以斯拉記 5
1 那時，先知哈該和易多的孫子撒迦利亞奉以色列上帝的名向猶大和耶路撒冷的猶大人說勸勉的話。
Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem. They prophesied to them in the name of the God of Israel.
2 於是撒拉鐵的兒子所羅巴伯和約薩達的兒子耶書亞都起來動手建造耶路撒冷上帝的殿，有上帝的先知在那裏幫助他們。
Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build God’s house which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them.
3 當時河西的總督達乃和示他‧波斯乃，並他們的同黨來問說：「誰降旨讓你們建造這殿，修成這牆呢？」
At the same time Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, came to them, with Shetharbozenai and their companions, and asked them, “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this wall?”
4 我們便告訴他們建造這殿的人叫甚麼名字。
They also asked for the names of the men who were making this building.
5 上帝的眼目看顧猶大的長老，以致總督等沒有叫他們停工，直到這事奏告大流士，得着他的回諭。
But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease until the matter should come to Darius, and an answer should be returned by letter concerning it.
6 河西的總督達乃和示他‧波斯乃，並他們的同黨，就是住河西的亞法薩迦人，上本奏告大流士王。
The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetharbozenai, and his companions the Apharsachites who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king follows.
7 本上寫着說：「願大流士王諸事平安。
They sent a letter to him, in which was written: To Darius the king, all peace.
8 王該知道，我們往猶大省去，到了至大上帝的殿，這殿是用大石建造的。樑木插入牆內，工作甚速，他們手下亨通。
Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with great stones and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands.
9 我們就問那些長老說：『誰降旨讓你們建造這殿，修成這牆呢？』
Then we asked those elders, and said to them thus, “Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?”
10 又問他們的名字，要記錄他們首領的名字，奏告於王。
We asked them their names also, to inform you that we might write the names of the men who were at their head.
11 他們回答說：『我們是天地之上帝的僕人，重建前多年所建造的殿，就是以色列的一位大君王建造修成的。
Thus they returned us answer, saying, “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and are building the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.
12 只因我們列祖惹天上的上帝發怒，上帝把他們交在迦勒底人巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒的手中，他就拆毀這殿，又將百姓擄到巴比倫。
But after our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried the people away into Babylon.
13 然而巴比倫王塞魯士元年，他降旨允准建造上帝的這殿。
But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God.
14 上帝殿中的金、銀器皿，就是尼布甲尼撒從耶路撒冷的殿中掠去帶到巴比倫廟裏的，塞魯士王從巴比倫廟裏取出來，交給派為省長的，名叫設巴薩，
The gold and silver vessels of God’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, those Cyrus the king also took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor.
15 對他說可以將這些器皿帶去，放在耶路撒冷的殿中，在原處建造上帝的殿。
He said to him, ‘Take these vessels, go, put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let God’s house be built in its place.’
16 於是這設巴薩來建立耶路撒冷上帝殿的根基。這殿從那時直到如今尚未造成。』
Then the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of God’s house which is in Jerusalem. Since that time even until now it has been being built, and yet it is not completed.
17 現在王若以為美，請察巴比倫王的府庫，看塞魯士王降旨允准在耶路撒冷建造上帝的殿沒有，王的心意如何？請降旨曉諭我們。」
Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it is so that a decree was made by Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.”
