Ezra 5

1 Men Profeterne Haggaj og Zakarias, Iddos Søn, profeterede for Jøderne i Juda og Jerusalem i Israels Guds Navn, som var over dem.

Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that [were] in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, [even] unto them.

2 Da tog Zerubbabel, Sjealtiels Søn, og Jesua, Jozadaks Søn, fat og begyndte at bygge paa Guds Hus i Jerusalem sammen med Guds Profeter, som støttede dem.

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 Men paa den Tid kom Tattenaj, Statholderen hinsides Floden, Sjetar-Bozenaj og deres Embedsbrødre til dem og sagde: »Hvem har givet eder Lov til at bygge dette Tempel og genopføre denne Helligdom,

At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?

4 og hvad er Navnene paa de Mænd, der bygger denne Bygning?«

Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?

5 Men over Jødernes Ældste vaagede deres Guds Øje, saa de ikke standsede dem i Arbejdet, før Sagen var forelagt Darius og der var kommet Svar derpaa.

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 Afskrift af det Brev, som Tattenaj, Statholderen hinsides Floden, Sjetar-Bozenaj og hans Embedsbrødre, Afarsekiterne hinsides Floden, sendte Kong Darius;

The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which [were] on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king:

7 de sendte ham en Skrivelse, hvori der stod: Kong Darius ønsker vi al Fred!

They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace.

8 Det være Kongen kundgjort, at vi begav os til Landsdelen Judæa til den store Guds Hus; det bliver bygget af Kvadersten, der lægges Bjælker i Muren, og Arbejdet udføres med Omhu og skyder frem under deres Hænder.

Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.

9 Vi spurgte da de Ældste der og talte saaledes til dem: »Hvem har givet eder Lov til at, bygge dette Tempel og opføre denne Helligdom?

Then asked we those elders, [and] said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?

10 Vi spurgte dem ogsaa om deres Navne for at lade dig dem vide, og vi opskrev Navnene paa de Mænd, der staar i Spidsen for dem.

We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that [were] the chief of them.

11 Og Svaret, de gav os, lød saaledes: Vi er Himmelens og Jordens Guds Tjenere, og vi bygger det Tempel, som blev bygget for mange Aar siden, da en stor Konge i Israel byggede og opførte det.

And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.

12 Da imidlertid vore Fædre vakte Himmelens Guds Vrede, gav han dem i Babels Konges, Kaldæeren Nebukadnezars, Haand, og han nedbrød dette Tempel og førte Folket i Landflygtighed til Babel.

But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto 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 Men i sit første Regeringsaar gav Kong Kyros af Babel Befaling til at genopbygge dette Gudshus;

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 og Kong Kyros lod tillige de til Gudshuset hørende Guld— og Sølvkar, som Nebukadnezar havde borttaget fra Helligdommen i Jerusalem og ført til sin Helligdom i Babel, tage ud af Helligdommen i Babel, og de overgaves til en Mand ved Navn Sjesjbazzar, som han havde indsat til Statholder;

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 unto [one], whose name [was] Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;

15 og han sagde til ham: «Tag disse Kar og drag ben og lad dem faa deres Plads i Helligdommen i Jerusalem og lad Gudshuset blive genopbygget paa sin gamle Plads!»

And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that [is] in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.

16 Saa kom denne Sjesjbazzar og lagde Grunden til Gudshuset i Jerusalem, og siden den Tid er der bygget derpaa, men det er ikke færdigt.

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 Hvis derfor Kongen synes, saa lad der blive set efter i det kongelige Skatkammer ovre i Babel, om det har sig saaledes, at der af Kong Kyros er givet Befaling til at bygge dette Gudshus i Jerusalem; og Kongen give os saa sin Vilje i denne Sag til Kende!«

Now therefore, if [it seem] good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure house, which [is] there at Babylon, whether it be [so], that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.