Ezra 7
1 [Many/Fifty years] later, while Artaxerxes was the king of Persia, I, Ezra came from Babylon here to Jerusalem. I am the son of Seraiah and the grandson of Azariah, and the great-grandson of Hilkiah.
這些事以後，當波斯王阿塔薛西斯在位時，有位厄斯德拉，是色辣雅的兒子，色辣雅是阿匝黎雅的兒子，阿匝黎雅是希耳克雅的兒子，
2 Hilkiah was the son of Shallum, who was the son of Zadok, who was the son of Ahitub,
希耳克雅是沙隆的兒子，沙隆是匝多克的兒子，匝多克是阿希突布是兒子，
3 who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth,
阿希突布是阿瑪黎雅的兒子，阿瑪黎雅是阿匝黎雅的兒子，阿匝黎雅是默辣約特的兒子，
4 who was the son of Zerahiah, who was the son of Uzzi, who was the son of Bukki,
默辣約特是則辣希雅的兒子，則辣希雅是烏齊的兒子，烏齊是步克的兒子，
5 who was the son of Abishua, who was the son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eleazar, who was the son of Aaron, the [first] Supreme Priest.
步克是阿彼叔亞的兒子，阿彼叔亞是丕乃哈斯的兒子，阿彼叔亞是厄肋阿匝爾的兒子，厄肋阿匝爾是大司祭亞郎的兒子。
6 I am a man who knows very well the laws that Moses [wrote]. Those were the laws that Yahweh, the God whom we Israeli people ([worship/belong to]), had given to us Israeli people. When I arrived in Jerusalem, Yahweh my God was kind to me, and as a result the [people] gave me everything that I had requested the king to [tell them to] give to me.
這厄斯德拉是位經師，精通上主賜給梅瑟的法律。他因有上主天主的助佑，君王准許了他所要求的一切，他遂從巴比倫起程。
7 Some of the priests, some [other] descendants of Levi, [some] singers, [some] (gatekeepers/men who guarded the gates of the temple), and [some] men who worked in the temple, and some other [Israeli] people came up with me here to Jerusalem. That was during the seventh year that Artaxerxes was the king [of Persia].
與他同行的，還有一些以色列子民、司祭、肋未人、歌詠者、門丁和獻身者；他們在阿塔薛西斯王第七年，上了耶路撒冷。
8 We left Babylon on April 8, which was the first day of the Jewish year. Because God was very kind to us, we arrived [safely] in Jerusalem on August 4 of that year.
厄斯德拉在王當國第七年五月，到了耶路撒冷。
他決定由一月一日由巴比倫起程，賴他天主的助佑，五月一日到了耶路撒冷。
10 During my entire life, I devoted myself to studying the laws of Yahweh, and how to obey those laws. I had also taught those laws and all their regulations to the Israeli people [for many years].
厄斯德拉專心致志研究上主的法律，心體力行，且在以色列人中教授法律和誡命。
11 King Artaxerxes [knew that] I am a priest who knows the Jewish laws very well. [He knew that for many years] I had studied those laws and had taught all the rules and regulations of those laws to the Israeli people. [So before I left Babylon to come to Jerusalem, ] he wrote a letter, and gave a copy to me. [This is what he wrote]:
阿塔薛西斯王，頒給精通上主給以色列人的誡命和法律的司祭兼經師厄斯德拉的詔書，副本如下：
12 [“This letter is] from me, Artaxerxes, the greatest of the kings. [I am giving it] to Ezra the priest, who has studied very well all the rules and regulations that the God [who is/rules] in heaven [gave to the Israeli people].
萬王之王阿塔薛西斯，祝上天大王的法律經師厄斯德拉安好：
13 “Ezra, I command that when you return to Jerusalem, any of the Israeli people in my kingdom who want to are allowed to go with you. That includes any priests and [other] descendants of Levi [who will work in the temple] who want to go.
我現在頒佈此令：凡在我國土內的以色列人民，以及司祭和肋未人，有願赴耶路撒冷的，可與你同去；
14 I, along with my seven counselors/advisors, am sending you to Jerusalem, in order that you can determine what is happening there and in [other towns in] Judah. You are taking with you [MTY] a copy of God’s laws; make sure that the people are doing everything that is written in those laws.
