Ezra 7
1 Ie añe, le teo tam-pifehea’ i Artaksastà, mpanjaka’ i Parasey, t’i Ezrà, ana’ i Seraià, ana’ i Azarià, ana’ i Hilkià,
[Many/Fifty years] later, while Artaxerxes was the king of Persia, I, Ezra came from Babylon here to Jerusalem. I am the son of Seraiah and the grandson of Azariah, and the great-grandson of Hilkiah.
2 ana’ i Salome, ana’ i Tsadoke, ana’ i Akitobe,
Hilkiah was the son of Shallum, who was the son of Zadok, who was the son of Ahitub,
3 ana’ i Amarià, ana’ i Azarià, ana’ i Meraiote,
who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth,
4 ana’ i Zerakià, ana’ i Ozý, ana’ i Boký,
who was the son of Zerahiah, who was the son of Uzzi, who was the son of Bukki,
5 ana’ i Abisoà, ana’ i Pinekase, ana’ i Elazare, ana’ i Aharone, mpisorom-bey;
who was the son of Abishua, who was the son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eleazar, who was the son of Aaron, the [first] Supreme Priest.
6 nionjoñe boake Bavele añe i Ezrà zay, ie mpanokitse mahimbañe amy Tsara’ i Mosè natolo’ Iehovà Andrianañahare’ Israele azey; vaho hene nitolora’ i mpanjakay ze nihalalia’e amy te tama’e ty fità’ Iehovà Andrianañahare’e.
I am a man who knows very well the laws that Moses [wrote]. Those were the laws that Yahweh, the God whom we Israeli people ([worship/belong to]), had given to us Israeli people. When I arrived in Jerusalem, Yahweh my God was kind to me, and as a result the [people] gave me everything that I had requested the king to [tell them to] give to me.
7 Nionjomb’e Ierosalaime mb’eo ty ila’ o ana’ Israeleo naho o mpisoroñeo naho o nte-Levio naho o mpisaboo naho o mpañambeñeo naho o Natolotseo an-taom-paha-fito’ i Artaksastà,
Some of the priests, some [other] descendants of Levi, [some] singers, [some] (gatekeepers/men who guarded the gates of the temple), and [some] men who worked in the temple, and some other [Israeli] people came up with me here to Jerusalem. That was during the seventh year that Artaxerxes was the king [of Persia].
8 le nivotrake e Ierosalaime ao amy volam-paha-lime’ i taom-paha-fito’ i mpanjakaiy,
We left Babylon on April 8, which was the first day of the Jewish year. Because God was very kind to us, we arrived [safely] in Jerusalem on August 4 of that year.
9 ie namototse amy andro valoha’ i volam-baloha’ey ty fionjona’e boake Bavele añe le nitotsake e Ierosalaime ao amy andro valoham-bolam-paha-limey ty amy fitàn-tsoan’ Añahare ama’ey.
10 Fa nihentseña’ i Ezra añ’ arofo’e ao ty hitsoeke i Tsara’ Iehovà naho ty hañorik’ aze naho ty hañòha’e e Israele ao o fañè naho fepè’eo.
During my entire life, I devoted myself to studying the laws of Yahweh, and how to obey those laws. I had also taught those laws and all their regulations to the Israeli people [for many years].
11 Le zao ty dika-hamban-taratasy natolo’ i Artaksastà mpanjaka amy Ezra mpisoroñe, mpanokitse, toe nanokitse ty tsara’ o lili’ Iehovào naho fañè’eo ho a Israeley:
King Artaxerxes [knew that] I am a priest who knows the Jewish laws very well. [He knew that for many years] I had studied those laws and had taught all the rules and regulations of those laws to the Israeli people. [So before I left Babylon to come to Jerusalem, ] he wrote a letter, and gave a copy to me. [This is what he wrote]:
12 Artaksastà mpanjakam-panjaka, amy Ezra mpisoroñe, mpanoki-dilin’ Añaharen-dindiñey, fañanintsiñe. Ie henaneo
[“This letter is] from me, Artaxerxes, the greatest of the kings. [I am giving it] to Ezra the priest, who has studied very well all the rules and regulations that the God [who is/rules] in heaven [gave to the Israeli people].
13 mikoi-dava iraho te ze nte-Israele naho o mpisoro’eo miharo amo nte-Levy am-pifeheako atoio, ze mañiriñe an-tsatrin’ arofo’e ty hindre lia ama’o mb’e Ierosalaime mb’eo, le mionjona.
“Ezra, I command that when you return to Jerusalem, any of the Israeli people in my kingdom who want to are allowed to go with you. That includes any priests and [other] descendants of Levi [who will work in the temple] who want to go.
14 Amy te nirahe’ i mpanjakay naho i mpanolo-keve’e fito rey ama’o, hañontane Iehoda naho Ierosalaime ty amy lilin’ Añahare’o am-pità’oy;
I, along with my seven counselors/advisors, am sending you to Jerusalem, in order that you can determine what is happening there and in [other towns in] Judah. You are taking with you [MTY] a copy of God’s laws; make sure that the people are doing everything that is written in those laws.
15 naho ty hinday ty volamena naho volafoty natolo’ i mpanjakay naho i mpanolo-keve’e rey an-tsatrin’ arofo mb’ aman’ Añahare’ Israele, mpimoneñe e Ierosalaime ao
[We are also saying that] you should take with you the silver and gold that I and my advisors are wanting to give to you, in order that you will present it to be an offering to the God who [rules] the Israeli people and who lives in Jerusalem.
