Ezra 5

1 Then were moved to prophesy, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah son of Iddo, the prophets, unto the Jews who were in Judaea and in Jerusalem, —in the name of the God of Israel, unto 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 arose—Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God, which was in Jerusalem, —and, with them, were the prophets of God, strengthening 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 that time, came unto them Tattenai pasha Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, —and, thus, spake they unto them, Who hath issued unto you an edict, this house, to build, and, this wall, to complete?

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, after this manner, spake we unto them, —What are the names of these men, who, this building, do rear?

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

5 Nevertheless, the eye of their God, was upon the elders of Judah, and they did not forbid them, until the matter, unto Darius, should come, —and, then, answer be returned by letter, 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 A copy of the letter which Tattenai pasha Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and his associates, the Apharsachites, who were Beyond the Rivet, sent unto Darius the king:

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 a message, sent they unto him, —and, thus, was it written therein, Unto Darius the king, all prosperity!

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

8 Be it known unto the king, that we journeyed into the province of Judah, unto the house of the Great God, and, the same, is being built with large stones, and, timber, is being laid in the walls, —and, this work, with speed, is being done, and is prospering 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 asked we of these elders, thus, we said to them, —Who hath issued to you an edict, this house, to build, and, this wall, to complete?

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 Yea, their names also, asked we of them, to certify thee, —that we might write the name, of the men who are at their head.

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, thus, returned they, answer, to us saying, —We, are servants of the God of the heavens and the earth, and are building the house which was built these many years ago, which, a great king of Israel, built and completed.

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 had provoked the God of the heavens to wrath, he delivered them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, —and, this house, he destroyed, and, the people, he exiled 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 Howbeit, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king, issued an edict, this house of God, to build.

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

14 Moreover also, the utensils of the house of God, of gold and silver, which, Nebuchadnezzar, had brought forth out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, and had brought into the temple of Babylon, Cyrus the king, brought them forth, out of the temple of Babylon, —and they were delivered to one Sheshbazzar by name, whom he made, pasha;

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—These utensils, take, go carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, —and let, the house of God, be built in its 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, this Sheshbazzar, came, he laid the foundations of the house of God, which was in Jerusalem, —and, since then, even until now, it hath been in building, and is not 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 Now, therefore, if, unto the king, it seem good, let search be made in the treasure-house of the king which is there, in Babylon, whether it be so, that, from Cyrus the king, issued an edict, to build this house of God, in Jerusalem, —and, the pleasure of the king concerning this, let him send unto us.

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.”