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.
猶大和便雅憫的敵人聽說被擄歸回的人為耶和華－以色列的上帝建造殿宇，
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.”
就去見所羅巴伯和以色列的族長，對他們說：「請容我們與你們一同建造；因為我們尋求你們的上帝，與你們一樣。自從亞述王以撒哈頓帶我們上這地以來，我們常祭祀上帝。」
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.”
但所羅巴伯、耶書亞，和其餘以色列的族長對他們說：「我們建造上帝的殿與你們無干，我們自己為耶和華－以色列的上帝協力建造，是照波斯王塞魯士所吩咐的。」
4 So the people of the land made the Judeans' hands weak; they made the Judeans afraid to build.
那地的民，就在猶大人建造的時候，使他們的手發軟，擾亂他們；
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.
從波斯王塞魯士年間，直到波斯王大流士登基的時候，賄買謀士，要敗壞他們的謀算。
6 Then at the beginning of Ahasuerus' reign they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
在亞哈隨魯才登基的時候，上本控告猶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.
亞達薛西年間，比施蘭、米特利達、他別，和他們的同黨上本奏告波斯王亞達薛西。本章是用亞蘭文字，亞蘭方言。
8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote this way to Artaxerxes about Jerusalem.
省長利宏、書記伸帥要控告耶路撒冷人，也上本奏告亞達薛西王。
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—
省長利宏、書記伸帥，和同黨的底拿人、亞法薩提迦人、他毗拉人、亞法撒人、亞基衛人、巴比倫人、書珊迦人、底亥人、以攔人，
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.
和尊大的亞斯那巴所遷移、安置在撒馬利亞城，並大河西一帶地方的人等，
11 This is a copy of the letter that they sent to Artaxerxes: “Your servants, men of the Province Beyond the River, write this:
上奏亞達薛西王說：「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.
王該知道，從王那裏上到我們這裏的猶大人，已經到耶路撒冷重建這反叛惡劣的城，築立根基，建造城牆。
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.
如今王該知道，他們若建造這城，城牆完畢就不再與王進貢，交課，納稅，終久王必受虧損。
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
我們既食御鹽，不忍見王吃虧，因此奏告於王。
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.
請王考察先王的實錄，必在其上查知這城是反叛的城，與列王和各省有害；自古以來，其中常有悖逆的事，因此這城曾被拆毀。
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.”
我們謹奏王知，這城若再建造，城牆完畢，河西之地王就無分了。」
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.
那時王諭覆省長利宏、書記伸帥，和他們的同黨，就是住撒馬利亞並河西一帶地方的人，說：「願你們平安云云。
18 The letter that you sent me has been translated and read to me.
你們所上的本，已經明讀在我面前。
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，得知此城古來果然背叛列王，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.
從前耶路撒冷也有大君王統管河西全地，人就給他們進貢，交課，納稅。
21 Now, make a decree for these men to stop and not build this city until I make a decree.
現在你們要出告示命這些人停工，使這城不得建造，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?
你們當謹慎，不可遲延，為何容害加重，使王受虧損呢？」
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.
亞達薛西王的上諭讀在利宏和書記伸帥，並他們的同黨面前，他們就急忙往耶路撒冷去見猶大人，用勢力強迫他們停工。
24 So the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
於是，在耶路撒冷上帝殿的工程就停止了，直停到波斯王大流士第二年。
