Ezra 4

1 Der Judas og Benjamins Modstandere hørte, at de Folk, som havde været bortførte, byggede Templet for Herren, Israels Gud,

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 da kom de frem til Serubabel og til Øversterne for Fædrenehusene og sagde til dem: Lader os bygge med eder; thi vi ville søge eders Gud, ligesom I, og vi have ofret til ham fra de Dage af, da Kongen af Assyrien, Asar-Haddon, førte os hid op.

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 Men Serubabel og Jesua og de øvrige af Øversterne for Fædrenehusene for Israel sagde til dem: Det sømmer sig ikke, at I og vi bygge vor Guds Hus; men vi ville alene bygge for Herren, Israels Gud, som Kong Kyrus, Kongen af Persien, bød os.

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 Og Folket i Landet gjorde, at Judas Folk lode Hænderne synke, og de forstyrrede dem i at bygge.

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

5 Og de tingede Raadgivere imod dem for at gøre deres Raad til intet i alle Kyrus's, Kongen af Persiens, Dage, og indtil Darius's, Kongen af Persiens, Regering.

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 Og i Ahasverus's Regering, i hans Regerings Begyndelse, skreve de en Klage imod Indbyggerne i Juda og Jerusalem.

In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 Og i Artakserkses's Dage skreve Bislam, Mithridates, Tabeel og de øvrige af hans Selskab til Artakserkses, Kongen i Persien, og Brevet var skrevet med syrisk Skrift og oversat paa Syrisk.

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 Rehum, Kansleren og Simsaj, Skriveren, skreve et Brev imod Jerusalem til Kong Artakserkses, saalydende:

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

9 — Dengang var det, Rehum, Kansleren, og Simsaj, Skriveren, og de øvrige af deres Selskab, de af Dina og Afarsathka, Tarpela, Afarsa, Erek, Babel, Susan, Dehava, Elam

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 og de øvrige Folk, som den store og navnkundige Osnappar forflyttede og satte i Samarias Stad, og de øvrige paa denne Side Floden, og saa videre. —

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 Dette er Afskriften af Brevet, som de sendte til ham, til Kong Artakserkses: Dine Tjenere, de Mænd paa denne Side Floden, og saa videre:

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

12 Det skal være Kongen vitterligt, at Jøderne, som ere dragne op fra dig, ere komne til os til Jerusalem og bygge den oprørske og onde Stad og fuldføre Muren og udbedre Grunden,

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 Saa være det nu Kongen vitterligt, at dersom den Stad bliver bygget, og Murene blive fuldførte, da skulle de ikke ville give dig Skat, Told og aarlig Rente, og du skal lide Tab i Kongernes Indtægt.

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 Nu, efterdi vi have vor Løn fra Kongens Palads, og det ikke sømmer sig, at vi se paa Kongens Skade, derfor have vi sendt hen og lade Kongen det vide,

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 at man maa lede i dine Fædres Historiebog, at du kan finde i samme Historiebog og forfare, at den Stad er en genstridig Stad og skadelig for Konger og Lande, og at de have gjort Opstand derudi fra gammel Tid af; derfor er Staden ødelagt.

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 Vi give Kongen til Kende, at hvis denne Stad bliver bygget og dens Mure fuldførte, da beholder du ingen Del paa denne Side Floden.

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

17 Kongen sendte Svar til Rehum, Kansleren, og Simsaj, Skriveren, og de øvrige af deres Selskab, som boede i Samaria, og til de øvrige paa denne Side Floden: Fred! og saa videre:

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 Det Brev, som I sendte til os, er klarlig læst for mig,

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

19 og der er af mig given Befaling, at man skulde lede, og man har fundet, at denne Stad har fra gammel Tid af sat sig op imod Konger, og at der er gjort Opstand og Frafald derudi.

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 Og der har været mægtige Konger i Jerusalem, som have hersket over alt det, som er paa hin Side Floden, saa at dem blev given Skat, Told og aarlig Rente.

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 Saa giver nu Befaling om at forhindre disse Mænd, at den Stad ikke bliver bygget, førend der bliver givet Befaling af mig.

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 Saa værer paamindede, at I ikke begaa en Forseelse herudi; hvorfor skal det fordærvelige faa Overhaand, Kongerne til Skade?

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

23 Der nu Afskriften af Kong Artakserkses's Brev blev læst for Rehum af Simsaj, Skriveren, og deres Selskab, da droge de hastelig til Jerusalem til Jøderne og forhindrede dem med Arm og Magt.

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 Da forhindredes Arbejdet paa Guds Hus, som var i Jerusalem, og det blev forhindret indtil Darius's, Kongen i Persiens, andet Regeringsaar.

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.