Ezra 5

1 Forsothe Aggei, the prophete, and Zacharie, the prophete, the sone of Ado, prophesieden, prophesiynge in the name of God of Israel, to the Jewis that weren in Juda and Jerusalem.

Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem. They prophesied to them in the name of the God of Israel.

2 Thanne Zorobabel, the sone of Salatiel, and Josue, the sone of Josedech, risiden, and bigunnen to bilde the temple of God in Jerusalem; and with hem rysyden the prophetis of God, helpynge hem.

Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build God’s house which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them.

3 Forsothe in that tyme Tatannai, that was duyk biyende the flood, and Starbusannay, and the counselouris of hem, camen to hem, and seiden thus to hem, Who yaf counsel to you to bilde this hows, and to restore these wallis?

At the same time Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, came to them, with Shetharbozenai and their companions, and asked them, “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this wall?”

4 To which thing we answeriden to hem, whiche weren the names of men, autours of that bildyng.

They also asked for the names of the men who were making this building.

5 Forsothe the iye of God of hem was maad on the elde men of Jewis, and thei myyten not forbede the Jewis; and it pleside that the thing schulde be teld to Darius, and thanne thei schulden make satisfaccioun ayens that accusyng.

But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease until the matter should come to Darius, and an answer should be returned by letter concerning it.

6 This is the saumpler of the pistle, which Tathannai, duyk of the cuntrey biyende the flood, and Starbursannai, and hise counselouris, Arphasacei, that weren biyende the flood, senten to kyng Darius.

The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetharbozenai, and his companions the Apharsachites who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king follows.

7 The word which thei senten to hym was writun thus; Al pees be to the kyng Darius.

They sent a letter to him, in which was written: To Darius the king, all peace.

8 Be it knowun to the kyng, that we yeden to the prouince of Judee, to the hows of greet God, which is bildid with stoon vnpolischid, and trees ben set in the wallis, and thilke werk is bildid diligently, and encreessith in the hondis of hem.

Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with great stones and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands.

9 Therfor we axiden tho elde men, and thus we seiden to hem, Who yaf to you power to bilde this hows, and to restore these wallis?

Then we asked those elders, and said to them thus, “Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?”

10 But also we axiden of hem the names `of hem, that we schulden telle to thee; and we han write the names of men, whiche thei ben, that ben princes among hem.

We asked them their names also, to inform you that we might write the names of the men who were at their head.

11 Sotheli thei answeriden bi sich word, and seiden, We ben the seruauntis of God of heuene and of erthe; and we bilden the temple that was bildid bifor these many yeeris, and `which temple the greet kyng of Israel `hadde bildid, and maad.

Thus they returned us answer, saying, “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and are building the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.

12 But aftir that oure fadris stiryden God of heuene and of erthe to wrathfulnesse, bothe he bitook hem in the hond of Nabugodonosor, Caldey, kyng of Babiloyne; and he distriede this hows, and translatide the puple therof in to Babiloyne.

But after our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried the people away into Babylon.

13 Forsothe in the firste yeer of Cirus, king of Babiloyne, Cirus, the king of Babiloyne, settide forth `a comaundement, that the hows of God schulde be bildid.

But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God.

14 For whi kyng Cirus brouyte forth `fro the temple of Babiloyne also the goldun and siluerne vessels of Goddis temple, whiche Nabugodonosor hadde take fro the temple, that was in Jerusalem, and hadde bore tho awei in to the temple of Babiloyne; and tho vessels weren youun to Sasabazar bi name, whom `he made also prince. And Cirus seide to hym, Take these vessels,

The gold and silver vessels of God’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, those Cyrus the king also took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor.

15 and go, and sette tho in the temple, which is in Jerusalem; and the hows of God be bildid in `his place.

He said to him, ‘Take these vessels, go, put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let God’s house be built in its place.’

16 Therfor thanne thilke Sasabazar cam, and settide the foundementis of Goddis temple in Jerusalem; and fro that tyme `til to now it is bildid, and is not yit fillid.

Then the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of God’s house which is in Jerusalem. Since that time even until now it has been being built, and yet it is not completed.

17 Now therfor if it `semeth good to the king, rikene he in the biblet of the kyng, which is in Babiloyne, whether it be comaundid of kyng Cyrus, that Goddis hows schulde be bildid in Jerusalem; and sende he to vs the wille of the kyng `on this thing.

Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it is so that a decree was made by Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.”