Ezra 6
1 Ary tamin’ izany Dariosy mpanjaka dia nandidy, ka nizahana ny trano fitehirizan-taratasy, izay nitehirizana ny rakitra tany Babylona.
[Later] Darius [became the ruler of the Persian Empire. When the enemies of the Israelis forced them to stop rebuilding the temple, the Persian officials sent a message to King Darius. They asked him to] search the records in the (archives/government records), in the building where the king stored the important documents, [to find out whether King Cyrus had authorized that the temple should be rebuilt].
2 Dia tao Akmeta, tao an-dapa izay any amin’ ny tanin’ ny Mediana, no nahitana horonan-taratasy anankiray, ka voasoratra teo izao tantara izao:
[The king commanded someone to search there, but those documents were not there in Babylon]. They found a scroll at the fort in Ecbatana, in Media province, [that contained the information that they wanted to know]. This is what was written on that scroll:
3 Tamin’ ny taona voalohany nanjakan’ i Kyrosy dia nandidy izy nanao hoe: Ny amin’ ny tranon’ Andriamanitra any Jerosalema, dia aoka hatao mihitsy izany ho fanateran’ ny olona fanatitra, ary aoka hatao mafy ny fanorenany, ka enim-polo hakiho ny hahavony, ary enim-polo hakiho koa ny sakany,
“During the first year that Cyrus [ruled the empire], he sent out a decree concerning the temple of God which is at Jerusalem. In the decree it was stated that a new temple must be built at the same place that [the Israeli people previously] had offered sacrifices, where the [original] foundation [of the first temple] was. The temple must be 90 feet high and 90 feet wide.
4 dia vato vaventy telo an-dalana sy hazo vaovao iray an-dalana; ary aoka haloa avy amin’ ny tranon’ ny mpanjaka izay lany;
The building must be made from large stones. After putting down three layers of stones, a layer of timber must be put on top of them. This work will be paid for by money from my treasury.
5 ary ny fanaky ny tranon’ Andriamanitra, na ny volamena na ny volafotsy, izay nalain’ i Nebokadnezara tao amin’ ny tempoly tany Jerosalema ka nentiny ho any Babylona, dia aoka haverina ho any amin’ ny tempoly any Jerosalema indray ireo, samy ho amin’ ny fitoerany avy, ka aoka hapetraka ao an-tranon’ Andriamanitra avokoa.
Also, the gold and silver utensils that King Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple of God in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon must be taken back to Jerusalem. They must be put in God’s temple just as they were in the previous temple.”
6 Koa amin’ izany, ry Tatenay, governora any an-dafin’ ny ony, sy ry Setara-bozenay mbamin’ ny Afarsakita namanareo, izay any an-dafin’ ny ony, mihataha ianareo.
After reading this, King Darius sent this message [to the leaders of the Israeli people’s enemies in Jerusalem]: “This is a message for Tattenai, the governor of the province west of the [Euphrates] River, and for [his assistant] Shethar-Bozenai, and for all your colleagues: Stay away from that area!
7 Aza misakana ny fanaovana io tranon’ Andriamanitra io; aoka ny mpanapaka ny Jiosy sy ny loholon’ ny Jiosy hanao io tranon’ Andriamanitra io eo amin’ ilay efa niorenany ihany.
Do not (interfere with/hinder) the work of building the temple of God! The temple must be rebuilt at the same place where the former temple was. And do not hinder the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews [while they are doing this work].
8 Ary izaho manao didy ny amin’ ny hataonareo amin’ ny loholon’ ireo Jiosy ireo hanaovany izany tranon’ Andriamanitra izany: aoka ny haren’ ny mpanjaka, dia ny hetra avy amin’ ny any an-dafin’ ny ony, no handoavana marina izay lany ho an’ ireo lehilahy ireo, mba tsy ho azon-tsampona izy.
“Furthermore, I declare that you must help these leaders of the Jews as they rebuild this temple of God [by giving them funds for the building work].
9 Ary izay zavatra ilainy, na zanak’ omby, na ondrilahy, na zanak’ ondry, ho fanatitra dorana ho an’ Andriamanitry ny lanitra, na vary tritika na sira, na divay sy diloilo, araka izay andidian’ ny mpisorona any Jerosalema, dia aoka homena azy isan’ andro isan’ andro tsy tapaka izany,
“The Jewish priests in Jerusalem need young bulls and rams and lambs to sacrifice as they make burned offerings to the God of heaven. You must give them the animals that they need. Also, you must be certain to give them the wheat, salt, wine, and [olive] oil that they need each day [for those sacrifices].
10 mba hanaterany fanatitra ho hanitra ankasitrahana ho an’ Andriamanitry ny lanitra sy hivavahany mba ho ela velona ny mpanjaka mbamin’ ny zanany.
If you do that, the Jewish priests will be able to offer sacrifices that please the God who is in heaven, and they will pray that God will bless me and my sons.
11 Ary izaho manao didy fa na iza na iza no mandika izao teny izao, dia aoka hangalana hazo avy amin’ ny tranony, ary haorina, dia hahantona eo ny tenany; ary aoka hatao firinga ny tranony noho izany.
“If anyone disobeys this decree, [my soldiers] will pull a beam from his house. Then [after they sharpen one end of the beam, ] they will lift that man up and impale him on that beam. Then they will [completely destroy that man’s house until only] a pile of rubble is left.
