Ezra 4

1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building the temple to the LORD God of Israel;

Forsothe the enemyes of Juda and of Beniamyn herden, that the sones of caitifte bildiden a temple to the Lord God of Israel;

2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of the fathers, and said to them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we sacrifice to him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, who brought us up here.

and thei neiyeden to Zorobabel, and to the princes of fadris, and seiden to hem, Bilde we with you, for so as ye, we seken youre God; lo! we han offrid sacrificis fro the daies of Assoraddon, kyng of Assur, that brouyte vs hidur.

3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers of Israel, said to them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

And Zorobabel, and Josue, and the othere princes of the fadris of Israel, seiden to hem, It is not to vs and to you, that we bilde an hows to oure God; but we vs silf aloone schulen bilde to `oure Lord God, as Cirus, the kyng of Persis, comaundide to vs.

4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

Forsothe it was doon, that the puple of the lond lettide the hondis of the puple of Juda, and trobliden hem in bildyng.

5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

And thei hiriden counselouris ayens the Jewis, that thei schulden destrie the counseil of the Jewis, in alle the daies of Cirus, king of Persis, and `til to the rewme of Darius, king of Persis.

6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote to him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

Forsothe in the rewme of Assueris, he is Artaxersis, in the bigynnyng of his rewme, thei writiden accusing ayens the dwellers of Juda and of Jerusalem;

7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian language, and interpreted in the Syrian language.

and in the daies of Artaxarses, Besellam wroot, Mytridates, and Thabel, and othere, that weren in the counsel of hem, to Artaxarses, kyng of Persis. For the pistle of accusyng was writun in langage of Sirie, and was red in word of Sirie.

8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:

Reum, Beel, Theem, and Samsai, the scryuen, writen sich oon epistle fro Jerusalem to the kyng Artaxerses; Reum,

9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,

Beel, Theem, and Samsai, the writere, and othere counselouris of hem, Dyney, Pharsathei, and Therphalei, Arphasei, Harthuei, men of Babiloyne, Susanne, Thanei, Dacei, men of Helam,

10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side of the river, and now.

and othere of hethene men, whiche the grete and gloriouse Asennaphar translatide, and made hem to dwelle in the citees of Samarie, and in othere cuntrees biyonde the flood, `in pees.

11 this is the copy of the letter that they sent to him, even to Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side of the river, and now.

This is the saumplere of the pistle, which thei senten to the kyng. `To Artaxerses, king, thi seruauntis, men `that ben biyende the flood, seyn helthe.

12 let it be known to the king, that the Jews who came from thee to us are come to Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the evil city, and have set up the walls, and joined the foundations.

Be it knowun to the kyng, that the Jewis, that stieden fro thee, ben comun to vs `in to Jerusalem, the rebel and worste citee, which thei bilden, and thei maken the ground wallis therof, and arayen the wallis aboue.

13 Be it known now to the king, that, if this city shall be built, and the walls set up again, then they will not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt diminish the revenue of the kings.

Nou therfor be it knowun to the kyng, that if thilke citee be bildid, and the wallis therof be restorid, thei schulen not yyue tribut, and tol, and annuel rentis, and this trespas schal come `til to the kyng.

14 Now because we have maintenance from the king’s palace, and it was not good for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore have we sent and informed the king;

Therfor we ben myndeful of the salt, which we eeten in the paleis, and for we holden it vnleueful to se the harmes of the kyng, therfor we han sent and teld to the kyng;

15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same from of old: for which cause was this city destroyed.

that thou acounte in the bokis of stories of thi fadris, and thou schalt fynde writun in cronyclis, and thou schalt wite, that thilke citee is a rebel citee, and that it anoieth kyngis and prouynces, and batels ben reisid therynne of elde daies; wherfor also thilke citee was distried.

16 We inform the king that, if this city shall be built again, and the walls set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side of the river.

We tellen to the kyng, that if thilke citee be bildid, and the wallis therof be restorid, thou schalt not haue possessioun biyende the flood.

17 Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and to the rest beyond the river, Peace, and now.

The kyng sente word to Reum, Beel, Theem, and to Samsai, the scryuen, and to othere that weren in the counsel of hem, to the dwelleris of Samarie, and to othere biyendis the flood, and seide, Helthe and pees.

18 the letter which ye sent to us hath been plainly read before me.

The accusyng, which ye senten to vs, was red opynli bifor me;

19 And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city from of old hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it.

and it was comaundid of me, and thei rekenyden, and thei foundun, that thilke citee rebellith of elde daies ayens kyngis, and dissenciouns and batels ben reisid therynne;

20 There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid to them.

for whi `and ful stronge kyngis weren in Jerusalem, which also weren lordis of al the cuntrei which is biyende the flood; also thei token tribut, and tol, and rentis.

21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not built, until another commandment shall be given from me.

Now therfor here ye the sentence, that ye forbede tho men, and that thilke citee be not bildid, til if perauenture it be comaundid of me.

22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the harm of the kings?

Se ye, that this be not fillid necgligentli, and yuel encreesse litil `and litil ayens kyngis.

23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

Therfor the saumple of the comaundement of kyng Artaxarses was red bifor Reum, Beel, Theem, and Samsai, the scryueyn, and her counseleris; and thei yeden hastili in to Jerusalem to the Jewis, and forbediden hem with arm and myyt.

24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Thanne the werk of Goddis hows in Jerusalem was left, and it was not maad til to the secounde yeer of Darius, king of Persis.