Esdræ 4
1 Audierunt autem hostes Iudæ, et Beniamin, quia filii captivitatis ædificarent templum Domino Deo Israel:
When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,
2 et accedentes ad Zorobabel, et ad principes patrum dixerunt eis: Ædificemus vobiscum, quia ita ut vos, quærimus Deum vestrum: ecce nos immolavimus victimas a diebus Asor Haddan regis Assur, qui adduxit nos huc.
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 Et dixit eis Zorobabel, et Iosue, et reliqui principes patrum Israel: Non est vobis et nobis ut ædificemus domum Deo nostro, sed nosipsi soli ædificabimus Domino Deo nostro, sicut præcepit nobis Cyrus rex Persarum.
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 Factum est igitur ut populus terræ impediret manus populi Iudæ, et turbaret eos in ædificando.
Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build.
5 Conduxerunt autem adversus eos consiliatores, ut destruerent consilium eorum omnibus diebus Cyri regis Persarum, et usque ad regnum Darii regis Persarum.
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 In regno autem Assueri, in principio regni eius, scripserunt accusationem adversus habitatores Iudæ et Ierusalem.
At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, an accusation was lodged against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 Et in diebus Artaxerxis scripsit Beselam Mithridates, et Thabeel, et reliqui, qui erant in consilio eorum, ad Artaxerxem regem Persarum: epistola autem accusationis scripta erat Syriace, et legebatur sermone Syro.
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 Reum Beelteem, et Samsai scriba scripserunt epistolam unam de Ierusalem Artaxerxi regi, huiuscemodi:
Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote the letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:
9 Reum Beelteem, et Samsai scriba, et reliqui consiliatores eorum, Dinæi, et Apharsathachæi, Terphalæi, Apharsæi, Erchuæi, Babylonii, Susanechæi, Dievi, et Ælamitæ,
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 et ceteri de Gentibus, quas transtulit Asenaphar magnus et gloriosus: et habitare eas fecit in civitatibus Samariæ, et in reliquis regionibus trans Flumen in pace:
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 (Hoc est exemplar epistolæ, quam miserunt ad eum) Artaxerxi regi, servi tui, viri qui sunt trans Fluvium, salutem dicunt.
(This is the text of the letter they sent to him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men west of the Euphrates:
12 Notum sit regi, quia Iudæi, qui ascenderunt a te ad nos, venerunt in Ierusalem civitatem rebellem et pessimam, quam ædificant extruentes muros eius, et parietes componentes.
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 Nunc igitur notum sit regi, quia si civitas illa ædificata fuerit, et muri eius instaurati, tributum, et vectigal, et annuos reditus non dabunt, et usque ad reges hæc noxa perveniet.
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 Nos autem memores salis, quod in palatio comedimus, et quia læsiones regis videre nefas ducimus, idcirco misimus et nunciavimus regi,
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 ut recenseas in libris historiarum patrum tuorum, et invenies scriptum in commentariis: et scies quoniam urbs illa, urbs rebellis est, et nocens regibus et provinciis, et bella concitantur in ea ex diebus antiquis: quam ob rem et civitas ipsa destructa est.
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 Nunciamus nos regi, quoniam si civitas illa ædificata fuerit, et muri ipsius instaurati, possessionem trans Fluvium non habebis.
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 Verbum misit rex ad Reum Beelteem, et Samsai scribam, et ad reliquos, qui erant in consilio eorum habitatores Samariæ, et ceteris trans Fluvium, salutem dicens et pacem.
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 Accusatio, quam misistis ad nos, manifeste lecta est coram me.
The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence.
19 et a me præceptum est: et recensuerunt, inveneruntque quoniam civitas illa a diebus antiquis adversum reges rebellat, et seditiones, et prælia concitantur in ea:
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 nam et reges fortissimi fuerunt in Ierusalem, qui et dominati sunt omni regioni. quæ trans Fluvium est: tributum quoque et vectigal, et reditus accipiebant.
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 Nunc ergo audite sententiam: Prohibeatis viros illos ut urbs illa non ædificetur, donec si forte a me iussum fuerit.
Now, therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.
22 Videte ne negligenter hoc impleatis, et paulatim crescat malum contra reges.
See that you do not neglect this matter. Why allow this threat to increase and the royal interests to suffer?
23 Itaque exemplum edicti Artaxerxis regis lectum est coram Reum Beelteem, et Samsai scriba, et consiliariis eorum: et abierunt festini in Ierusalem ad Iudæos, et prohibuerunt eos in brachio et robore.
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 Tunc intermissum est opus domus Domini in Ierusalem, et non fiebat usque ad annum secundum regni Darii regis Persarum.
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.
