Ezra 4

1 Ali kada su čuli Judini i Benjaminovi neprijatelji da povratnici iz sužanjstva grade svetište Jahvi, Bogu Izraelovu,

Now some enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people who had been exiled were now building a temple for Yahweh, the God of Israel.

2 potražiše Zerubabela, Ješuu i glavare obiteljske i rekoše im: “Mi želimo s vama graditi, jer, kao i vi, tražimo Boga vašega i njemu prinosimo žrtve od vremena Esar Hadona, asirskoga kralja, koji nas je ovamo doveo.”

So they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of their ancestors' clans. They said to them, “Let us build with you, for, like you, we seek your God and have sacrificed to him since the days when Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, brought us to this place.”

3 Zerubabel, Ješua i glavari izraelskih obitelji odgovoriše im: “Nije na vama da s nama gradite Dom našemu Bogu: gradit ćemo mi sami Jahvi, Bogu Izraelovu, kako nam je naredio Kir, kralj perzijski.”

But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the heads of their ancestors' clans said, “It is not you, but we who must build the house of our God, for it is we who will build for Yahweh, the God of Israel, just as King Cyrus of Persia commanded.”

4 Tada je narod one zemlje plašio ljude Judeje i smetao im u gradnji.

So the people of the land made the Judeans' hands weak; they made the Judeans afraid to build.

5 Podmitili su savjetnike da im ometaju naum: tako je bilo za vrijeme perzijskoga kralja Kira sve do perzijskoga kralja Darija. Samarijanske smetnje za Kserksove i Artakserksove vladavine

They also bribed counselors to frustrate their plans. They did this during all of Cyrus' days and into the reign of Darius king of Persia.

6 Za Kserksova kraljevanja, na početku njegove vladavine, sastaviše tužbu protiv stanovnika Judeje i Jeruzalema.

Then at the beginning of Ahasuerus' reign they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 I za vremena Artakserksova pisali su Bišlam, Mitredat, Tabel i ostali njihovi drugovi protiv Jeruzalema perzijskom kralju Artakserksu. Podnesak je bio pisan aramejskim pismom i jezikom.

It was during the days of Artaxerxes that Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their companions wrote to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated.

8 Zatim su upravitelj Rehum i tajnik Šimšaj napisali kralju Artakserksu slijedeće pismo protiv Jeruzalema -

Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote this way to Artaxerxes about Jerusalem.

9 upravitelj Rehum, tajnik Šimšaj i ostali drugovi njihovi: perzijski suci, poslanici, činovnici; Arkevajci, Babilonci, Suzanci - to jest Elamci -

Then Rehum, Shimshai, and their companions, who were judges and other officers in the government, the Persians, men from Erech and Babylon, and the men from Susa (that is, the Elamites)—they wrote a letter—

10 i ostali narodi koje je veliki i slavni Asurbanipal bio odveo u sužanjstvo i naselio ih u gradove Samarije i druge krajeve s onu stranu Rijeke.

and they were joined by the people whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal forced to settle in Samaria, along with the rest who were in the Province Beyond the River.

11 Evo prijepisa pisma koje su mu poslali: “Kralju Artakserksu, tvoje sluge, ljudi s onu stranu Rijeke. Sada, dakle,

This is a copy of the letter that they sent to Artaxerxes: “Your servants, men of the Province Beyond the River, write this:

12 neka zna kralj da su Judejci stigli k nama od tebe; došavši u Jeruzalem, žele ponovo sagraditi odmetnički i opaki grad; podižu zidine, a temelje su već postavili.

Let the king know that the Jews who went from you have come against us in Jerusalem to build a rebellious city. They have completed the walls and repaired the foundations.

13 Neka zna kralj: ako ovaj grad bude sagrađen i zidovi podignuti, neće se više plaćati porez, ni danak, ni carina, i ovaj će grad biti na štetu kraljevske riznice.

Now let the king know that if this city is built and the wall is completed, they will not give any tribute and taxes, but they will harm the kings.

14 Budući da jedemo dvorsku sol, ne čini nam se doličnim gledati ovu sramotu nanesenu kralju. Zato, dakle, obavještavamo kralja:

Surely because we have eaten the palace salt, it is not fitting for us to see any dishonor happen to the king. It is because of this that we are informing the king

15 neka se poduzmu istraživanja u ljetopisima tvojih očeva: u tim ćeš ljetopisima naći i utvrditi da je ovaj grad odmetnički grad, nesretan za kraljeve i pokrajine i da su se u njemu od davnine dizale bune. Zato je ovaj grad bio razoren.

to search your father's record and to verify that this is a rebellious city that will harm kings and provinces. It has caused many problems to the kings and provinces. It has been a center for rebellion from long ago. It was for this reason that the city was destroyed.

16 Obavješćujemo kralja da neće biti više tvoje područje preko Rijeke ako ovaj grad bude ponovo sagrađen i zidovi podignuti!”

We are informing the king that if this city and wall are built, then there will be nothing remaining for you in the Province Beyond the River.”

17 Kralj je poslao ovaj odgovor: “Rehumu, upravitelju, Šimšaju, tajniku, i ostalim drugovima njihovim koji borave u Samariji i drugdje, s onu stranu Rijeke - mir! Evo,

So the king sent out a reply to Rehum and Shimshai and their companions in Samaria and the rest who were in the Province Beyond the River: “May peace be yours.

18 podnesak koji ste mi poslali bio je preda mnom pričitan u njegovu prijevodu.

The letter that you sent me has been translated and read to me.

19 Po mojoj su naredbi poduzeli istraživanja i utvrdili da se taj grad dizao od davnine protiv kraljeva i da su u njemu bivali ustanci i bune.

So I ordered an investigation and discovered that in previous days they had rebelled and revolted against kings.

20 I moćni su kraljevi kraljevali u Jeruzalemu, koji su gospodarili svime s onu stranu Rijeke: njima se plaćao danak, porez i carina.

Mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and had power over everything in the Province Beyond the River. Tribute and taxes were paid to them.

21 Zapovjedite, dakle, da se prekine pothvat onih ljudi: taj se grad neće zidati dok ja o tome ne odlučim.

Now, make a decree for these men to stop and not build this city until I make a decree.

22 Čuvajte se svakog propusta u postupku, da ne bi zlo poraslo na štetu kraljeva.”

Be careful not to neglect this. Why allow this threat to grow and cause more loss for the royal interests?

23 Pošto je prijepis otpisa kralja Artakserksa pročitan pred Rehumom, upraviteljem, Šimšajem, tajnikom, i pred njihovim drugovima, oni brzo odoše u Jeruzalem k Judejcima te im oružanom snagom zabraniše radove.

When King Artaxerxes' decree was read before Rehum, Shimshai, and their companions, they went out quickly to Jerusalem and forced the Jews to stop building.

24 Tako su obustavljeni poslovi oko gradnje Doma Božjega u Jeruzalemu. Bili su prekinuti sve do druge godine kraljevanja Darija, perzijskoga kralja.

So the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.