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.
Post haec autem verba in regno Artaxerxis regis Persarum, Esdras filius Saraiae, filii Azariae, filii Helciae,
2 Hilkiah was the son of Shallum, who was the son of Zadok, who was the son of Ahitub,
filii Sellum, filii Sadoc, filii Achitob,
3 who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth,
filii Amariae, filii Azariae, filii Maraioth,
4 who was the son of Zerahiah, who was the son of Uzzi, who was the son of Bukki,
filii Zarahiae, filii Ozi, filii Bocci,
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.
filii Abisue, filii Phinees, filii Eleazar, filii Aaron sacerdotis ab initio.
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.
Ipse Esdras ascendit de Babylone, et ipse scriba velox in lege Moysi, quam Dominus Deus dedit Israel: et dedit ei rex secundum manum Domini Dei eius super eum, omnem petitionem eius.
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].
Et ascenderunt de filiis Israel, et de filiis Sacerdotum, et de filiis Levitarum, et de cantoribus, et de ianitoribus, et de Nathinaeis, in Ierusalem anno septimo Artaxerxis regis.
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.
Et venerunt in Ierusalem mense quinto, ipse est annus septimus regis.
Quia in primo die mensis primi coepit ascendere de Babylone, et in primo die mensis quinti venit in Ierusalem, iuxta manum Dei sui bonam super se.
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].
Esdras enim paravit cor suum, ut investigaret legem Domini, et faceret et doceret in Israel praeceptum et iudicium.
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]:
Hoc est autem exemplar epistolae edicti, quod dedit rex Artaxerxes Esdrae sacerdoti, scribae erudito in sermonibus et praeceptis Domini, et ceremoniis eius in Israel.
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].
Artaxerxes rex regum Esdrae sacerdoti, scribae legis Dei caeli doctissimo, salutem.
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.
A me decretum est, ut cuicumque placuerit in regno meo de populo Israel, et de Sacerdotibus eius, et de Levitis ire in Ierusalem, tecum vadat.
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.
A facie enim regis, et septem consiliatorum eius missus es, ut visites Iudaeam et Ierusalem in lege Dei tui, quae est in manu tua:
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.
et ut feras argentum et aurum quod rex, et consiliatores eius sponte obtulerunt Deo Israel, cuius in Ierusalem tabernaculum est.
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.
Et omne argentum et aurum quodcumque inveneris in universa provincia Babylonis, et populus offerre voluerit, et de Sacerdotibus quae sponte obtulerint domui Dei sui, quae est in Ierusalem,
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.
libere accipe, et studiose eme de hac pecunia vitulos, arietes, agnos et sacrificia et libamina eorum, et offer ea super altare templi Dei vestri, quod est in Ierusalem.
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.
Sed et si quid tibi, et fratribus tuis placuerit de reliquo argento et auro ut faciatis, iuxta voluntatem Dei vestri facite.
19 We have given to you some valuable items to be used in the temple of your God. Take them also to Jerusalem.
Vasa quoque, quae dantur tibi in ministerium domus Dei tui, trade in conspectu Dei in Ierusalem.
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.
Sed et cetera, quibus opus fuerit in domum Dei tui, quantumcumque necesse est ut expendas, dabitur de thesauro, et de fisco regis,
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.
et a me. Ego Artaxerxes rex, statui atque decrevi omnibus custodibus arcae publicae, qui sunt trans Flumen, ut quodcumque petierit a vobis Esdras sacerdos, scriba legis Dei caeli, absque mora detis
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.
usque ad argenti talenta centum, et usque ad frumenti coros centum, et usque ad vini batos centum, et usque ad batos olei centum, sal vero absque mensura.
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.
Omne, quod ad ritum Dei caeli pertinet, tribuatur diligenter in domo Dei caeli: ne forte irascatur contra regnum regis, et filiorum eius.
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.'
Vobis quoque notum facimus de universis Sacerdotibus, et Levitis, et cantoribus, et ianitoribus, Nathinaeis, et ministris domus Dei huius, ut vectigal, et tributum, et annonas non habeatis potestatem imponendi super eos.
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.
Tu autem Esdra secundum sapientiam Dei tui, quae est in manu tua, constitue iudices et praesides ut iudicent omni populo, qui est trans Flumen, his videlicet qui noverunt legem Dei tui, sed et imperitos docete libere.
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.”
Et omnis qui non fecerit legem Dei tui, et legem regis diligenter, iudicium erit de eo sive in mortem, sive in exilium, sive in condemnationem substantiae eius, vel certe in carcerem.
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.
Benedictus Dominus Deus patrum nostrorum, qui dedit hoc in corde regis ut glorificaret domum Domini, quae est in Ierusalem,
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.”
et in me inclinavit misericordiam suam coram rege et consiliatoribus eius, et universis principibus regis potentibus: et ego confortatus manu Domini Dei mei, quae erat in me, congregavi de Israel principes qui ascenderent mecum.
