Esdras 4
1 Alò, lè lènmi a Juda yo avèk Benjamin yo te tande ke moun egzil yo t ap bati yon tanp a SENYÈ a, Bondye Israël la,
The enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a Temple to the Lord, the God of Israel.
2 yo te pwoche Zorobabel avèk chèf lakay zansèt yo. Yo te di yo: “Annou bati ansanm avèk nou, paske nou, kon ou menm, ap chache Bondye pa ou a. Nou t ap fè sakrifis a Li menm soti nan jou a Ésar-Haddon, wa Assyrie a, ki te mennen nou monte isit la.”
They came to Zerubbabel and the family leaders and said, “Please let us help you with the building work, for we worship your God like you do. In fact we have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”
3 Men Zorobabel avèk Josué ak tout lòt chèf a lakay zansèt a Israël yo te di yo: “Ou pa gen anyen ansanm avèk nou menm nan bati yon kay a Bondye nou an, men nou menm pou kont nou, nou va bati a SENYÈ a, Bondye Israël la, kon Cyrus, wa Perse la, te kòmande nou an.”
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the family leaders of Israel replied, “You can't share with us in building a Temple for our God. Only we can build it for the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what Cyrus the king of Persia has ordered us to do.”
4 Konsa, pèp peyi a te kòmanse dekouraje pèp Juda a, e te bay yo pwoblem bati a.
Then the local people set out to intimidate the people of Judah and make them too scared to go on building.
5 Konsa yo te anplwaye konseye yo kont yo pou detounen pwòp bi pa yo pandan tout jou a Cyrus yo, wa Perse la, menm jis rive nan règn Darius la, wa Perse la.
They bribed officials to oppose them and to obstruct their plans. This continued during the whole reign of Cyrus king of Persia up until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6 Alò nan règn Assuérus la, nan kòmansman règn li a, yo te ekri yon akizasyon kont pèp Juda a avèk Jérusalem nan.
When Ahasuerus became king the local people sent him a written accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 Nan jou a Artaxerxès yo, Bischlam, Mithredath, Thabeel ak tout lòt kolèg pa yo te ekri a Artaxerxès, wa Perse la. Lèt la te ekri nan lang Amareyen e livre nan lang Amareyen.
During the time of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their fellow officers wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated from Aramaic.
8 Rehum, kòmandan an, avèk Schimchaï, grefye a, te ekri yon lèt kont Jérusalem a Wa Artaxerxès la, kon swivan.
Rehum the officer in command and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes condemning Jerusalem stating,
9 Alò, ekri pa Rehum, kòmandan an, avèk Schimchaï, avèk tout lòt kolèg yo, jij yo ak gouvènè lokal yo, ofisye yo, sekretè yo, mesye Érec yo, Babilonyen yo, mesye Suse yo, sa vle di, Elamit yo,
This comes from Rehum the officer in command, Shimshai the scribe, and fellow officers: the judges and officials and those in charge of Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,
10 ak tout lòt nasyon ke onorab e pwisan Onsappar te depòte e retabli nan vil Samarie ak nan tout lòt rejyon lòtbò rivyè Jourdain an.
and the rest of the people whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria and other places west of the Euphrates.
11 Alò, sa se yon kopi a lèt sila ke yo te voye ba li a: “A wa Artaxerxès: Sèvitè ou yo, mesye nan rejyon lòtbò rivyè a.
The following is a copy of the letter they sent to him. To King Artaxerxes, from your servants, men beyond the River Euphrates:
12 Kite li vin rekonèt a wa a ke Jwif ki te monte soti kote ou te rive kote nou an Jérusalem. Yo ap rebati vil rebèl e mechan sa a e ap fin fè miray avèk reparasyon fondasyon yo.
Your Majesty should be informed that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city, completing repairs to the walls, and mending its foundations.
13 Alò, kite wa a byen konnen, ke si vil sa a vin rebati, e miray yo konplete, yo p ap peye kontribisyon obligatwa pa yo ankò, ni tarif yo, ni frè lese pase yo, e sa va diminye fòs kès wa a.
Your Majesty should realize that if this city is rebuilt and its walls repaired, they will not pay tax, tribute, or fees, and the king's revenue will suffer.
14 Alò, akoz nou nan sèvis palè a, e se pa pwòp pou nou ta wè derespektan kont wa a; pou sa a, nou te voye enfòme wa a,
Now because we are in the king's service and it is not right for us to see Your Majesty disrespected, we are sending this letter so that you can be informed,
15 pou ou kab fè rechèch nan achiv a papa zansèt pa ou yo. Konsa, ou va dekouvri nan rekò ansyen yo ke vil sila a se yon vil rebelyon, ki konn fè donmaj a wa yo avèk pwovens yo, e ke yo te pwovoke revolisyon ladann nan tan pase yo. Se pou rezon sa a, ke vil sa a te vin detwi nèt konsa.
and order a search of the royal archives. You will discover in these records that this is a rebellious city, damaging to kings and countries, having often risen up in revolt in the past. That is what led to this city being destroyed.
16 Nou enfòme wa a ke si vil sa a rebati e miray yo konplete; akoz sa a, ou p ap ankò posede anyen nan pwovens lòtbò larivyè Jourdain an.”
We wish to inform Your Majesty that if this city is rebuilt and the walls completed, you will lose this province west of the Euphrates.
17 Wa a te voye reponn a Rehum, kòmandan a Schimschaï, grefye a ak tout lòt kolèg pa yo ki te rete Samarie, ak nan tout lòt pwovens ki te lòtbò Rivyè Jourdain an: Lapè.
The king replied as follows: “To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and fellow officers living in Samaria and in other areas west of the Euphrates: Greetings.
18 Dokiman ke nou te voye bannou an te tradwi ak li devan m.
The letter you sent to us has been translated and read to me.
19 Mwen te fè yon dekrè, rechèch te fèt e li te dekouvri ke vil sa a te konn leve kont wa yo nan jou pase yo, ke rebelyon avèk revolisyon te konn fèt ladann,
I ordered a search to be conducted. It was discovered that this city has often risen up in revolt against kings in the past, frequently promoting insurrection and rebellion.
20 ke wa pwisan pa yo te konn gouvène tout pwovens lòtbò larivyè yo e ke kontribisyon obligatwa yo, tarif yo, e lese pase yo te konn peye a yo menm.
Powerful kings have ruled over Jerusalem and throughout the whole area west of the Euphrates, and they received tax, tribute, and fees.
21 Pou sa, pibliye yon dekrè pou fè mesye sila yo sispann travay la pou vil sila a pa rebati jiskaske yon dekrè pibliye pa mwen menm.
Issue an immediate order for these men to stop work. This city is not to be rebuilt until I authorize it.
22 Veye ke nou pa lach nan akonpli bagay sa a. Poukisa nou ta kite donmaj ki p ap nan avantaj a wa yo vin plis?
See that you do not neglect this matter. Why should this problem be allowed to grow and damage royal interests?”
23 Depi lè kopi a dekrè a wa Artaxerxès te li devan Rehum avèk Schimschaï, grefye a avèk kolèg parèy a yo, yo te ale byen vit Jérusalem kote Jwif yo, e te fè yo sispann pa fòs a zam.
As soon as this letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their fellow officers, they rushed to the Jews in Jerusalem and used their power to forcibly make them stop work.
24 Alò, travay lakay Bondye Jérusalem nan te sispann jis rive nan dezyèm ane a Darius, wa Perse la.
Consequently work on God's Temple in Jerusalem came to a halt. The stoppage continued until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.
