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.

Then Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo the prophet prophesied in the name of the God of Israel to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem.

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.

Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God in Jerusalem with the prophets who supported 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?

Then Tattenai the governor of the Province Beyond the River, Shethar-Bozenai, and his associates came and said to them, “Who gave you a decree to build this house and complete these walls?”

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

They also said, “What are the names of the men building 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 God's eye was on the Jewish elders and their enemies did not stop them. They were waiting for a letter to be sent to the king and for a decree to be returned to them concerning this.

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.

This is a copy of the letter of Tattenai, governor of the Province Beyond the River, and Shethar-Bozenai and his accociates in the Province Beyond the River, which they sent to Darius the king.

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

They sent a report, writing this to King Darius, “May all peace be yours.

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.

Let the king know that we went to Judah to the house of the great God. It is being built with large stones and timbers set in the walls. This work is being done thoroughly and is going forward well 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?

We asked the elders, 'Who gave you a decree to build this house and these walls?'

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 also asked them their names so you might know the name of each man who led them.

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.

They replied and said, 'We are servants of the one who is the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding this house that had been built many years ago when the great king of Israel built it and completed it.

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.

However, when our ancestors enraged the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and took the people into exile in 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.

Nevertheless, in the first year when Cyrus was king of Babylon, Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild the 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,

King Cyrus also returned the gold and silver objects belonging to the house of God that Nebuchadnezzar had brought from the temple in Jerusalem to the temple in Babylon. He restored them to 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 objects. Go and put them in the temple in Jerusalem. Let the house of God be rebuilt there.”

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 this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation for the house of God in Jerusalem; and it is being constructed, but is not yet complete.'

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 if it pleases the king, may it be investigated in the house of archives in Babylon if a judgment from King Cyrus exists there to build this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send his decision to us.