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 exile were building the 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 came they near to Zerubbabel, and to the chiefs of the divisions, and said unto them, Let us build with you; for like you will we seek your God; and unto him do we sacrifice since the days of Essar-chaddon the king of Asshur, who hath 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 of the divisions of Israel, said unto them, It is not obligatory on you and on us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together must 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 did the people of the land weaken the hands of the people of Judah, and frightened them off from building;

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

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

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

And in the reign of Achashverosh, in the beginning of his reign they wrote 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 their companions, unto Artaxerxes the king of Persia: and the writing of the letter was written in Aramic, and interpreted in Aramic.

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

Rechum the counsellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a certain letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, as followeth:

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

Then [wrote] Rechum the counsellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, from Din, and Apharsathach, Tarpel, Apharass, Erech, Babylon, Shushan, Dehav, and 'Elam,

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 honored Assnapper had brought into exile, and settled in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and so forth.

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 which they sent unto him, even unto king Artaxerxes: Thy servants the men on this side the river, and so forth.

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 made known unto the king, that the Jews who removed away from thee are come up to us unto Jerusalem: they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and are completing the walls, and are joining together 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 now known unto the king, that, if this city be rebuilt, and the walls be completed, they will not give tax, tribute, and toll, and the royal revenues will suffer damage.

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 proper for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and let the king know this:

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 memorable events of thy fathers, and thou wilt find in the book of the memorable events, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have practised sedition within the same from the most ancient time; for which cause this city was destroyed.

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

We let the king know that, if this city be rebuilt, and its walls be completed, by this means thou wilt have no more any portion on this side of 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 a reply unto Rechum the counsellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest of those beyond the river, Peace, and so forth.

18 accusationem quam misistis ad nos manifeste lecta est coram me

The letter which ye have 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 an order was given by me, and search was made, and it was found that this city from the most ancient time hath lifted itself up against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been practised 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

And that mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over all the countries beyond the river; and that tax, tribute, and toll was given unto them.

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

Now give ye the order to stop these men, and this city shall not be built, until the order be given from me.

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

Take heed now that ye commit no error in this: that not any injury may grow [out of this] to the damage 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

Thereupon so soon as the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rechum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they did go up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and stopped them 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 was stopped the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem, and it remained interrupted until the second year of the reign of Darius the king of Persia.