Ezra 4
1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the exile were building the temple unto the Lord the God of Israel:
猶大和本雅明的敵人，一聽說充軍回來的子民，為上主以色列的天主修建聖宇，
2 Then came they near to Zerubbabel, and to the chiefs of the divisions, and said unto them, Let us build with you; for like you will we seek your God; and unto him do we sacrifice since the days of Essar-chaddon the king of Asshur, who hath brought us up hither.
便來見則魯巴貝耳、耶叔亞和族長，向他們說：「讓我們同你們一同建築吧! 因為我們同你們一樣，求問你們的天主；從亞述王厄撒哈冬，將我們帶到這裏之日起，我們即向衪獻祭」。
3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua', and the rest of the of the divisions of Israel, said unto them, It is not obligatory on you and on us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together must build unto the Lord the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
但是，則魯巴貝耳、耶叔亞和以色列的族長，回答他們說：「你們不能同我們一起，給我們的天主修建殿宇，因為按波斯王居魯士我們的命令，我們應單獨給上主以色列的天主修建殿宇」。
4 Then did the people of the land weaken the hands of the people of Judah, and frightened them off from building;
時便有當地人來挫折猶大人民的勇氣，擾亂他們的建築的工作；
5 And they hired against them counsellors, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus the king of Persia, and even until the reign of Darius the king of Persia.
還買通了一些議，員來反對反對他們，破壞他們的計劃；整個波斯王居魯士朝代，自始至終，直到波斯王達理阿朝代，常是如此。
6 And in the reign of Achashverosh, in the beginning of his reign they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
在薛西斯朝代，在他登極之初，他們還了訴狀，控告猶大和耶路撒冷的居民。
7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes the king of Persia: and the writing of the letter was written in Aramic, and interpreted in Aramic.
阿塔薛西斯年間，彼舍藍、米特達特、塔貝耳和其餘的同僚，也曾上書於波斯王阿塔薛西斯；奏文是用阿刺美文字，也是用阿刺語言的。
8 Rechum the counsellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a certain letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, as followeth:
以後，勒洪總督和史默秘書，為耶路撒冷事，也曾上書於阿塔薛西斯王，其文如下：──
9 Then [wrote] Rechum the counsellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, from Din, and Apharsathach, Tarpel, Apharass, Erech, Babylon, Shushan, Dehav, and 'Elam,
上書的是勒洪總督、史默瑟秘書和其餘的同僚：即判官和欽差、人物書記、厄勒客人。巴比倫人、叔商人即厄藍人，
10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and honored Assnapper had brought into exile, and settled in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and so forth.
以及偉大和顯貴的阿斯納帕所遺來，安置在撒馬黎雅城和河西其餘地區的各民族。──
11 This is the copy of the letter which they sent unto him, even unto king Artaxerxes: Thy servants the men on this side the river, and so forth.
以下是送於王的奏文本：「你的臣僕，河西的人民上奏阿塔薛西斯王：
12 Be it made known unto the king, that the Jews who removed away from thee are come up to us unto Jerusalem: they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and are completing the walls, and are joining together the foundations.
今上奏大王，前由大王那裏上到我們這裏來的猶太人，一到了那座作亂邪惡的耶路撒冷城，便大興土木，修建城牆，已打好基礎。
13 Be it now known unto the king, that, if this city be rebuilt, and the walls be completed, they will not give tax, tribute, and toll, and the royal revenues will suffer damage.
今上奏大王，那城若的建成，城垣若是修完，他們便不再納糧、出捐和完稅了，如此於大王的國庫必定有害。
14 Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not proper for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and let the king know this:
現今我們既食王家的鹽，自不應坐視大王受害，為此我們上奏，稟告大王：
15 That search may be made in the book of the memorable events of thy fathers, and thou wilt find in the book of the memorable events, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have practised sedition within the same from the most ancient time; for which cause this city was destroyed.
請大王查閱先王記錄，在記錄上必會查出，從而知道這座城是座好亂的城，曾加害先王和各省；自古以來，其中常發生叛亂，故此才被毀滅。
16 We let the king know that, if this city be rebuilt, and its walls be completed, by this means thou wilt have no more any portion on this side of the river.
為此我們奏明大王：如果那城建成，牆垣築完，從此大王便沒有河西的版圖」。
17 Then sent the king a reply unto Rechum the counsellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest of those beyond the river, Peace, and so forth.
君王覆文如下：「願勒洪總督、史默秘書、以及其餘住在撒馬黎雅的官，和河西其餘的人民平安：
18 The letter which ye have sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
你們呈來的奏疏，已在我們清楚誦讀了。
19 And an order was given by me, and search was made, and it was found that this city from the most ancient time hath lifted itself up against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been practised therein.
我下命檢查，的確發現那座城，自古以來即違抗君王，其中常發生叛亂造反之事。
20 And that mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over all the countries beyond the river; and that tax, tribute, and toll was given unto them.
先前曾有英武的君王，治理過耶路撒冷，統轄過整個河西之地，人都給他們納糧、出捐和完稅。
21 Now give ye the order to stop these men, and this city shall not be built, until the order be given from me.
所以現在，你們應發一道命令，叫這些人停工，不准修城，我們另發指令。
22 Take heed now that ye commit no error in this: that not any injury may grow [out of this] to the damage of the kings.
你們應注意，對此不可疏忽，免得捐害加重，禍及君王」。
23 Thereupon so soon as the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rechum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they did go up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and stopped them by force and power.
當阿塔薛西斯王的覆文副本，在勒洪、史默秘書和他們同僚前，誦讀之後，這些人就急速前往耶路撒冷，來到猶太人那裏，用威脅和武力迫使他們停工。
24 Then was stopped the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem, and it remained interrupted until the second year of the reign of Darius the king of Persia.
耶路撒冷天主殿宇的工程，便停頓了，一直停到波斯王達理阿, 在位第二年。
