Ezra 5
1 Later, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them.
那時，先知哈該和易多的孫子撒迦利亞奉以色列上帝的名向猶大和耶路撒冷的猶大人說勸勉的話。
2 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak rose up and began to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, helping them.
於是撒拉鐵的兒子所羅巴伯和約薩達的兒子耶書亞都起來動手建造耶路撒冷上帝的殿，有上帝的先知在那裏幫助他們。
3 At that time Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates went to the Jews and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?”
當時河西的總督達乃和示他‧波斯乃，並他們的同黨來問說：「誰降旨讓你們建造這殿，修成這牆呢？」
4 They also asked, “What are the names of the men who are constructing this building?”
我們便告訴他們建造這殿的人叫甚麼名字。
5 But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, so that they were not stopped until a report was sent to Darius and written instructions about this matter were returned.
上帝的眼目看顧猶大的長老，以致總督等沒有叫他們停工，直到這事奏告大流士，得着他的回諭。
6 This is the text of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, the officials in the region, sent to King Darius.
河西的總督達乃和示他‧波斯乃，並他們的同黨，就是住河西的亞法薩迦人，上本奏告大流士王。
7 The report they sent him read as follows: To King Darius: All peace.
本上寫着說：「願大流士王諸事平安。
8 Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. The people are rebuilding it with large stones, and placing timbers in the walls. This work is being carried out diligently and is prospering in their hands.
王該知道，我們往猶大省去，到了至大上帝的殿，這殿是用大石建造的。樑木插入牆內，工作甚速，他們手下亨通。
9 So we questioned the elders and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?”
我們就問那些長老說：『誰降旨讓你們建造這殿，修成這牆呢？』
10 We also asked for their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.
又問他們的名字，要記錄他們首領的名字，奏告於王。
11 And this is the answer they returned: “We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed.
他們回答說：『我們是天地之上帝的僕人，重建前多年所建造的殿，就是以色列的一位大君王建造修成的。
12 But since our fathers angered the God of heaven, He delivered them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean who destroyed this temple and carried away the people to Babylon.
只因我們列祖惹天上的上帝發怒，上帝把他們交在迦勒底人巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒的手中，他就拆毀這殿，又將百姓擄到巴比倫。
13 In his first year, however, Cyrus king of Babylon issued a decree to rebuild this house of God.
然而巴比倫王塞魯士元年，他降旨允准建造上帝的這殿。
14 He also removed from the temple of Babylon the gold and silver articles belonging to the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken and carried there from the temple in Jerusalem. King Cyrus gave these articles to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he appointed governor
上帝殿中的金、銀器皿，就是尼布甲尼撒從耶路撒冷的殿中掠去帶到巴比倫廟裏的，塞魯士王從巴比倫廟裏取出來，交給派為省長的，名叫設巴薩，
15 and instructed, ‘Take these articles, put them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its original site.’
對他說可以將這些器皿帶去，放在耶路撒冷的殿中，在原處建造上帝的殿。
16 So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it has been under construction, but it has not yet been completed.”
於是這設巴薩來建立耶路撒冷上帝殿的根基。這殿從那時直到如今尚未造成。』
17 Now, therefore, if it pleases the king, let a search be made of the royal archives in Babylon to see if King Cyrus did indeed issue a decree to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.
現在王若以為美，請察巴比倫王的府庫，看塞魯士王降旨允准在耶路撒冷建造上帝的殿沒有，王的心意如何？請降旨曉諭我們。」
