Ezra 4

1 and to hear: hear enemy Judah and Benjamin for son: type of [the] captivity to build temple to/for LORD God Israel

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to the LORD, the God of Israel,

2 and to approach: approach to(wards) Zerubbabel and to(wards) head: leader [the] father and to say to/for them to build with you for like/as you to seek to/for God your (and to/for him *Q(K)*) we to sacrifice from day Esarhaddon Esarhaddon king Assyria [the] to ascend: establish [obj] us here

they came near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have been sacrificing to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”

3 and to say to/for them Zerubbabel and Jeshua and remnant head: leader [the] father to/for Israel not to/for you and to/for us to/for to build house: temple to/for God our for we unitedness to build to/for LORD God Israel like/as as which to command us [the] king Cyrus king Persia

But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”

4 and to be people [the] land: country/planet to slacken hand people Judah (and to dismay *Q(K)*) [obj] them to/for to build

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building.

5 and to hire upon them to advise to/for to break counsel their all day Cyrus king Persia and till royalty Darius king Persia

They 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.

6 and in/on/with royalty Ahasuerus in/on/with beginning royalty his to write accusation upon to dwell Judah and Jerusalem

In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 and in/on/with day Artaxerxes to write Bishlam Mithredath Tabeel and remnant (associate his *Q(K)*) upon (Artaxerxes *Q(k)*) king Persia and writing [the] letter to write Aramaic and to translate Aramaic

In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Syrian and delivered in the Syrian language.

8 Rehum commander command and Shimshai scribe [the] to write letter one since Jerusalem to/for Artaxerxes king [the] thus

Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows.

9 then Rehum commander command and Shimshai scribe [the] and remainder associate their judge [the] and govenors [the] officials [the] Persia [the] (Erech [the] *Q(K)*) Babylonian [the] Susa [the] (Dehavite [the] *Q(K)*) Elamite [the]

Then Rehum the chancellor, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,

10 and remainder people [the] that to reveal Osnappar great [the] and honorable [the] and to dwell they in/on/with town that Samaria and remainder beyond River [the] and now

and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over and settled in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River, and so forth, wrote.

11 this copy letter [the] that to send since him since Artaxerxes king [the] (servant/slave your *Q(K)*) man beyond River [the] and now

This is the copy of the letter that they sent: To King Artaxerxes, from your servants, the people beyond the River.

12 to know to be to/for king [the] that Jew [the] that to ascend from with you since us to come to/for Jerusalem town [the] rebellious [the] (and bad [the] *Q(k)*) to build (and wall [the] to complete *Q(K)*) and foundation [the] to repair

Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us to Jerusalem. They are building the rebellious and bad city, and have finished the walls and repaired the foundations.

13 now to know to be to/for king [the] that if town [the] this to build and wall [the] to complete tribute tribute and toll not to give: pay and revenue king to suffer injury

Be it known now to the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings.

14 now like/as to/for before: because that salt temple: palace [the] to eat salt and dishonor king [the] not (be proper *LB(ah)*) to/for us to/for to see since this to send and to know to/for king [the]

Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not appropriate for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore we have sent and informed the king,

15 that to enquire in/on/with scroll record [the] that father your and to find in/on/with scroll record [the] and to know that town [the] this town rebellious and to suffer injury king and province and sedition to make in/on/with midst her from day perpetuity [the] since this town [the] this be wasted

that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will see in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have started rebellions within it in the past. That is why this city was destroyed.

16 to know we to/for king [the] that if town [the] this to build and wall [the] to complete to/for before this portion in/on/with beyond River [the] not there is to/for you

We inform the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, then you will have no possession beyond the River.

17 edict [the] to send king [the] since Rehum commander command and Shimshai scribe [the] and remainder associate their that to dwell in/on/with Samaria and remainder beyond River [the] peace and now

Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who live in Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River: Peace.

18 document [the] that to send since us to make clear to read before me

The letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me.

19 and from me to set: make command and to enquire and to find that town [the] this from day perpetuity [the] since king to lift and rebellion and sedition to make in/on/with her

I decreed, and search has been made, and it was found that this city has made insurrection against kings in the past, and that rebellion and revolts have been made in it.

20 and king strong to be since Jerusalem and ruling in/on/with all beyond River [the] and tribute tribute and toll to give to/for them

There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll was paid to them.

21 now to set: make command to/for to cease man [the] these and town [the] this not to build till from me command [the] to set: make

Make a decree now to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built until a decree is made by me.

22 and to take heed to be neglect to/for to make since this to/for what? to grow great harm [the] to/for to suffer injury king

Be careful that you not be slack doing so. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

23 then from that copy document [the] that (Artaxerxes *Q(k)*) king [the] to read before Rehum and Shimshai scribe [the] and associate their to go in/on/with hastely to/for Jerusalem since Jew [the] and to cease they in/on/with force and strength

Then when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force of arms.

24 in/on/with then to cease service house god [the] that in/on/with Jerusalem and to be to cease till year two to/for kingdom Darius king Persia

Then work stopped on God’s house which is at Jerusalem. It stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.