Esdræ 4

1 audierunt autem hostes Iudae et Beniamin quia filii captivitatis aedificarent templum Domino Deo Israhel

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple unto the LORD, the God of Israel;

2 et accedentes ad Zorobabel et ad principes patrum dixerunt eis aedificemus vobiscum quia ita ut vos quaerimus Deum vestrum ecce nos immolamus victimas ex diebus Asoraddan regis Assur qui adduxit nos huc

then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers' houses, and said unto them: 'Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up hither.'

3 et dixit eis Zorobabel et Iosue et reliqui principes patrum Israhel non est vobis et nobis ut aedificemus domum Deo nostro sed nos ipsi soli aedificabimus Domino Deo nostro sicut praecepit nobis rex Cyrus rex Persarum

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses of Israel, said unto them: 'Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.'

4 factum est igitur ut populus terrae inpediret manus populi Iudae et turbaret eos in aedificando

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and harried them while they were building,

5 conduxerunt quoque adversum eos consiliatores ut destruerent consilium eorum omnibus diebus Cyri regis Persarum et usque ad regnum Darii regis Persarum

and hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

6 in regno autem Asueri principio regni eius scripserunt accusationem adversum habitatores Iudae et Hierusalem

And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 et in diebus Artarxersis scripsit Beselam Mitridatis et Tabel et reliqui qui erant in consilio eorum ad Artarxersen regem Persarum epistula autem accusationis scripta erat syriace et legebatur sermone syro

And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Aramaic character, and set forth in the Aramaic tongue.

8 Reum Beelteem et Samsai scriba scripserunt epistulam unam de Hierusalem Artarxersi regi huiuscemodi

Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort —

9 Reum Beelteem et Samsai scriba et reliqui consiliatores eorum Dinei et Apharsathei Terphalei Apharsei Erchuei Babylonii Susannechei Deaei Aelamitae

then wrote Rehum the commander, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinites, and the Apharesattechites, the Tarpelites, the Apharesites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehites, the Elamites,

10 et ceteri de gentibus quas transtulit Asennaphar magnus et gloriosus et habitare eas fecit in civitatibus Samariae et in reliquis regionibus trans Flumen in pace

and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asenappar brought over, and set in the city of Samaria, and the rest that are in the country beyond the River: — 'And now —

11 hoc est exemplar epistulae quam miserunt ad eum Artarxersi regi servi tui viri qui sunt trans Fluvium salutem dicunt

this is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king — thy servants the men beyond the River — and now

12 notum sit regi quia Iudaei qui ascenderunt a te ad nos venerunt in Hierusalem civitatem rebellem et pessimam quam aedificant extruentes muros eius et parietes conponentes

be it known unto the king, that the Jews that came up from thee are come to us unto Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and have finished the walls, and are digging out the foundations.

13 nunc igitur notum sit regi quia si civitas illa aedificata fuerit et muri eius instaurati tributum et vectigal et annuos reditus non dabunt et usque ad reges haec noxa perveniet

Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, impost, or toll, and so thou wilt endamage the revenue of the kings.

14 nos ergo memores salis quod in palatio comedimus et quia laesiones regis videre nefas ducimus idcirco misimus et nuntiavimus regi

Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and announced to 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 concitant in ea ex diebus antiquis quam ob rem et civitas ipsa destructa est

that search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers; so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time; for which cause was this city laid waste.

16 nuntiamus nos regi quoniam si civitas illa aedificata fuerit et muri ipsius instaurati possessionem trans Fluvium non habebis

We announce to the king that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, by this means thou shalt have no portion beyond the River.'

17 verbum misit rex ad Reum Beelteem et Samsai scribam et ad reliquos qui erant in consilio eorum habitatores Samariae et ceteris trans Fluvium salutem dicens et pacem

Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the commander, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the River: 'Peace, and now

18 accusationem quam misistis ad nos manifeste lecta est coram me

the letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.

19 et a me praeceptum est et recensuerunt inveneruntque quoniam civitas illa a diebus antiquis adversum reges rebellat et seditiones et proelia concitantur in ea

And I decreed, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.

20 nam et reges fortissimi fuerunt in Hierusalem qui et dominati sunt omni regioni quae trans Fluvium est tributum quoque et vectigal et reditus accipiebant

There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, impost, and toll, was paid unto them.

21 nunc ergo audite sententiam ut prohibeatis viros illos et urbs illa non aedificetur donec si forte a me iussum fuerit

Make ye now a decree to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until a decree shall be made by me.

22 videte ne neglegenter hoc impleatis et paulatim crescat malum contra reges

And take heed that ye be not slack herein; why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?'

23 itaque exemplum edicti Artarxersis regis lectum est coram Reum et Samsai scriba et consiliariis eorum et abierunt festini in Hierusalem ad Iudaeos et prohibuerunt eos in brachio et robore

Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

24 tunc intermissum est opus domus Dei in Hierusalem et non fiebat usque ad annum secundum regni Darii regis Persarum

Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.