12 Ary Andriamanitra, Izay efa nampitoetra ny anarany teo, anie handringana ny mpanjaka sy ny vahoaka rehetra, izay maninjitra ny tanany handika ny didiko ka handrava izany tranon’ Andriamanitra any Jerosalema izany. Izaho Dariosy no nanao ny didy; aoka hotovina marina tokoa izany.
God has chosen [that city of] Jerusalem as the place where people will honor him [MTY]. What I desire is that he will get rid of any king or any nation that tries to change this decree or tries to destroy that temple in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have made this decree. It must be obeyed quickly and thoroughly.”
13 Ary tamin’ izany Tatenay, governora amin’ ny etỳ an-dafin’ ny ony etỳ, sy Setarabozenay mbamin’ ny namany dia nankato marina izany teny efa nampitondrain’ i Dariosy ho any aminy izany.
Tattenai, the governor of the province, and [his assistant] Shethar-Bozenai and their colleagues [read the message and] immediately obeyed the decree of King Darius.
14 Dia nanao ny trano ny loholon’ ny Jiosy ka nambinina noho ny faminanian’ i Hagay mpaminany sy Zakaria, zanak’ Ido. Ary nanao ny trano izy ka nahavita azy, araka ny didin’ Andriamanitry ny Isiraely sy araka ny didin’ i Kyrosy sy Dariosy ary Artaksersesy, mpanjakan’ i Persia.
So the Jewish leaders continued their work [of rebuilding the temple]. They were greatly encouraged by the messages that the prophets Haggai and Zechariah preached. The Israelis continued building the temple, just like God had commanded them to do and like King Cyrus had decreed.
15 Dia vita io trano io tamin’ ny andro fahatelo tamin’ ny volana Adara tamin’ ny taona fahenina nanjakan’ i Dariosy mpanjaka.
They finished building it on March 12, during the sixth year that King Darius [ruled].
16 Ary ny Zanak’ Isiraely, na ny mpisorona, na ny Levita, na ny olona sisa izay nody avy tamin’ ny fahababoana, dia nitokana io tranon’ Andriamanitra io tamin’ ny fifaliana;
Then the priests and the Levites and all the other Israeli people who had returned from Babylon very joyfully dedicated the temple.
17 ary ny nateriny hitokanana io tranon’ Andriamanitra io dia omby zato sy ondrilahy roan-jato sy zanak’ ondry efa-jato; ary ny ho fanatitra noho ny ota kosa ho an’ ny Isiraely rehetra dia osilahy roa ambin ny folo, araka ny isan’ ny firenen’ Isiraely.
During [the ceremony to] dedicate the temple, they sacrificed 100 young bulls, 200 rams, and 400 lambs. They also sacrificed twelve male goats as an offering in order that [God would forgive] the sins of the people of the twelve tribes of Israel.
18 Dia nanendry ny mpisorona ho amin’ ny firazanany avy sy ny Levita ho amin’ ny antokony avy izy, hanao ny fanompoana an’ Andriamanitra izay any Jerosalema, araka izay voasoratra ao amin’ ny bokin’ i Mosesy.
Then the priests and Levites were divided into groups that would [take turns to] serve at the temple. They did this according to what Moses had written [many years previously] in the laws [that he wrote].
19 Ary ny olona izay efa nody avy tamin’ ny fahababoana dia nitandrina ny Paska tamin’ ny andro fahefatra ambin’ ny folo tamin’ ny volana voalohany;
On April 21, the Jews who had returned from Babylon celebrated the Passover Festival.
20 fa ny mpisorona sy ny Levita samy efa nanadio ny tenany rahateo, dia nadio izy rehetra ka namono ny Paska ho an’ izay rehetra efa nody avy tamin’ ny fahababoana sy ho an’ ny mpisorona rahalahiny ary ho an’ ny tenany,
[To qualify themselves for offering the sacrifices], the priests and Levites had already purified themselves by performing certain rituals. Then they slaughtered the lambs for the benefit of all the people who had returned from Babylon, for the other priests, and for themselves.
21 Dia nihinana izany ny Zanak’ Isiraely izay efa nody avy tamin’ ny fahababoana mbamin’ izay rehetra niavaka ho namany ka niala tamin’ ny fahalotoan’ ny firenena tompon-tany hitady an’ i Jehovah, Andriamanitry ny Isiraely,
Those who had returned from Babylon and the other people in that land who had turned away from their immoral practices in order to worship Yahweh, the God of the Israeli people, ate the Passover meal.
22 ka dia nitandrina ny andro firavoravoana fihinanana ny mofo tsy misy masirasira hafitoana tamin’ ny fifaliana izy; fa Jehovah efa nampifaly azy ary efa nampiova ny fon’ ny mpanjakan’ i Asyria hamindra fo aminy ka hampahery ny tànany tamin’ ny nanaovany ny tranon’ Andriamanitra, dia Andriamanitry ny Isiraely.
They celebrated the Unleavened Bread Festival of [Eating] Unleavened Bread for seven days. The Israeli people throughout the land were joyful because Yahweh had changed the attitude of the king of Assyria toward them, and as a result, the king had helped them to rebuild the temple of God, the one whom they [worshiped].
