Ezra 7
1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
這些事以後，當波斯王阿塔薛西斯在位時，有位厄斯德拉，是色辣雅的兒子，色辣雅是阿匝黎雅的兒子，阿匝黎雅是希耳克雅的兒子，
2 the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
希耳克雅是沙隆的兒子，沙隆是匝多克的兒子，匝多克是阿希突布是兒子，
3 the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
阿希突布是阿瑪黎雅的兒子，阿瑪黎雅是阿匝黎雅的兒子，阿匝黎雅是默辣約特的兒子，
4 the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
默辣約特是則辣希雅的兒子，則辣希雅是烏齊的兒子，烏齊是步克的兒子，
5 the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—
步克是阿彼叔亞的兒子，阿彼叔亞是丕乃哈斯的兒子，阿彼叔亞是厄肋阿匝爾的兒子，厄肋阿匝爾是大司祭亞郎的兒子。
6 this Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a skilled scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to the LORD his God’s hand on him.
這厄斯德拉是位經師，精通上主賜給梅瑟的法律。他因有上主天主的助佑，君王准許了他所要求的一切，他遂從巴比倫起程。
7 Some of the children of Israel, including some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
與他同行的，還有一些以色列子民、司祭、肋未人、歌詠者、門丁和獻身者；他們在阿塔薛西斯王第七年，上了耶路撒冷。
8 He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
厄斯德拉在王當國第七年五月，到了耶路撒冷。
9 For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on him.
他決定由一月一日由巴比倫起程，賴他天主的助佑，五月一日到了耶路撒冷。
10 For Ezra had set his heart to seek the LORD’s law, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.
厄斯德拉專心致志研究上主的法律，心體力行，且在以色列人中教授法律和誡命。
11 Now this is the copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of the LORD’s commandments, and of his statutes to Israel:
阿塔薛西斯王，頒給精通上主給以色列人的誡命和法律的司祭兼經師厄斯德拉的詔書，副本如下：
12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the perfect God of heaven. Now
萬王之王阿塔薛西斯，祝上天大王的法律經師厄斯德拉安好：
13 I make a decree that all those of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my realm, who intend of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with you.
我現在頒佈此令：凡在我國土內的以色列人民，以及司祭和肋未人，有願赴耶路撒冷的，可與你同去；
14 Because you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your hand,
因為君王和七位參謀派遺你去，照你手中所持有的天主的法律，視察猶大和耶路撒冷，
15 and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,
並帶去君王和他的參謀，甘願住在的天主的金銀，
16 and all the silver and gold that you will find in all the province of Babylon, with the free will offering of the people and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem.
以及你在巴比倫所獲得的金銀，和民眾並司祭向耶路撒冷天主的殿宇，所自願捐獻的獻儀。
17 Therefore you shall with all diligence buy with this money bulls, rams, and lambs with their meal offerings and their drink offerings, and shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
為此，你可用這錢，費心去買牛犢、綿羊和羔羊，以及同獻的素祭和奠祭的祭品，奉獻在耶路撒冷你們天主殿內的祭壇上。
18 Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do that according to the will of your God.
對於所餘的金銀，你和你的弟兄看著怎樣作好，就按照你們天主的旨意去作。
19 The vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver before the God of Jerusalem.
至於交給你，為你天主的殿宇行敬禮時用的器皿，都應安置在耶路撒冷的天主前!
20 Whatever more will be needed for the house of your God, which you may have occasion to give, give it out of the king’s treasure house.
如你天主的殿另有需要，而你又必須備置，概由王家府庫支付。
21 I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, it shall be done with all diligence,
我阿塔薛西斯王，向河西的司庫官頒佈此令：凡厄斯德拉司祭兼上天大王的法律經師，向你所要求的，都應立即一一照辦：
22 up to one hundred talents of silver, and to one hundred cors of wheat, and to one hundred baths of wine, and to one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
銀子至一百「塔冷通」，麥子至一百「苛爾」，酒至一百「巴特」，油至一百「巴特」，監無限制。
23 Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
凡上天大主所命令的一切，都應為上天大主的殿一一遵行，免得義怒降在君王和他子孫的國土上。
24 Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, or laborers of this house of God.
我再通告你們：不得向所有司祭、肋未人、歌詠者、門丁、獻身作殿役的，或在這天主殿內作侍役的，徵收田賦、課捐和關稅。
25 You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, who all know the laws of your God; and teach him who does not know them.
厄斯德拉，你要按手中所持的天主的法律，派定官吏和判官，治理河西所有的人民，即認識你天主法律的人民，凡不認識的，應加教導；
26 Whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with all diligence, whether it is to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
凡不遵守你天主的和君王的法律，應嚴加處分：或處死刑，或放逐，或財產充公，或徒到」。
27 Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the LORD’s house which is in Jerusalem;
上主我們祖先的天主，應受讚美，因為衪感動了君王的心，決意光榮耶路撒冷上主的殿宇，
28 and has extended loving kindness to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. I was strengthened according to the LORD my God’s hand on me, and I gathered together chief men out of Israel to go up with me.
使我在王和他的參謀前，以及在王所有的一切有權勢的首長前，獲得了寵幸。我因上主我天主的扶助，增加了勇氣，遂召集以色列人的首領，與我一同起程。
