Ezra 4

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

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to the LORD, 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.”

they came near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have been sacrificing to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”

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 rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”

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

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building.

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 hired counsellors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

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

In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his 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.

In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Syrian and delivered in the Syrian language.

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

Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows.

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

Then Rehum the chancellor, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,

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 the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over and settled in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River, and so forth, wrote.

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

This is the copy of the letter that they sent: To King Artaxerxes, from your servants, the people beyond the River.

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.

Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us to Jerusalem. They are building the rebellious and bad city, and have finished 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.

Be it known now to the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings.

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

Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not appropriate for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore we have sent and informed 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.

that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will see in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have started rebellions within it in the past. That is why this city was destroyed.

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

We inform the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, then you will have no possession 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,

Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who live in Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River: Peace.

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

The letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before 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.

I decreed, and search has been made, and it was found that this city has made insurrection against kings in the past, and that rebellion and revolts have been made in it.

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

There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll was paid to them.

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

Make a decree now to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built until a decree is made by me.

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

Be careful that you not be slack doing so. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

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.

Then when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force of arms.

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

Then work stopped on God’s house which is at Jerusalem. It stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.