Ezra 4
1 The enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a Temple to the Lord, the God of Israel.
Vangsawn ca rhoek loh Israel Pathen BOEIPA ham bawkim a sak te Judah neh Benjamin kah rhal rhoek loh a yaak uh.
2 They came to Zerubbabel and the family leaders and said, “Please let us help you with the building work, for we worship your God like you do. In fact we have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”
Te phoeiah Zerubbabel taeng neh a napa boeilu rhoek taengla mop uh tih a taengah, “Nangmih neh ka sa uh mai eh. Nangmih bangla nangmih kah Pathen te ka toem uh. Te pawt akhaw kaimih loh anih taengah te hela kaimih aka khuen Assyria manghai Esarhaddon tue lamlong ni ka nawn uh coeng,” a ti uh.
3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the family leaders of Israel replied, “You can't share with us in building a Temple for our God. Only we can build it for the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what Cyrus the king of Persia has ordered us to do.”
Tedae amih te Zerubbabel neh Jeshua long khaw, Israel kah a napa boeilu a coih rhoek long khaw, “Kaimih kah Pathen im sak ham he nangmih hut moenih kaimih hut ni. Tedae Persia manghai, manghai Cyrus loh kaimih n'uen bangla Israel Pathen BOEIPA ham te kamamih bueng loh ka sa uh eh,” a ti nah.
4 Then the local people set out to intimidate the people of Judah and make them too scared to go on building.
Te vaengah khohmuen pilnam aka om loh Judah pilnam kut te a kha sak tih a sak ham vaengah amih te a hih khaw a hih uh.
5 They bribed officials to oppose them and to obstruct their plans. This continued during the whole reign of Cyrus king of Persia up until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Persia manghai Cyrus tue khui neh Persia manghai Darius kah ram duela Judah kah cilsuep te phae pah ham amih te olrhoep a paang thil uh.
6 When Ahasuerus became king the local people sent him a written accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
Ahasuerus ram ah khaw a ram a moecuek vaengah Judah neh Jerusalem khosa taengah toenah ca a daek uh.
7 During the time of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their fellow officers wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated from Aramaic.
Artaxerxes tue vaengah khaw Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel neh a pueipo a coih loh a daek bal. Anih kah a pueipo loh Persia manghai Artaxerxes taengla capat te Aramaih ca la a daek dongah Aramaih te koep a kong pah.
8 Rehum the officer in command and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes condemning Jerusalem stating,
Hlangcal boei Rehum neh cadaek Shimshai loh Jerusalem kawng te manghai Artaxerxes taengah ca a daek pah bal.
9 This comes from Rehum the officer in command, Shimshai the scribe, and fellow officers: the judges and officials and those in charge of Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,
Hlangcal boei Rehum, cadaek Shimshai neh Dinay hui a ngen rhoek, Tarplay boei rhoek, Persia rhoek, Babylon Erek, amih Almiy Susa,
10 and the rest of the people whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria and other places west of the Euphrates.
a tloe namtu te khaw boeilen tongmang Osnapper loh a khuen coeng. Amih te Samaria khopuei neh sok paem ah a khueh coeng.
11 The following is a copy of the letter they sent to him. To King Artaxerxes, from your servants, men beyond the River Euphrates:
Manghai Artaxerxes amah taengla a pat ca kah a toeng he na tueihyoeih sok paem kah hlang taengla ha pawk coeng.
12 Your Majesty should be informed that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city, completing repairs to the walls, and mending its foundations.
Nang taeng lamloh kaimih taengla aka luei Yahudi rhoek te manghai taengah khaw mingpha la om saeh. Jerusalem khopuei la boekoek neh halang ni a khuen uh. Vongtung aka thung long khaw vongtung te a coeng, a coeng uh vaengah khoengim te a tlaeng uh.
13 Your Majesty should realize that if this city is rebuilt and its walls repaired, they will not pay tax, tribute, or fees, and the king's revenue will suffer.
Khopuei he a thung tih vongtung a coeng atah mangmu khaw, hlang mangmu khaw, cawn khaw thoo uh mahpawh. Manghai kah mangmu khaw a vaitah ni tila manghai taengah mingpha la om pawn saeh.
14 Now because we are in the king's service and it is not right for us to see Your Majesty disrespected, we are sending this letter so that you can be informed,
Manghai im kah lungkaehtael te ka laeh uh van lamlong tah kaimih kongah manghai kah mingthae a hmuh ham khaw a rhoeprhui moenih. Te dongah ni kam pat uh tih manghai taengah kam mingpha sak uh.
15 and order a search of the royal archives. You will discover in these records that this is a rebellious city, damaging to kings and countries, having often risen up in revolt in the past. That is what led to this city being destroyed.
Na pa rhoek kah cathut cabu nen khaw thoelh saeh lamtah cathut cabu khuiah na hmuh bitni. Khopuei he khaw boekoek khopuei, manghai neh paeng aka vaitah sak, khosuen khohnin lamloh a khui ah caemrhal aka saii, te dongah ni khopuei he a phae tila na mingpha bitni.
16 We wish to inform Your Majesty that if this city is rebuilt and the walls completed, you will lose this province west of the Euphrates.
Khopuei he tung tih vongtung he coeng koinih sok paem kah khoyo hmatoeng he nang hamla om pawh tila kaimih loh manghai taengah kam ming sak.
17 The king replied as follows: “To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and fellow officers living in Samaria and in other areas west of the Euphrates: Greetings.
Manghai loh hlangcal boei Rehum, cadaek Shimshai neh Samaria kah aka om a hui a ngen taengah ol a mael tih, sok paem boeih te ngaimongnah om pawn saeh.
18 The letter you sent to us has been translated and read to me.
Kaimih taengla ca nan pat uh te kai taengah a tae tih a kong.
19 I ordered a search to be conducted. It was discovered that this city has often risen up in revolt against kings in the past, frequently promoting insurrection and rebellion.
Kai lamloh hlangcal ka khueh tih a thoelh uh vaengah khopuei he khosuen khohnin lamloh manghai taengah lai a loh uh. A khuiah tloelhnah neh caemrhal a puek te a hmuh uh.
20 Powerful kings have ruled over Jerusalem and throughout the whole area west of the Euphrates, and they received tax, tribute, and fees.
Manghai tlungluen rhoek khaw Jerusalem ah om uh tih sok paem boeih te a hung uh. Mangmu, hlang mangmu neh cawn khaw amih taengah ana paek uh coeng.
21 Issue an immediate order for these men to stop work. This city is not to be rebuilt until I authorize it.
Hlang rhoek he paa sak ham hlangcal ka khueh coeng. Kai lamloh hlangcal a om hlan ah khopuei te thung uh boel saeh.
22 See that you do not neglect this matter. Why should this problem be allowed to grow and damage royal interests?”
He dongah a saii ham te dalrhanah a om khaw ngaithuen uh. Balae tih manghai vaitah sak ham pocinah a pungtai mai eh.
23 As soon as this letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their fellow officers, they rushed to the Jews in Jerusalem and used their power to forcibly make them stop work.
Manghai Artaxerxes kah ca a toeng te Rehum, cadaek Shimshai neh a hui rhoek taengah a tae van neh tokrhat la Jerusalem kah Yahudi taengla cet uh tih amih te thadueng neh kutrham neh a paa sak uh.
24 Consequently work on God's Temple in Jerusalem came to a halt. The stoppage continued until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.
Jerusalem Pathen im kah imsak te paa tangloeng tih Persia manghai Darius ram kah kum bae hil paa van.
