve] our God, and we do sacrifice to him from the days of Asaradan king of Assur, who brought us hither.
3 但所羅巴伯、耶書亞，和其餘以色列的族長對他們說：「我們建造上帝的殿與你們無干，我們自己為耶和華－以色列的上帝協力建造，是照波斯王塞魯士所吩咐的。」
then Zorobabel, and Jesus and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel said to them, [It is] not for us and you to build a house to our God, for we ourselves will build together to the Lord our God, as Cyrus the king of the Persians commanded us.
4 那地的民，就在猶大人建造的時候，使他們的手發軟，擾亂他們；
And the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Juda, and hindered them in building,
5 從波斯王塞魯士年間，直到波斯王大流士登基的時候，賄買謀士，要敗壞他們的謀算。
and [continued] hiring [persons] against them, plotting to frustrate their counsel, all the days of Cyrus king of the Persians, and until the reign of Darius king of the Persians.
6 在亞哈隨魯才登基的時候，上本控告猶大和耶路撒冷的居民。
And in the reign of Assuerus, even in the beginning of his reign, they wrote a letter against the inhabitants of Juda and Jerusalem.
7 亞達薛西年間，比施蘭、米特利達、他別，和他們的同黨上本奏告波斯王亞達薛西。本章是用亞蘭文字，亞蘭方言。
And in the days of Arthasastha, Tabeel wrote peaceably to Mithradates and to the rest of his fellow-servants: the tribute-gatherer wrote to Arthasastha king of the Persians a writing in the Syrian tongue, and [the same] interpreted.
8 省長利宏、書記伸帥要控告耶路撒冷人，也上本奏告亞達薛西王。
Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe wrote an epistle against Jerusalem to King Arthasastha, [saying, ]
9 省長利宏、書記伸帥，和同黨的底拿人、亞法薩提迦人、他毗拉人、亞法撒人、亞基衛人、巴比倫人、書珊迦人、底亥人、以攔人，
Thus has judged Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe, and the rest of our fellow-servants, the Dinaeans, the Apharsathachaeans, the Tarphalaeans, the Apharsaeans, the Archyaeans, the Babylonians, the Susanachaeans, Davaeans,
10 和尊大的亞斯那巴所遷移、安置在撒馬利亞城，並大河西一帶地方的人等，
and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Assenaphar removed, and settled them in the cities of Somoron, and the rest [of them] beyond the river.
11 上奏亞達薛西王說：「河西的臣民云云：
This [is] the purport of the letter, which they sent to him: Thy servants the men beyond the river to king Arthasastha.
12 王該知道，從王那裏上到我們這裏的猶大人，已經到耶路撒冷重建這反叛惡劣的城，築立根基，建造城牆。
Be it known to the king, that the Jews who came up from thee to us have come to Jerusalem the rebellious and wicked city, which they are building, and its walls are set in order, and they have established the foundations of it.
13 如今王該知道，他們若建造這城，城牆完畢就不再與王進貢，交課，納稅，終久王必受虧損。
Now then be it known to the king, that if that city be built up, and its walls completed, thou shalt have no tribute, neither will they pay [anything], and this injures kings.
14 我們既食御鹽，不忍見王吃虧，因此奏告於王。
And it is not lawful for us to see the dishonour of the king: therefore have we sent and made known [the matter] to the king;
15 請王考察先王的實錄，必在其上查知這城是反叛的城，與列王和各省有害；自古以來，其中常有悖逆的事，因此這城曾被拆毀。
That examination may be made in thy fathers' book of record; and thou shalt find, and thou shalt know that city [is] rebellious, and does harm to kings and countries, and there are in the midst of it from very old time refuges for [runaway] slaves: therefore this city has been made desolate.
16 我們謹奏王知，這城若再建造，城牆完畢，河西之地王就無分了。」
We therefore declare to the king, that, if that city be built, and its walls be set up, thou shalt not have peace.
17 那時王諭覆省長利宏、書記伸帥，和他們的同黨，就是住撒馬利亞並河西一帶地方的人，說：「願你們平安云云。
Then the king sent to Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe, and the rest of their fellow-servants who dwelt in Samaria, and the rest beyond the river, [saying, ]Peace; and he says,
18 你們所上的本，已經明讀在我面前。
The tribute-gatherer whom ye sent to us, has been called before me.
19 我已命人考查，得知此城古來果然背叛列王，其中常有反叛悖逆的事。
And a decree has been made by me, and we have examined, and found that city of old time exalts itself against kings, and that rebellions and desertions take place within it.
20 從前耶路撒冷也有大君王統管河西全地，人就給他們進貢，交課，納稅。
And there were powerful kings in Jerusalem, and they ruled over all the [country] beyond the river, and abundant revenues and tribute were given to them.
21 現在你們要出告示命這些人停工，使這城不得建造，等我降旨。
Now therefore make a decree to stop the work of those men, and that city shall no more be built.
22 你們當謹慎，不可遲延，為何容害加重，使王受虧損呢？」
[See] that ye be careful of the decree, [not] to be remiss concerning this matter, lest at any time destruction should abound to the harm of kings.
23 亞達薛西王的上諭讀在利宏和書記伸帥，並他們的同黨面前，他們就急忙往耶路撒冷去見猶大人，用勢力強迫他們停工。
Then the tribute-gatherer of king Arthasastha read [the letter] before Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe, and his fellow-servants: and they went in haste to Jerusalem and through Juda, and caused them to cease with horses and an [armed] force.
24 於是，在耶路撒冷上帝殿的工程就停止了，直停到波斯王大流士第二年。
Then ceased the work of the house of God in Jerusalem, and it was at a stand until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.
