Ezra 4
1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;
Berita bahwa orang-orang bekas buangan itu sedang membangun Rumah TUHAN, Allah Israel, terdengar oleh musuh orang Yehuda dan Benyamin.
2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye [do; ] and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.
Sebab itu mereka menemui Zerubabel dan para kepala kaum, lalu mengusulkan, "Izinkanlah kami ikut membangun Rumah TUHAN itu, sebab kami juga berbakti kepada Allah saudara-saudara, sama seperti saudara sekalian. Kami selalu mempersembahkan kurban kepadanya sejak Esar-Hadon, raja Asyur membawa kami ke mari."
3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
Tetapi Zerubabel, Yesua dan para kepala kaum itu menjawab, "Kami tidak memerlukan bantuan kalian untuk membangun rumah bagi TUHAN Allah kami. Kami akan membangunnya sendiri sesuai dengan perintah Kores, raja Persia, kepada kami."
4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
Kemudian penduduk yang sudah lama tinggal di negeri itu mulai melemahkan semangat orang Yahudi serta menakut-nakuti mereka supaya pembangunan itu dihentikan.
5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Mereka menyogok pejabat-pejabat pemerintah Persia supaya menggagalkan rencana orang Yahudi itu. Hal itu terus berlangsung selama pemerintahan Raja Kores sampai pemerintahan Raja Darius.
6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they [unto him] an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
Pada awal pemerintahan Raja Ahasyweros, musuh-musuh penduduk Yerusalem dan Yehuda menulis surat gugatan.
7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter [was] written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.
Juga pada zaman pemerintahan Artahsasta, kaisar Persia, kejadian itu berulang: Bislam, Mitredat, Tabeel dan rekan-rekan mereka menulis surat kepada raja. Surat itu ditulis dalam bahasa Aram, dan harus diterjemahkan ketika dibacakan.
8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
Artahsasta juga menerima surat mengenai Yerusalem. Surat itu dikirim oleh Gubernur Rehum dan Simsai sekretaris provinsi dan didukung oleh rekan-rekan mereka, yaitu para hakim dan semua pejabat Persia lain yang berasal dari Erekh, Babel, dan Susan di negeri Elam,
9 Then [wrote] Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, [and] the Elamites,
10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest [that are] on this side the river, and at such a time.
juga oleh bangsa-bangsa lain yang telah diangkut Asnapar Yang Agung dan disuruh menetap di kota Samaria dan di kota-kota lain dalam provinsi Efrat Barat.
11 This [is] the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, [even] unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.
Begini bunyi surat itu, "Ke hadapan Raja Artahsasta, dari para hamba Baginda yang tinggal di Efrat Barat. Salam.
12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls [thereof], and joined the foundations.
Kiranya Baginda maklum, bahwa orang Yahudi yang telah meninggalkan wilayah-wilayah lain dalam kerajaan Baginda, kini menetap di Yerusalem dan sedang membangun kembali kota yang jahat dan suka memberontak itu. Mereka sudah mulai mendirikan lagi tembok-temboknya dan tak lama lagi akan menyelesaikan pekerjaan itu.
13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up [again, then] will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and [so] thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.
Jika kota itu berhasil dibangun kembali dan tembok-temboknya selesai didirikan, penduduknya tidak akan mau lagi membayar pajak, lalu pendapatan kerajaan akan berkurang.
14 Now because we have maintenance from [the king’s] palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;
Kami sudah berhutang budi kepada Baginda dan tidak ingin melihat Baginda dirugikan. Karena itu kami mengusulkan,
15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city [is] a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.
agar Baginda menyuruh meneliti arsip para leluhur Baginda. Dari isinya Baginda akan mengetahui bahwa kota Yerusalem memang suka memberontak dan sejak dahulu selalu merugikan para raja dan penguasa provinsi. Penduduknya selalu susah dipimpin. Itu sebabnya kota itu telah dihancurkan.
16 We certify the king that, if this city be builded [again], and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
Jadi, kami yakin, bahwa apabila kota itu dibangun kembali dan tembok-temboknya didirikan, Baginda tidak akan dapat lagi menguasai provinsi Efrat Barat ini."
17 [Then] sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and [to] Shimshai the scribe, and [to] the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and [unto] the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.
Raja mengirim jawaban ini, "Kepada Gubernur Rehum dan Simsai sekretaris provinsi, serta rekan-rekan mereka yang tinggal di Samaria dan di kota-kota lain di provinsi Efrat Barat. Salam.
18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
Surat yang Saudara-saudara kirimkan telah diterjemahkan dan dibacakan kepadaku.
19 And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and [that] rebellion and sedition have been made therein.
Lalu atas perintahku sudah diadakan penelitian, dan memang terbukti bahwa sejak zaman dahulu Yerusalem selalu melawan kuasa raja-raja dan banyak di antara penduduknya adalah pemberontak dan perusuh.
20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all [countries] beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
Pernah raja-raja yang perkasa memerintah di sana dan menguasai seluruh provinsi Efrat Barat serta menjalankan pajak dan upeti.
21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until [another] commandment shall be given from me.
Sebab itu, keluarkanlah perintah untuk menghentikan pekerjaan orang-orang itu, supaya kota itu jangan dibangun kembali sampai aku memberi perintah lain.
22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
Laksanakanlah perintahku itu dengan segera supaya jangan bertambah besar lagi kerugianku!"
23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter [was] read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
Segera setelah surat Artahsasta itu dibacakan kepada Rehum, Simsai dan rekan-rekan mereka, berangkatlah mereka ke Yerusalem dan memaksa orang Yahudi menghentikan pekerjaan membangun kembali kota itu.
24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which [is] at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Pekerjaan Rumah TUHAN telah dihentikan dan tidak diteruskan sampai tahun kedua pemerintahan Darius, raja Persia.
