Ezra 4

1 And they heard [the] opponents of Judah and Benjamin that [the] children of the exile [were] building a temple for Yahweh [the] God of Israel.

And they that afflicted Juda and Benjamin heard, that the children of the captivity were building a house to the Lord God of Israel.

2 And they approached Zerubbabel and [the] heads of the fathers and they said to them let us build with you for like you we seek God your (and to him *Q(K)*) we [have been] sacrificing since [the] days of Esar-haddon [the] king of Assyria who brought up us here.

And they drew near to Zorobabel, and to the heads of families, and said to them, We will build with you; for as ye [do], we seek [to serve] our God, and we do sacrifice to him from the days of Asaradan king of Assur, who brought us hither.

3 And he said to them Zerubbabel and Jeshua and [the] rest of [the] heads of the fathers of Israel not for you and for us to build a house for God our for we together we will build [it] for Yahweh [the] God of Israel just as he commanded us the king Cyrus [the] king of Persia.

then Zorobabel, and Jesus and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel said to them, [It is] not for us and you to build a house to our God, for we ourselves will build together to the Lord our God, as Cyrus the king of the Persians commanded us.

4 And it was [the] people of the land [were] making slack [the] hands of [the] people of Judah (and [were] terrifying *Q(K)*) them to build.

And the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Juda, and hindered them in building,

5 And [were] hiring on them counselors to frustrate purpose their all [the] days of Cyrus [the] king of Persia and until [the] reign of Darius [the] king of Persia.

and [continued] hiring [persons] against them, plotting to frustrate their counsel, all the days of Cyrus king of the Persians, and until the reign of Darius king of the Persians.

6 And in [the] reign of Ahasuerus at [the] beginning of reign his they wrote an accusation on [the] inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

And in the reign of Assuerus, even in the beginning of his reign, they wrote a letter against the inhabitants of Juda and Jerusalem.

7 And in [the] days of Artaxerxes he wrote Bishlam Mithredath Tabeel and [the] rest of (colleagues his *Q(K)*) to (Artaxerxes *Q(k)*) [the] king of Persia and [the] writing of the letter [was] written Aramaic and [was] translated Aramaic.

And in the days of Arthasastha, Tabeel wrote peaceably to Mithradates and to the rest of his fellow-servants: the tribute-gatherer wrote to Arthasastha king of the Persians a writing in the Syrian tongue, and [the same] interpreted.

8 Rehum lord of command and Shimshai scribe the they wrote a letter one concerning Jerusalem to Artaxerxes king the as follows.

Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe wrote an epistle against Jerusalem to King Arthasastha, [saying, ]

9 Then Rehum lord of command and Shimshai scribe the and [the] rest of associates their Dinay the and officials the Tarpelites the Sipparites the (Erechites the *Q(K)*) Babylonians the Susanchites the (Dehavites the *Q(K)*) Elamites the.

Thus has judged Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe, and the rest of our fellow-servants, the Dinaeans, the Apharsathachaeans, the Tarphalaeans, the Apharsaeans, the Archyaeans, the Babylonians, the Susanachaeans, Davaeans,

10 And [the] rest of nations the which he took into exile Osnappar great and honorable and he caused to dwell them in [the] city of Samaria and [the] rest of [the] region beyond river the and now.

and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Assenaphar removed, and settled them in the cities of Somoron, and the rest [of them] beyond the river.

11 This [is] [the] copy of letter the which they sent to him to Artaxerxes king the (servant your *Q(K)*) [the] man of [the] region beyond river the and now.

This [is] the purport of the letter, which they sent to him: Thy servants the men beyond the river to king Arthasastha.

12 Known let it be to king the that Jews the who they came up from beside you to us they have come to Jerusalem city the rebellious (and evil *Q(k)*) [they are] building (and walls the they have finished *Q(K)*) and foundations the they are repairing.

Be it known to the king, that the Jews who came up from thee to us have come to Jerusalem the rebellious and wicked city, which they are building, and its walls are set in order, and they have established the foundations of it.

13 Now known let it be to king the that if city the this it will be built and walls the they will be finished tribute tax and toll not they will give and certainly kings it will injure.

Now then be it known to the king, that if that city be built up, and its walls completed, thou shalt have no tribute, neither will they pay [anything], and this injures kings.

14 Now as to because that [the] salt of palace the we eat salt and [the] dishonor of king the not ([is] proper *LB(ah)*) for us to see concerning this we have sent and we have made known to king the.

And it is not lawful for us to see the dishonour of the king: therefore have we sent and made known [the matter] to the king;

15 That he will search in [the] book of records the of fathers your so you may find in [the] book of records the so you may know that city the this [is] a city rebellious and injuring kings and provinces and a revolt [it was] making in midst its from [the] days of antiquity on this city the this it was laid waste.

That examination may be made in thy fathers' book of record; and thou shalt find, and thou shalt know that city [is] rebellious, and does harm to kings and countries, and there are in the midst of it from very old time refuges for [runaway] slaves: therefore this city has been made desolate.

16 [are] making known We to king the that if city the this it will be built and walls the they will be finished before this possession in [the] region beyond river the not there [will be] to you.

We therefore declare to the king, that, if that city be built, and its walls be set up, thou shalt not have peace.

17 Word the he sent king the to Rehum lord of command and Shimshai scribe the and [the] rest of associates their who [were] dwelling in Samaria and [the] rest of [the] region beyond river the peace and now.

Then the king sent to Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe, and the rest of their fellow-servants who dwelt in Samaria, and the rest beyond the river, [saying, ]Peace; and he says,

18 Letter the which you sent to us made distinct it was read aloud before me.

The tribute-gatherer whom ye sent to us, has been called before me.

19 And from me it was made a decree and they searched and they found that city the this from [the] days of antiquity against kings [was] rising up and rebellion and revolt [have] been done by it.

And a decree has been made by me, and we have examined, and found that city of old time exalts itself against kings, and that rebellions and desertions take place within it.

20 And kings strong they were over Jerusalem and having mastery over all [the] region beyond river the and tribute tax and toll [was] being paid to them.

And there were powerful kings in Jerusalem, and they ruled over all the [country] beyond the river, and abundant revenues and tribute were given to them.

21 Now make a decree to make to cease men the these and city the this not it will be built until from me decree the it will be made.

Now therefore make a decree to stop the work of those men, and that city shall no more be built.

22 And cautious be negligence to do concerning this why? will it grow great damage the to injury kings.

[See] that ye be careful of the decree, [not] to be remiss concerning this matter, lest at any time destruction should abound to the harm of kings.

23 Then from that [the] copy of letter the of (Artaxerxes *Q(k)*) king the it was read aloud before Rehum and Shimshai scribe the and associates their they went in haste to Jerusalem to Jews the and they made to cease them with force and power.

Then the tribute-gatherer of king Arthasastha read [the letter] before Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe, and his fellow-servants: and they went in haste to Jerusalem and through Juda, and caused them to cease with horses and an [armed] force.

24 Then it ceased [the] work of [the] house of God which [is] in Jerusalem and it was ceasing until year two of [the] reign of Darius [the] king of Persia.

Then ceased the work of the house of God in Jerusalem, and it was at a stand until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.