Ezra 4
1 Ary nony ren’ ny fahavalon’ ny Joda sy ny Benjamina fa ireo efa nody avy tamin’ ny fahababoana dia efa manao tempoly ho an’ i Jehovah, Andriamanitry ny Isiraely,
When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,
2 dia nanatona an’ i Zerobabela sy ny lohan’ ny fianakaviana izy ka nanao taminy hoe: Aoka mba hiara-manao aminareo izahay, fa mitady an’ Andriamanitrareo tahaka anareo ihany koa izahay, ary ho Azy no namonoanay zavatra hatao fanatitra hatramin’ ny andron’ i Esara-hadona, mpanjakan’ i Asyria, izay efa nampakatra anay ho atỳ.
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 Fa Zerobabela sy Jesoa mbamin’ ny namany lohan’ ny fianakaviana tamin’ ny Isiraely namaly azy hoe: Tsy misy raharaha hikambananareo aminay amin’ ny hanaovana trano ho an’ Andriamanitray; fa izahay ihany no hanao trano ho an’ i Jehovah, Andriamanitry ny Isiraely, araka izay efa nandidian’ itompokolahy Kyrosy, mpanjakan’ i Persia, anay.
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 Ary ny tompon-tany nanao izay hampiraviravy tanana ny Jiosy sy nandevilevy azy mba tsy hanao ny trano
Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build.
5 sady nanamby olona hanome hevitra hanohitra azy hahafoana ny heviny hatramin’ ny andro nanjakan’ i Kyrosy tany Persia ka hatramin’ ny nanjakan’ i Dariosy, mpanjakan’ i Persia.
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 Ary raha vao nanjaka Ahasoerosy, dia nanoratra ho any aminy ireo hanendrikendrika ny mponina tany Joda sy Jerosalema.
At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, an accusation was lodged against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 Ary tamin’ ny andron’ i Artaksersesy no nanoratan’ i Bislama sy Mitredata sy Tabela mbamin’ ny namany sisa ho any amin’ i Artaksersesy, mpanjakan’ i Persia; ary ny soratra tamin’ ny taratasy dia nataony tarehin-tsoratra Syriana sady nataony teny Syriana koa.
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 Rehoma mpanolo-tsaina sy Simsay mpanoratra dia nanoratra taratasy ho any amin’ i Artaksersesy mpanjaka hanendrikendrika an’ i Jerosalema toy izao:
Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote the letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:
9 Rehoma mpanolo-tsaina sy Simsay mpanoratra ary ny namany sisa, dia ny Dinaïta, ny Afarsatkita, ny Tarpelita, ny Afarsaïta, ny Arkevita, ny Babyloniana, ny Sosanita, ny Dehavita sy ny Elamita,
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 mbamin’ ny firenena sisa izay nentin’ i Asnapara lehibe sady malaza ho babo, ka namponeniny tany an-tanàna Samaria sy tany amin’ ny tany sasany etỳ an-dafin’ ny ony etỳ ......
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 Izao no teny amin’ ny taratasy nampitondrainy ho any amin’ i Artaksersesy mpanjaka: Ny lehilahy mpanomponao etỳ an-dafin’ ny ony etỳ ......
(This is the text of the letter they sent to him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men west of the Euphrates:
12 Aoka ho fantatry ny mpanjaka fa ny Jiosy, izay niakatra avy tany aminao hankatỳ aminay, dia efa tonga any Jerosalema ka manamboatra ilay tanàna fikomiana sady ratsy, dia mahavita ny mandany izy izao ary manamboatra ny fanorenany koa.
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 Koa aoka ho fantatry ny mpanjaka fa raha hatao io tanàna io, ka hatsangana indray ny mandany, dia tsy hety handoa hetra, na haba, na sara, izy; ka dia hahatonga fatiantoka ho an’ ny fanjakana izany any aoriana.
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 Koa satria mahazo ny fivelomanay avy amin’ ny lapan’ ny mpanjaka izahay, dia tsy mety raha odianay tsy hita ny fatiantoky ny fanjakana, ka dia efa naniraka hampahafantatra ny mpanjaka izany izahay,
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 mba hizahana ny boky tantaran’ ny razanao; dia ho hitanao eo amin’ ny boky tantara, ka ho fantatrao fa tanàna fikomiana io tanàna io ka naha-fatiantoka ny mpanjaka sy ny tany maro, sady efa nisy fikomiana niseho tao hatrizay ela izay; koa izany no nandravana io tanàna io.
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 Ary mampahafantatra ny mpanjaka izahay fa raha hamboarina io tanàna io, ka vita ny mandany, dia tsy hanana fanjakana amin’ ny etỳ an-dafin’ ny ony etỳ intsony ianao.
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 Dia nampitondrain’ ny mpanjaka ny valiny ho any amin-dRehoma mpanolo-tsaina sy Simsay mpanoratra mbamin’ ny namany sisa izay nonina tany Samaria sy tany amin’ ny tanàna sasany an-dafin’ ny ony, nanao hoe: Fiadanana ......
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 Ny taratasy izay nampitondrainareo ho atỳ aminay dia efa voavaky tsara teo anatrehako;
The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence.
19 ary izaho nandidy, ka nasaiko nizahana, dia hita fa nanandra-tena nikomy tamin’ ny mpanjaka maro hatrizay ela izay tokoa io tanàna io, ka nisy fikomiana sy fihodinana niseho teo.
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 Ary efa nisy mpanjaka mahery izay nanjaka tany Jerosalema nanapaka ny tany rehetra any an-dafin’ ny ony ka nandoavana hetra sy haba ary sara.
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 Koa dia manaova didy hampitsahatra ireo olona ireo, mba tsy hamboarina io tanàna io, raha tsy mahazo teny avy atỳ amiko.
Now, therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.
22 Ary tandremo tsara, fandrao misy tsy vitanareo izany; fa nahoana no havela handroso ny ratsy ka hahatonga fatiantoka ho an’ ny fanjakana?
See that you do not neglect this matter. Why allow this threat to increase and the royal interests to suffer?
23 Ary rehefa voavaky teo anatrehan-dRehoma mpanolo-tsaina sy Simsay mpanoratra mbamin’ ny namany ny taratasin’ i Artaksersesy mpanjaka, dia niakatra faingana ho any Jerosalema ho any amin’ ny Jiosy izy ka nampitsahatra azy an-keriny.
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 Dia natsahatra tsy natao ny tranon’ Andriamanitra, izay tany Jerosalema; ary mbola nitsahatra ihany izany hatramin’ ny taona faharoa nanjakan’ i Dariosy, mpanjakan’ i Persia.
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.
