Esdras 4
1 Lènmi moun Jida yo ak lènmi moun Benjamen yo vin konnen moun ki te tounen soti nan kote yo te depòte yo a t'ap rebati yon kay pou Seyè a, Bondye pèp Izrayèl la.
When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,
2 Yo vin jwenn Zowobabèl ak chèf fanmi yo, yo di yo konsa: -Kite nou mete men ansanm ak nou nan travay pou rebati tanp lan, paske nou menm tou se menm Bondye a nou adore ak nou. Epi, depi lè Esaradon, wa peyi Lasiri a, te fè nou vin rete isit la, n'ap ofri bèt pou yo touye pou li.
they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families, saying, “Let us build with you because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the time of King Esar-haddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”
3 Zowobabèl, Jozye ak tout lòt chèf fanmi yo reponn yo: -Non mèsi! Nou pa bezwen konkou pesonn pou nou bati yon tanp pou Seyè a, Bondye nou an. N'a bati l' nou menm, pou kont nou ak men nou, jan Siris, wa peyi Pès la, te ban nou lòd fè a.
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.”
4 Lè sa a, moun ki t'ap viv depi lontan nan peyi a soti pou yo dekouraje moun Jida yo. Yo t'ap kraponnen yo pou yo te sispann travay batisman an.
Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build.
5 Yo menm rive bay kèk anplwaye gouvènman an lajan anba chal pou anpeche travay la mache. Se konsa, pandan tout tan wa Siris t'ap gouvènen an jouk sou rèy wa Dariyis, yo antrave travay moun yo san rete.
They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6 Konsa tou, lè wa Zèsès te fenk pran pouvwa a, yo ekri yon lèt akizasyon voye bay wa a kont moun k'ap viv nan peyi Jida ak nan lavil Jerizalèm.
At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, an accusation was lodged against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 Sou rèy wa Atagzèsès, Bislam, Mitridat ak Tabeyèl mete tèt yo ansanm avèk kèk lòt kòlèg yo, yo ekri yon lèt plent voye bay Atagzesès, wa peyi Pès la, kont moun Jerizalèm yo. Lèt la te ekri nan lang arameyen, e se pou yo te tradwi l' lè yo t'ap li l'.
And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic and then translated.
8 (Dokiman arameyen an konmanse isit la). Se konsa Reyoum, gouvènè a, ak Chimchayi, ki te sekretè pwovens la, ekri yon lèt bay wa Atagzèsès sou keksyon lavil Jerizalèm lan. Men ki jan lèt te pati:
Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote the letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:
9 Se mwen menm, Reyoum, gouvènè a ak Chimchayi, sekretè pwovens la, ki ekri lèt sa a ansanm ak tout lòt kòlèg nou yo anplwaye gouvenman an, moun lavil Den, moun lavil Afasatak, moun lavil Tapèl, moun lavil Afaras, moun lavil Erèk, moun lavil Babilòn, moun lavil Souz, moun lavil Deya ak moun peyi Elam,
From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates—the judges and officials over Tripolis, Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,
10 avèk chèf tout lòt pèp k'ap viv koulye a nan lavil peyi Samari yo ak nan rès pwovens ki bò solèy kouche larivyè Lefrat la. Se gran wa Asnapa, wa ki te fè tout moun respekte l' la, ki te depòte yo al fè yo viv kote yo ye koulye a.
and the rest of the peoples whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and elsewhere west of the Euphrates.
11 Men kopi lèt yo te voye bay wa a. -Pou wa Atagzèsès. Se nou menm sèvitè ou yo, moun pwovens lòt bò larivyè Lefrat la, k'ap voye di ou bonjou.
(This is the text of the letter they sent to him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men west of the Euphrates:
12 Nou vle fè wa a konnen jwif yo soti nan tout teritwa ki sou lòd li yo, yo vini lavil Jerizalèm, epi y'ap rebati lavil sa a ki pa janm vle soumèt devan li epi ki toujou ap fè bagay ki mal. Y'ap travay pou rebati gwo miray ranpa lavil la, yo gen tan fini ak fondasyon an.
Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem. And they are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city, restoring its walls, and repairing its foundations.
13 Nou vle fè wa a konnen, si moun sa yo rebati lavil la, si yo remoute miray ranpa a ankò, yo p'ap peye okenn taks, yo p'ap fè okenn kontribisyon, ni yo p'ap bay lajan yo fè moun peye pou pase lakay yo. Lè sa a se kès wa a menm ki pral fè defisi.
Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer.
14 Men, paske nou respekte kontra nou gen avè ou la, monwa, nou pa ka rete konsa ap gade moun yo ap kraze enterè wa a. Se poutèt sa nou voye fè wa a konn sa,
Now because we are in the service of the palace and it is not fitting for us to allow the king to be dishonored, we have sent to inform the king
15 pou l' ka fè rechèch nan achiv zansèt li yo te kite. Nan ansyen dokiman sa yo, l'a jwenn sa yo te ekri sou lavil sa a. L'a konnen jan lavil sa a pa te janm vle soumèt devan yo, li te toujou pare pou revòlte. Se poutèt sa yo te detwi lavil sa a nèt.
that a search should be made of the record books of your fathers. In these books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, inciting sedition from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.
16 Nou fè wa a konnen si yo rebati lavil sa a, si yo refè miray ranpa li yo, talè konsa wa a p'ap gen yon teritwa pou li ankò nan pwovens bò solèy kouche larivyè Lefrat la.
We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, you will have no dominion west of the Euphrates.
17 Men repons wa a voye ba yo: -Nou voye gwo bonjou pou Reyoum, gouvènè a, Chimchayi, sekretè pwovens la, ak tout lòt kòlèg yo k'ap viv nan peyi Samari ak nan rès pwovens lòt bò larivyè Lefrat.
Then the king sent this reply: To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of your associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates: Greetings.
18 Lèt nou te voye ban mwen an rive jwenn mwen. Yo tradwi l' mo pa mo pou mwen.
The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence.
19 Mwen pase lòd pou yo fè rechèch nan achiv yo, epi yo jwenn lavil sa a, depi tout tan, te toujou derefize soumèt devan otorite wa yo. Se tout tan gen moun la k'ap revòlte, k'ap pran lèzam kont wa yo.
I issued a decree, and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has revolted against kings from ancient times, engaging in rebellion and sedition.
20 Te gen gwo wa ki te konn gouvènen lavil Jerizalèm. Yon lè, yo te donminen sou tout teritwa ki lòt bò larivyè Lefrat la. Yo te konn fè moun peye yo taks, lajan kontribisyon ak lajan pou pèmèt yo pase sou chemen lakay yo.
And mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates; and tribute, duty, and toll were paid to them.
21 Se poutèt sa, nou mèt bay lòd pou yo rete travay mesye yo ap fè a: Pesonn p'ap gen dwa rebati lavil sa a toutotan mwen pa bay lòd pou sa.
Now, therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.
22 Piga nou pote neglijans nan zafè sa a, pou kès wa a pa fè plis defisi pase sa.
See that you do not neglect this matter. Why allow this threat to increase and the royal interests to suffer?
23 Fini yo fini li lèt wa Atagzèsès la bay Reyoum, gouvènè a, Chimchayi, sekretè pwovens la, ak lòt kòlèg yo nan gouvènman an, mesye yo leve, yo kouri lavil Jerizalèm al jwenn jwif yo, avèk zam nan men yo, yo fòse yo sispann travay la.
When the text of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.
24 Se konsa yo te rete travay tanp Bondye a lavil Jerizalèm. Travay la rete bloke jouk dezyèm lanne rèy Dariyis, wa peyi Pès la.
Thus the construction of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
