Esdræ 4
1 audierunt autem hostes Iudae et Beniamin quia filii captivitatis aedificarent templum Domino Deo Israhel
And they that afflicted Juda and Benjamin heard, that the children of the captivity were building a house to the Lord 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
And they drew near to Zorobabel, and to the heads of families, and said to them, We will build with you; for as you [do], we seek [to serve] our God, and we do sacrifice to him from the days of Asaradan king of Assur, who brought us 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
then Zorobabel, and Jesus and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel said to them, [It is] not for us and you to build a house to our God, for we ourselves will build together to the Lord our God, as Cyrus the king of the Persians commanded us.
4 factum est igitur ut populus terrae inpediret manus populi Iudae et turbaret eos in aedificando
And the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Juda, and hindered them in building,
5 conduxerunt quoque adversum eos consiliatores ut destruerent consilium eorum omnibus diebus Cyri regis Persarum et usque ad regnum Darii regis Persarum
and [continued] hiring [persons] against them, plotting to frustrate their counsel, all the days of Cyrus king of the Persians, and until the reign of Darius king of the Persians.
6 in regno autem Asueri principio regni eius scripserunt accusationem adversum habitatores Iudae et Hierusalem
And in the reign of Assuerus, even in the beginning of his reign, they wrote a letter against the inhabitants of Juda 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 Arthasastha, Tabeel wrote peaceably to Mithradates and to the rest of his fellow-servants: the tribute-gatherer wrote to Arthasastha king of the Persians a writing in the Syrian tongue, and [the same] interpreted.
8 Reum Beelteem et Samsai scriba scripserunt epistulam unam de Hierusalem Artarxersi regi huiuscemodi
Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe wrote an epistle against Jerusalem to King Arthasastha, [saying, ]
9 Reum Beelteem et Samsai scriba et reliqui consiliatores eorum Dinei et Apharsathei Terphalei Apharsei Erchuei Babylonii Susannechei Deaei Aelamitae
Thus has judged Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe, and the rest of our fellow-servants, the Dinaeans, the Apharsathachaeans, the Tarphalaeans, the Apharsaeans, the Archyaeans, the Babylonians, the Susanachaeans, Davaeans,
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 Assenaphar removed, and settled them in the cities of Somoron, and the rest [of them] beyond the river.
11 hoc est exemplar epistulae quam miserunt ad eum Artarxersi regi servi tui viri qui sunt trans Fluvium salutem dicunt
This [is] the purport of the letter, which they sent to him: Your servants the men beyond the river to king Arthasastha.
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 to the king, that the Jews who came up from you to us have come to Jerusalem the rebellious and wicked city, which they are building, and its walls are set in order, and they have established the foundations of it.
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
Now then be it known to the king, that if that city be built up, and its walls completed, you shall have no tribute, neither will they pay [anything], and this injures kings.
14 nos ergo memores salis quod in palatio comedimus et quia laesiones regis videre nefas ducimus idcirco misimus et nuntiavimus regi
And it is not lawful for us to see the dishonor of the king: therefore have we sent and made known [the matter] 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 examination may be made in your fathers' book of record; and you shall find, and you shall know that city [is] rebellious, and does harm to kings and countries, and there are in the midst of it from very old time refuges for [runaway] slaves: therefore this city has been made desolate.
16 nuntiamus nos regi quoniam si civitas illa aedificata fuerit et muri ipsius instaurati possessionem trans Fluvium non habebis
We therefore declare to the king, that, if that city be built, and its walls be set up, you shall not have peace.
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 the king sent to Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe, and the rest of their fellow-servants who lived in Samaria, and the rest beyond the river, [saying, ]Peace; and he says,
18 accusationem quam misistis ad nos manifeste lecta est coram me
The tribute-gatherer whom you sent to us, has been called 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 a decree has been made by me, and we have examined, and found that city of old time exalts itself against kings, and that rebellions and desertions take place within it.
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
And there were powerful kings in Jerusalem, and they ruled over all the [country] beyond the river, and abundant revenues and tribute were given to them.
21 nunc ergo audite sententiam ut prohibeatis viros illos et urbs illa non aedificetur donec si forte a me iussum fuerit
Now therefore make a decree to stop the work of those men, and that city shall no more be built.
22 videte ne neglegenter hoc impleatis et paulatim crescat malum contra reges
[See] that you be careful of the decree, [not] to be remiss concerning this matter, lest at any time destruction should abound to the harm of 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 the tribute-gatherer of king Arthasastha read [the letter] before Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe, and his fellow-servants: and they went in haste to Jerusalem and through Juda, and caused them to cease with horses and an [armed] force.
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 in Jerusalem, and it was at a stand until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.
