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，
The enemies of the people of [the tribes of] Judah and Benjamin heard that the [Israeli] people who had returned from Babylonia were rebuilding a temple for Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli people [worshiped].
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。」
So they went to Zerubbabel [the governor] and the other leaders, and said [deceptively], “We want to help [you build the temple], because we worship that same God whom you worship, and we have been offering sacrifices to him since Esarhaddon, the King of Assyria, brought us here.”
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。」
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other [Israeli] leaders replied, “We will not allow you to help us build a temple for our(exc) God. We will build it (ourselves/without your help) for Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis worship, like Cyrus, the King of Persia, told us to do.”
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；
Then the people who had been living in that land [before the Israelis returned] tried to cause the Jews to become discouraged and become afraid, and to cause them to stop building the temple.
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。
They bribed government officials to oppose what the Israelis were doing [and prevent them from continuing to work on the temple]. They did that all during the time that Cyrus was King of Persia. They continued to do it when Darius became the King of Persia.
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。
During the first year that [Darius’ son] Xerxes was king, the [enemies of the Jews] wrote a note [to the king] saying that the Jews [were planning to rebel against the government].
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。
Later, when [Xerxes’ son] Artaxerxes [became the King of Persia], Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and their colleagues/companions wrote a letter to him. They wrote the letter in the Aramaic language, and it was translated [into another language that the king knew].
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。
Rehum, the high commissioner, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, wrote the letter to King Artaxerxes concerning what was happening in Jerusalem.
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，
They stated that the letter was from Rehum the high commissioner/governor and Shimshai the provincial secretary and from their associates, the judges, and other government officials, who were from Erech [city], Babylon [city], and Susa [city] in Elam [district].
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，
[They also wrote that they represented] the other people-groups whom [the army of] the great and glorious/famous [King] Ashurbanipal had (deported/forced to move from their homes) and taken to live in Samaria and in other cities in the province west of the Euphrates [River].
11 上奏亞達薛西王說：「河西的臣民云云：
This is what they wrote in the letter: “To King Artaxerxes, From the officials who serve you who live in the province west of the Euphrates [River.]
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。
“Your majesty, we want you to know that the Jews who came here from your territories are rebuilding this city, [Jerusalem]. These people are wicked and want to rebel against you. Now they are repairing the foundations [of the walls/buildings] and building the walls [of the city].
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。
“It is important for you to know that if they rebuild the city and finish building the walls, they will stop paying any kind of taxes. As a result, there will be less money in your treasury.
14 我們既食御鹽，不忍見王吃虧，因此奏告於王。
Now, because we are loyal to [IDM] you, and because we do not want you to be humiliated [IDM], we are sending this information to you.
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。
And, we suggest that you order/tell [your officials] to search the records that your ancestors made/wrote. [If you do that], you will find out that the people in this city have always rebelled [against the government]. You will also find out that from long ago these people have caused trouble for kings and for rulers of provinces. They have always revolted [against those who ruled them]. That is the reason that this city was destroyed [by the Babylonian army].
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 want you to know that if they rebuild this city and finish building its walls, you will no longer be able to control/rule [the people in] this province west of the Euphrates [River].”
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。
[After] the king [read this letter, he] sent this reply to them: “To Rehum, the high commissioner, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, and their colleagues in Samaria and in other parts of the province that is west of the [Euphrates] River: I (send you my greetings/wish that things will go well for you).
18 你們所上的本，已經明讀在我面前。
The letter that you sent to me was translated and read to 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。
So then I ordered [my officials] to search the records. I have found out that [it is true that] the people of that city have always revolted against their rulers, and that the city is full of people who have rebelled and caused trouble.
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。
Powerful kings have ruled in Jerusalem, and they have also ruled over the whole province west of the [Euphrates] River. [The people in that province were] paying all kinds of taxes to those kings.
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。
So you must command that the people must stop rebuilding the city. Only if I tell them [that they may rebuild it] will they be allowed to continue.
22 你們當謹慎，不可遲延，為何容害加重，使王受虧損呢？」
Do this immediately [LIT], because I do not want those people to do anything to harm the things/area about which I am concerned.”
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。
[Messengers took] that letter to Rehum and Shimshai and their colleagues and read it to them. Then Rehum and the others went quickly to Jerusalem, and they forced the Jews to stop [rebuilding the city wall].
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。
The result was that the Jews stopped rebuilding the temple. They did not do any more work to rebuild the temple until Darius became the King of Persia.
