Ezra 5

1 And Aggaeus the prophet, and Zacharias the [son] of Addo, prophesied a prophesy to the Jews in Juda and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, [even] to them.

And the prophets have prophesied (Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah son of Iddo) to the Jews who [are] in Judah and in Jerusalem, in the Name of the God of Israel—to them.

2 Then rose up Zorobabel the [son] of Salathiel, and Jesus the son of Josedec, and began to build the house of God that was in Jerusalem: and with them [were] the prophets of God assisting them.

Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jozadak, have risen, and begun to build the house of God, that [is] in Jerusalem, and with them are the prophets of God supporting them.

3 At the same time came there upon them Thanthanai, the governor on this side the river, and Satharbuzanai, and their fellow-servants, and spoke thus to them, Who has ordained a decree for you to build this house, and to [provide] this preparation?

At that time have come to them Tatnai, governor beyond the river, and Shethar-Boznai, and their companions, and thus they are saying to them, “Who has made for you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?”

4 Then they spoke thus to them, What are the names of the men that build this city?

Then we have said thus to them, “What [are] the names of the men who are building this building?”

5 But the eyes of God were upon the captivity of Juda, and they did not cause them to cease till the decree was brought to Darius; and then was sent by the tribute-gatherer concerning this

And the eye of their God has been on [the] elders of [the] Jews, and they have not caused them to cease until [the] matter goes to Darius, and then they send back a letter concerning this thing.

6 the copy of a letter, which Thanthanai, the governor of the part on this side the river, and Satharbuzanai, and their fellow-servants the Apharsachaeans who were on this side of the river, sent to king Darius.

The copy of a letter that Tatnai, governor beyond the river, has sent, and Shethar-Boznai and his companions, the Apharsachites who [are] beyond the river, to Darius the king.

7 They sent an account to him, and thus it was written in it: All peace to king Darius.

A letter they have sent to him, and thus is it written in it:

8 Be it known to the king, that we went into the land of Judea, to the house of the great God; and it is building with choice stones, and they are laying timbers in the walls, and that work is prospering, and goes on favourably in their hands.

“To Darius the king, all peace! Be it known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the great house of God, and it is built [with] rolled stones, and wood is placed in the walls, and this work is done speedily, and prospering in their hand.

9 Then we asked those elders, and thus we said to them, Who gave you the order to build this house, and to [provide] this preparation?

Then we have asked of these elders, thus we have said to them, Who has made for you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?

10 And we asked them their names, [in order] to declare [them] to you, so as to write to you the names of their leading men.

And also their names we have asked of them, to let you know, that we might write the names of the men who [are] at their head.

11 And they answered us thus, saying, We [are] the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we [are] building the house which had been built many years before this, and a great king of Israel built it, and established it for them.

And thus they have returned us word, saying, We [are] servants of the God of the heavens and earth, and are building the house that was built many years before this, that a great king of Israel built and finished:

12 But after that our fathers provoked the God of heaven, he gave them into the hands of Nabuchodonosor the Chaldean, king of Babylon, and he destroyed this house, and carried the people captive to Babylon.

but after that our fathers made the God of the heavens angry, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon the Chaldean, and this house he destroyed, and the people he removed to Babylon;

13 And in the first year of king Cyrus, Cyrus the king made a decree that this house of God should be built.

but in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God,

14 And the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nabuchodonosor brought out from the house that was in Jerusalem, and carried them into the temple of the king, them did king Cyrus bring out from the temple of the king, and gave them to Sabanasar the treasurer, who was over the treasurer;

and also, the vessels of the house of God, of gold and silver, that Nebuchadnezzar had taken forth out of the temple that [is] in Jerusalem, and brought them to the temple of Babylon, them has Cyrus the king brought forth out of the temple of Babylon, and they have been given to [one], Sheshbazzar [is] his name, whom he made governor,

15 and said to him, Take all the vessels, and go, put them in the house that is in Jerusalem in their place.

and said to him, Lift up these vessels, go, put them down in the temple that [is] in Jerusalem, and the house of God is built on its place.

16 Then that Sabanazar came, and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem: and from that time even until now it has been building, and has not been finished.

Then this Sheshbazzar has come—he has laid the foundations of the house of God that [is] in Jerusalem, and from there even until now it has been building, and is not finished.

17 And now, if it [seem] good to the king, lest search be made in the treasure-house of the king at Babylon, that you may know [if it be] that a decree was made by king Cyrus to build that house of God that was in Jerusalem, and let the king send to us when he has learnt concerning this [matter].

And now, if it is good to the king, let a search be made in the treasure-house of the king, that [is] there in Babylon, whether it be that there was a decree made by Cyrus the king to build this house of God in Jerusalem, and the will of the king concerning this thing he sends to us.”