16 naho ze hene volafoty naho volamena ho zoe’o am-pifehea’ i Bavele ao, reketse ty engan-tsatrin’ arofo’ ondatio naho o mpisoroñeo, ie songa manolotse an-tsatri’e añ’ anjomban’ Añahare’e e Ierosalaime ao;
You should also take any silver and gold that the people in the entire Babylonia province give to you, and the money that the priests and [other] Israeli people have happily said that they would give to you to be offerings for building the temple of their God in Jerusalem.
17 aa le ho vilie’o an-kahimbañañe amy volay o baniao, o añondrilahio, o vik’añondrio, mindre amo enga-mahakama’eo naho o enga-rano’eo ie hisoroña’o amy kitrelin’ Anjomban’ Añahare’ areo e Ierosalaimey.
With this money, you should buy the bulls, rams, lambs, and the grain and wine that the priests will burn on the altar [outside] the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
18 Le ze atao’o naho o rahalahi’o ho soa anoeñe ami’ty sisa’ i volafoty naho volamenay; le ano ty amy satrin’ arofon’ Añahare’ areo.
“If there is any silver or gold that remains [you have bought all those things], you and your companions/colleagues are permitted to use it to [buy] whatever you desire, but buy only things that [you know that] God wants you to buy.
19 Natolotse azo ho amy fitoroñañe i anjomban’ Añahare’oy ka o fanakeo, aseseo añatrefan’ Añahare’ Ierosalaime ao.
We have given to you some valuable items to be used in the temple of your God. Take them also to Jerusalem.
20 Aa ze tovo’e ho paiañe amy anjomban’ Añahare’oy, ze oni’o te azo tolorañe, le itoloro boak’ an-trañom-panontonam-baram-panjaka ao.
If you need any other things for the temple, you are permitted to get the money for those things from the building here where my government’s money is kept/stored.
21 Le izaho, eka izaho Artaksastà mpanjaka, ty mitsey amy ze hene mpamandrom-bara alafe’ i Sakay añe, te ze paia’ i Ezrà mpisoroñe, mpanoki-dilin’ Añaharen-dindiñey ama’ areo, le hanoeñe an-kahimbañañe,
“And I, King Artaxerxes, command this to all the treasurers in the province west of the [Euphrates] River: 'Give to Ezra, the priest who has studied very well the laws of the God [who is/rules] in heaven, everything that he requests, and give it to him quickly.
22 pak’ ami’ ty volafoty zato talenta naho ty vare-bolè zato kore naho ty divay zato bate naho ty menake zato bate vaho ty sira tsy amañ-iake.
The most that you should give to him is (7,500 pounds/3,400 kg.) of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, and 550 gallons of [olive] oil, but give to him all the salt that they need.
23 Ze lilie’ i Andrianañaharen-dikerañey, le ano am-pilozohañe amy anjomban’ Añaharen-dindiñey, soa tsy ho an-kaviñerañe ty fifehea’ i mpanjakay naho o ana’eo.
Be sure that you provide whatever their God requires for his temple, because we certainly do not [RHQ] want him to be angry with me or with my descendants who will later be kings.
24 Le afantok’ ama’ areo ty amo mpisoroñeo naho o nte-Levio, o mpisaboo, o mpañambeñeo, o mpitoroñeo naho o mpitoloñ’ añ’ anjomban’ Añahareo, te faly ty ipaiañe rorotse, ndra fondro ndra haba.
We are also commanding that none of the priests, descendants of Levi, musicians, temple guards, or other men who work in the temple, will be required to pay any kind of taxes.'
25 Aa Ihe Ezrà, ty amy hihin’ Añahare’o am-pità’oy, le ampijadoño mpandily naho mpizaka, hahafizaka ondaty alafe’ i sakay añe iabio, ze hene mahafohiñe o lilin’ Añahare’oo; le anaro ze mboe tsy mahafohiñe.
“Ezra, your God has enabled you to become very wise. Using that wisdom, appoint men in the province west of the [Euphrates] River who will judge cases involving the people, and men who will judge cases involving the government. You must appoint men who know the laws of your God. All of you must teach God’s laws to others who do not know them.
26 Le ze tsy mete mañorike o lilin’ Añahare’oo naho ty lilim-panjaka, le afetsaho ama’e aniany ty zaka, ke t’ie havetrake, he hasese, hera hañafahañe vara, ke harohy.
Everyone who does not obey God’s laws or the laws of my government must be punished severely. Some of them will be executed, some will be put in prison, some will be sent out of the country or have all their property taken away from them.”
27 Andriañeñe t’Iehovà Andrianañaharen-droaentikañe, te najo’e añ’arofo’ i mpanjakay, hampisomontie’e ty anjomba’ Iehovà e Ierosalaime ao;
[Because King Artaxerxes was very kind like that, I said], “Praise Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped/belonged to]! He has caused the king to want to honor the temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem.
28 vaho nañitrike fiferenaiñañe amako añ’ atrefa’ i mpanjakay naho o mpanolo-keve’eo naho o roandriañe fatratse iabio. Le nampaozatse ahy te tamako ty fità’ Iehovà Andrianañahareko vaho namoriako mpiaolo ondaty boak’ Israele ao hitraok’ amako hionjoñe mb’eo.
Because God was very kind to me, the king and all his advisors and all his powerful officials have also been kind to me. So, because God has helped me, I have become encouraged, and I have [been able to] persuade some of the Israeli leaders to go up to Jerusalem with me.”
