Ezra 4
1 Now some enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people who had been exiled were now building a temple for Yahweh, the God of Israel.
犹大和便雅悯的敌人听说被掳归回的人为耶和华—以色列的 神建造殿宇，
2 So they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of their ancestors' clans. They said to them, “Let us build with you, for, like you, we seek your God and have sacrificed to him since the days when Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, brought us to this place.”
就去见所罗巴伯和以色列的族长，对他们说：“请容我们与你们一同建造；因为我们寻求你们的 神，与你们一样。自从亚述王以撒哈顿带我们上这地以来，我们常祭祀 神。”
3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the heads of their ancestors' clans said, “It is not you, but we who must build the house of our God, for it is we who will build for Yahweh, the God of Israel, just as King Cyrus of Persia commanded.”
但所罗巴伯、耶书亚，和其余以色列的族长对他们说：“我们建造 神的殿与你们无干，我们自己为耶和华—以色列的 神协力建造，是照波斯王塞鲁士所吩咐的。”
4 So the people of the land made the Judeans' hands weak; they made the Judeans afraid to build.
那地的民，就在犹大人建造的时候，使他们的手发软，扰乱他们；
5 They also bribed counselors to frustrate their plans. They did this during all of Cyrus' days and into the reign of Darius king of Persia.
从波斯王塞鲁士年间，直到波斯王大流士登基的时候，贿买谋士，要败坏他们的谋算。
6 Then at the beginning of Ahasuerus' reign they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
在亚哈随鲁才登基的时候，上本控告犹大和耶路撒冷的居民。
7 It was during the days of Artaxerxes that Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their companions wrote to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated.
亚达薛西年间，比施兰、米特利达、他别，和他们的同党上本奏告波斯王亚达薛西。本章是用亚兰文字，亚兰方言。
8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote this way to Artaxerxes about Jerusalem.
省长利宏、书记伸帅要控告耶路撒冷人，也上本奏告亚达薛西王。
9 Then Rehum, Shimshai, and their companions, who were judges and other officers in the government, the Persians, men from Erech and Babylon, and the men from Susa (that is, the Elamites)—they wrote a letter—
省长利宏、书记伸帅，和同党的底拿人、亚法萨提迦人、他毗拉人、亚法撒人、亚基卫人、巴比伦人、书珊迦人、底亥人、以拦人，
10 and they were joined by the people whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal forced to settle in Samaria, along with the rest who were in the Province Beyond the River.
和尊大的亚斯那巴所迁移、安置在撒马利亚城，并大河西一带地方的人等，
11 This is a copy of the letter that they sent to Artaxerxes: “Your servants, men of the Province Beyond the River, write this:
上奏亚达薛西王说：“河西的臣民云云：
12 Let the king know that the Jews who went from you have come against us in Jerusalem to build a rebellious city. They have completed the walls and repaired the foundations.
王该知道，从王那里上到我们这里的犹大人，已经到耶路撒冷重建这反叛恶劣的城，筑立根基，建造城墙。
13 Now let the king know that if this city is built and the wall is completed, they will not give any tribute and taxes, but they will harm the kings.
如今王该知道，他们若建造这城，城墙完毕就不再与王进贡，交课，纳税，终久王必受亏损。
14 Surely because we have eaten the palace salt, it is not fitting for us to see any dishonor happen to the king. It is because of this that we are informing the king
我们既食御盐，不忍见王吃亏，因此奏告于王。
15 to search your father's record and to verify that this is a rebellious city that will harm kings and provinces. It has caused many problems to the kings and provinces. It has been a center for rebellion from long ago. It was for this reason that the city was destroyed.
请王考察先王的实录，必在其上查知这城是反叛的城，与列王和各省有害；自古以来，其中常有悖逆的事，因此这城曾被拆毁。
16 We are informing the king that if this city and wall are built, then there will be nothing remaining for you in the Province Beyond the River.”
我们谨奏王知，这城若再建造，城墙完毕，河西之地王就无分了。”
17 So the king sent out a reply to Rehum and Shimshai and their companions in Samaria and the rest who were in the Province Beyond the River: “May peace be yours.
那时王谕复省长利宏、书记伸帅，和他们的同党，就是住撒马利亚并河西一带地方的人，说：“愿你们平安云云。
18 The letter that you sent me has been translated and read to me.
你们所上的本，已经明读在我面前。
19 So I ordered an investigation and discovered that in previous days they had rebelled and revolted against kings.
我已命人考查，得知此城古来果然背叛列王，其中常有反叛悖逆的事。
20 Mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and had power over everything in the Province Beyond the River. Tribute and taxes were paid to them.
从前耶路撒冷也有大君王统管河西全地，人就给他们进贡，交课，纳税。
21 Now, make a decree for these men to stop and not build this city until I make a decree.
现在你们要出告示命这些人停工，使这城不得建造，等我降旨。
22 Be careful not to neglect this. Why allow this threat to grow and cause more loss for the royal interests?
你们当谨慎，不可迟延，为何容害加重，使王受亏损呢？”
23 When King Artaxerxes' decree was read before Rehum, Shimshai, and their companions, they went out quickly to Jerusalem and forced the Jews to stop building.
亚达薛西王的上谕读在利宏和书记伸帅，并他们的同党面前，他们就急忙往耶路撒冷去见犹大人，用势力强迫他们停工。
24 So the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
于是，在耶路撒冷 神殿的工程就停止了，直停到波斯王大流士第二年。