因為君王和七位參謀派遺你去，照你手中所持有的天主的法律，視察猶大和耶路撒冷，
15 [We are also saying that] you should take with you the silver and gold that I and my advisors are wanting to give to you, in order that you will present it to be an offering to the God who [rules] the Israeli people and who lives in Jerusalem.
並帶去君王和他的參謀，甘願住在的天主的金銀，
16 You should also take any silver and gold that the people in the entire Babylonia province give to you, and the money that the priests and [other] Israeli people have happily said that they would give to you to be offerings for building the temple of their God in Jerusalem.
以及你在巴比倫所獲得的金銀，和民眾並司祭向耶路撒冷天主的殿宇，所自願捐獻的獻儀。
17 With this money, you should buy the bulls, rams, lambs, and the grain and wine that the priests will burn on the altar [outside] the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
為此，你可用這錢，費心去買牛犢、綿羊和羔羊，以及同獻的素祭和奠祭的祭品，奉獻在耶路撒冷你們天主殿內的祭壇上。
18 “If there is any silver or gold that remains [you have bought all those things], you and your companions/colleagues are permitted to use it to [buy] whatever you desire, but buy only things that [you know that] God wants you to buy.
對於所餘的金銀，你和你的弟兄看著怎樣作好，就按照你們天主的旨意去作。
19 We have given to you some valuable items to be used in the temple of your God. Take them also to Jerusalem.
至於交給你，為你天主的殿宇行敬禮時用的器皿，都應安置在耶路撒冷的天主前!
20 If you need any other things for the temple, you are permitted to get the money for those things from the building here where my government’s money is kept/stored.
如你天主的殿另有需要，而你又必須備置，概由王家府庫支付。
21 “And I, King Artaxerxes, command this to all the treasurers in the province west of the [Euphrates] River: 'Give to Ezra, the priest who has studied very well the laws of the God [who is/rules] in heaven, everything that he requests, and give it to him quickly.
我阿塔薛西斯王，向河西的司庫官頒佈此令：凡厄斯德拉司祭兼上天大王的法律經師，向你所要求的，都應立即一一照辦：
22 The most that you should give to him is (7,500 pounds/3,400 kg.) of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, and 550 gallons of [olive] oil, but give to him all the salt that they need.
銀子至一百「塔冷通」，麥子至一百「苛爾」，酒至一百「巴特」，油至一百「巴特」，監無限制。
23 Be sure that you provide whatever their God requires for his temple, because we certainly do not [RHQ] want him to be angry with me or with my descendants who will later be kings.
凡上天大主所命令的一切，都應為上天大主的殿一一遵行，免得義怒降在君王和他子孫的國土上。
24 We are also commanding that none of the priests, descendants of Levi, musicians, temple guards, or other men who work in the temple, will be required to pay any kind of taxes.'
我再通告你們：不得向所有司祭、肋未人、歌詠者、門丁、獻身作殿役的，或在這天主殿內作侍役的，徵收田賦、課捐和關稅。
25 “Ezra, your God has enabled you to become very wise. Using that wisdom, appoint men in the province west of the [Euphrates] River who will judge cases involving the people, and men who will judge cases involving the government. You must appoint men who know the laws of your God. All of you must teach God’s laws to others who do not know them.
厄斯德拉，你要按手中所持的天主的法律，派定官吏和判官，治理河西所有的人民，即認識你天主法律的人民，凡不認識的，應加教導；
26 Everyone who does not obey God’s laws or the laws of my government must be punished severely. Some of them will be executed, some will be put in prison, some will be sent out of the country or have all their property taken away from them.”
凡不遵守你天主的和君王的法律，應嚴加處分：或處死刑，或放逐，或財產充公，或徒到」。
27 [Because King Artaxerxes was very kind like that, I said], “Praise Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped/belonged to]! He has caused the king to want to honor the temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem.
上主我們祖先的天主，應受讚美，因為衪感動了君王的心，決意光榮耶路撒冷上主的殿宇，
28 Because God was very kind to me, the king and all his advisors and all his powerful officials have also been kind to me. So, because God has helped me, I have become encouraged, and I have [been able to] persuade some of the Israeli leaders to go up to Jerusalem with me.”
使我在王和他的參謀前，以及在王所有的一切有權勢的首長前，獲得了寵幸。我因上主我天主的扶助，增加了勇氣，遂召集以色列人的首領，與我一同起程。
