Ezra 4
1 The enemies of the people of [the tribes of] Judah and Benjamin heard that the [Israeli] people who had returned from Babylonia were rebuilding a temple for Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli people [worshiped].
Pero cuando los adversarios de Judá y Benjamín oyeron que el pueblo del exilio construía un Templo para Yavé, ʼElohim de Israel,
2 So they went to Zerubbabel [the governor] and the other leaders, and said [deceptively], “We want to help [you build the temple], because we worship that same God whom you worship, and we have been offering sacrifices to him since Esarhaddon, the King of Assyria, brought us here.”
llegaron a Zorobabel y a los jefes de las casas paternas y les dijeron: Edificaremos con ustedes, porque buscamos a su ʼElohim como ustedes. Sacrificamos a Él desde los días de Esar-adón, rey de Asiria, que nos hizo subir aquí.
3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other [Israeli] leaders replied, “We will not allow you to help us build a temple for our(exc) God. We will build it (ourselves/without your help) for Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis worship, like Cyrus, the King of Persia, told us to do.”
Pero Zorobabel, Jesuá y los demás jefes de casas paternas de Israel les respondieron: Nada tienen ustedes en común con nosotros para que edifiquen Casa a nuestro ʼElohim. Nosotros solos construiremos para Yavé, ʼElohim de Israel, como Ciro, el rey de Persia, nos ordenó.
4 Then the people who had been living in that land [before the Israelis returned] tried to cause the Jews to become discouraged and become afraid, and to cause them to stop building the temple.
Entonces el pueblo de la tierra desalentaba al pueblo de Judá y los aterrorizaba mientras construían.
5 They bribed government officials to oppose what the Israelis were doing [and prevent them from continuing to work on the temple]. They did that all during the time that Cyrus was King of Persia. They continued to do it when Darius became the King of Persia.
Contrataron consejeros contra ellos para frustrar sus propósitos todos los días de Ciro, rey de Persia, hasta el reinado de Darío, rey de Persia.
6 During the first year that [Darius’ son] Xerxes was king, the [enemies of the Jews] wrote a note [to the king] saying that the Jews [were planning to rebel against the government].
Al principio del reinado de Asuero, escribieron una acusación contra los habitantes de Judá y Jerusalén.
7 Later, when [Xerxes’ son] Artaxerxes [became the King of Persia], Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and their colleagues/companions wrote a letter to him. They wrote the letter in the Aramaic language, and it was translated [into another language that the king knew].
En días de Artajerjes, Bislam, Mitrídates, Tabeel y el resto de sus colegas escribieron a Artajerjes, rey de Persia. La carta estaba escrita en arameo y fue traducida [del] arameo.
8 Rehum, the high commissioner, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, wrote the letter to King Artaxerxes concerning what was happening in Jerusalem.
El comandante Rehum y el secretario Simsai escribieron al rey Artajerjes una carta contra Jerusalén:
9 They stated that the letter was from Rehum the high commissioner/governor and Shimshai the provincial secretary and from their associates, the judges, and other government officials, who were from Erech [city], Babylon [city], and Susa [city] in Elam [district].
El comandante Rehum, el secretario Simsai y el resto de sus compañeros: los jueces, los magistrados, los oficiales, los funcionarios, los de Erec, los babilonios, los de Susa (es decir, los elamitas),
10 [They also wrote that they represented] the other people-groups whom [the army of] the great and glorious/famous [King] Ashurbanipal had (deported/forced to move from their homes) and taken to live in Samaria and in other cities in the province west of the Euphrates [River].
y los demás pueblos que el grande y noble Asnapar deportó y estableció en la ciudad de Samaria y en otras de la región de Más Allá del Río Éufrates.
11 This is what they wrote in the letter: “To King Artaxerxes, From the officials who serve you who live in the province west of the Euphrates [River.]
Esta es la copia de la carta que le enviaron: Al rey Artajerjes, de tus esclavos, habitantes de Más Allá del Río Éufrates. Ahora
12 “Your majesty, we want you to know that the Jews who came here from your territories are rebuilding this city, [Jerusalem]. These people are wicked and want to rebel against you. Now they are repairing the foundations [of the walls/buildings] and building the walls [of the city].
sepa el rey que los judíos que subieron de ti, vinieron a nosotros a Jerusalén y están reedificando la ciudad rebelde y malvada. Terminan sus muros y reparan los cimientos.
