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。
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 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 came to them Tatnai, governor on this side of the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus to them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?
4 我們便告訴他們建造這殿的人叫甚麼名字。
Then said we to them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make 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 upon 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 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 Tatnai, governor on this side of the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, who [were] on this side of the river, sent to Darius the king:
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 thus; 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 Judea, to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work proceedeth rapidly, and prospereth 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 commanded you to build this house, and to erect these walls?
10 又問他們的名字，要記錄他們首領的名字，奏告於王。
We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that [were] the chief of them.
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。
And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was erected these many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and set up.
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 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 the king of Babylon, [the same] king Cyrus 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，
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 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。
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 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 came the same Sheshbazzar, [and] laid the foundation of the house of God which [is] in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and [yet] it is not finished.
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 [seemeth] good to the king, let there be search 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.
