< Ezra 4 >

1 Forsothe the enemyes of Juda and of Beniamyn herden, that the sones of caitifte bildiden a temple to the Lord 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 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.
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 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.
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 Forsothe it was doon, that the puple of the lond lettide the hondis of the puple of Juda, and trobliden hem in bildyng.
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 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.
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 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;
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 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.
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 Reum, Beel, Theem, and Samsai, the scryuen, writen sich oon epistle fro Jerusalem to the kyng Artaxerses; Reum,
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 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,
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 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.
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 the saumplere of the pistle, which thei senten to the kyng. `To Artaxerses, king, thi seruauntis, men `that ben biyende the flood, seyn helthe.
上奏亞達薛西王說:「河西的臣民云云:
12 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.
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 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.
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 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;
我們既食御鹽,不忍見王吃虧,因此奏告於王。
15 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.
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 tellen to the kyng, that if thilke citee be bildid, and the wallis therof be restorid, thou schalt not haue possessioun biyende the flood.
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 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.
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 accusyng, which ye senten to vs, was red opynli bifor me;
你們所上的本,已經明讀在我面前。
19 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;
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 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.
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 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.
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 Se ye, that this be not fillid necgligentli, and yuel encreesse litil `and litil ayens kyngis.
你們當謹慎,不可遲延,為何容害加重,使王受虧損呢?」
23 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.
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 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.
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。

< Ezra 4 >