13 “It is important for you to know that if they rebuild the city and finish building the walls, they will stop paying any kind of taxes. As a result, there will be less money in your treasury.
Sepa ahora el rey que si esta ciudad es reedificada y los muros terminados, no pagarán tributo, impuesto ni peaje. Eso perjudicará el tesoro de los reyes.
14 Now, because we are loyal to [IDM] you, and because we do not want you to be humiliated [IDM], we are sending this information to you.
Ahora, puesto que dependemos del palacio, y no es propio que nosotros veamos la afrenta del rey, por eso enviamos esto e informamos al rey
15 And, we suggest that you order/tell [your officials] to search the records that your ancestors made/wrote. [If you do that], you will find out that the people in this city have always rebelled [against the government]. You will also find out that from long ago these people have caused trouble for kings and for rulers of provinces. They have always revolted [against those who ruled them]. That is the reason that this city was destroyed [by the Babylonian army].
para que se indague en el rollo de las Memorias de tus antepasados. Hallarás en el rollo de las Memorias y sabrás que esta ciudad es rebelde y perjudicial para los reyes y las provincias, y que ellos incitaron revueltas en su interior desde tiempos muy antiguos. Por tanto, esta ciudad fue destruida.
16 We want you to know that if they rebuild this city and finish building its walls, you will no longer be able to control/rule [the people in] this province west of the Euphrates [River].”
Informamos al rey que si esta ciudad es reedificada y sus muros restaurados, como resultado no tendrás posesión.
17 [After] the king [read this letter, he] sent this reply to them: “To Rehum, the high commissioner, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, and their colleagues in Samaria and in other parts of the province that is west of the [Euphrates] River: I (send you my greetings/wish that things will go well for you).
Entonces el rey envió una respuesta al comandante Rehum y al secretario Simsai, a sus demás compañeros que habitaban en Samaria y a los demás de la provincia de Más Allá del Río Éufrates: Paz. Y ahora,
18 The letter that you sent to me was translated and read to me.
la carta que nos enviaron fue leída con claridad ante mí.
19 So then I ordered [my officials] to search the records. I have found out that [it is true that] the people of that city have always revolted against their rulers, and that the city is full of people who have rebelled and caused trouble.
Decreté que se buscara, y se halló que esa ciudad se rebela contra los reyes desde tiempo antiguo, que en ella se fomentó rebelión y sedición,
20 Powerful kings have ruled in Jerusalem, and they have also ruled over the whole province west of the [Euphrates] River. [The people in that province were] paying all kinds of taxes to those kings.
que en Jerusalén hubo reyes fuertes que dominaban toda la región de Más Allá del Río y que se les pagaba tributos, impuestos y peaje.
21 So you must command that the people must stop rebuilding the city. Only if I tell them [that they may rebuild it] will they be allowed to continue.
Ahora pues, den órdenes para que esos hombres cesen su trabajo y que esa ciudad no sea reedificada hasta que un edicto sea promulgado por mí.
22 Do this immediately [LIT], because I do not want those people to do anything to harm the things/area about which I am concerned.”
Guárdense de ser negligentes en hacer esto, pues, ¿por qué debe aumentar el daño en perjuicio de los reyes?
23 [Messengers took] that letter to Rehum and Shimshai and their colleagues and read it to them. Then Rehum and the others went quickly to Jerusalem, and they forced the Jews to stop [rebuilding the city wall].
Tan pronto como la copia de la carta del rey Artajerjes fue leída delante de Rehum, del secretario Simsai y de sus compañeros, se presentaron apresuradamente en Jerusalén ante los judíos y los obligaron a cesar la obra por medio del poder y la fuerza.
24 The result was that the Jews stopped rebuilding the temple. They did not do any more work to rebuild the temple until Darius became the King of Persia.
Cesó la obra de la Casa de ʼElohim que está en Jerusalén. Fue interrumpida hasta el año segundo del reinado de Darío, rey de Persia.
