Ezra 4
1 A kad èuše neprijatelji Judini i Venijaminovi da oni koji se vratiše iz ropstva zidaju crkvu Gospodu Bogu Izrailjevu,
The enemies of the people of [the tribes of] Judah and Benjamin heard that the [Israeli] people who had returned from Babylonia were rebuilding a temple for Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli people [worshiped].
2 Doðoše k Zorovavelju i ka glavarima domova otaèkih, i rekoše im: da i mi zidamo s vama, jer æemo kao i vi tražiti Boga vašega, i njemu prinosimo žrtve od vremena Esaradona cara Asirskoga, koji nas je doveo ovamo.
So they went to Zerubbabel [the governor] and the other leaders, and said [deceptively], “We want to help [you build the temple], because we worship that same God whom you worship, and we have been offering sacrifices to him since Esarhaddon, the King of Assyria, brought us here.”
3 A Zorovavelj i Isus i ostali glavari domova otaèkih u Izrailju rekoše im: ne možete vi s nama zidati doma Bogu našemu, nego æemo mi sami zidati Gospodu Bogu Izrailjevu, kako nam je zapovjedio Kir car Persijski.
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other [Israeli] leaders replied, “We will not allow you to help us build a temple for our(exc) God. We will build it (ourselves/without your help) for Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis worship, like Cyrus, the King of Persia, told us to do.”
4 Tada narod zemaljski dosaðivaše narodu Judinu i smetaše ih u zidanju;
Then the people who had been living in that land [before the Israelis returned] tried to cause the Jews to become discouraged and become afraid, and to cause them to stop building the temple.
5 I naimahu savjetnike suprot njima da rasipaju namjeru njihovu svega vremena Kira cara Persijskoga do vlade Darija cara Persijskoga.
They bribed government officials to oppose what the Israelis were doing [and prevent them from continuing to work on the temple]. They did that all during the time that Cyrus was King of Persia. They continued to do it when Darius became the King of Persia.
6 A kad se zacari Asvir, u poèetku njegova carovanja napisaše tužbu na stanovnike Judejske i Jerusalimske.
During the first year that [Darius’ son] Xerxes was king, the [enemies of the Jews] wrote a note [to the king] saying that the Jews [were planning to rebel against the government].
7 I za vremena Artakserksova pisa Vislam, Mitredat, Taveilo i ostali drugovi njegovi Artakserksu caru Persijskom; a knjiga bješe pisana Sirskim pismom i Sirskim jezikom.
Later, when [Xerxes’ son] Artaxerxes [became the King of Persia], Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and their colleagues/companions wrote a letter to him. They wrote the letter in the Aramaic language, and it was translated [into another language that the king knew].
8 Reum starješina u vijeæu i Simsaj pisar napisaše jednu knjigu protiv Jerusalima caru Artakserksu ovako:
Rehum, the high commissioner, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, wrote the letter to King Artaxerxes concerning what was happening in Jerusalem.
9 Reum starješina u vijeæu i Simsaj pisar i ostali drugovi njihovi, Dinjani, Afarsašani, Tarfaljani, Afaršani, Arhevljani, Vavilonjani, Susanašani, Deavljani, Elamljani,
They stated that the letter was from Rehum the high commissioner/governor and Shimshai the provincial secretary and from their associates, the judges, and other government officials, who were from Erech [city], Babylon [city], and Susa [city] in Elam [district].
10 I ostali narodi koje preseli veliki i slavni Asenafar i naseli po gradovima Samarijskim, i ostali s ove strane rijeke, tada i tada.
[They also wrote that they represented] the other people-groups whom [the army of] the great and glorious/famous [King] Ashurbanipal had (deported/forced to move from their homes) and taken to live in Samaria and in other cities in the province west of the Euphrates [River].
11 Ovo je prijepis od knjige koju mu poslaše: Caru Artakserksu. Sluge tvoje, ljudi s ove strane rijeke, tada i tada.
This is what they wrote in the letter: “To King Artaxerxes, From the officials who serve you who live in the province west of the Euphrates [River.]
12 Da je na znanje caru da Judejci koji poðoše od tebe k nama, doðoše u Jerusalim, i grad odmetnièki i opaki zidaju, zidove opravljaju i iz temelja podižu.
“Your majesty, we want you to know that the Jews who came here from your territories are rebuilding this city, [Jerusalem]. These people are wicked and want to rebel against you. Now they are repairing the foundations [of the walls/buildings] and building the walls [of the city].
13 Nego da je na znanje caru: ako se ovaj grad sazida i zidovi oprave, oni neæe davati danka ni poreze ni carine, te æe biti šteta riznici carskoj.
“It is important for you to know that if they rebuild the city and finish building the walls, they will stop paying any kind of taxes. As a result, there will be less money in your treasury.
14 Što dakle platu od dvora primamo, te nam ne prilièi da gledamo štetu carevu, toga radi šaljemo i javljamo caru,
Now, because we are loyal to [IDM] you, and because we do not want you to be humiliated [IDM], we are sending this information to you.
15 Da se potraži u knjizi dnevnika otaca tvojih, pa æeš naæi u knjizi dnevnika i doznati da je ovaj grad odmetnièki i da je na štetu carevima i zemljama i da su se u njemu dizale bune od davnina, te zato bi raskopan ovaj grad.
And, we suggest that you order/tell [your officials] to search the records that your ancestors made/wrote. [If you do that], you will find out that the people in this city have always rebelled [against the government]. You will also find out that from long ago these people have caused trouble for kings and for rulers of provinces. They have always revolted [against those who ruled them]. That is the reason that this city was destroyed [by the Babylonian army].
16 Dajemo na znanje caru: ako se ovaj grad sazida i zidovi se njegovi oprave, onda ovaj dio preko rijeke neæe više biti tvoj.
We want you to know that if they rebuild this city and finish building its walls, you will no longer be able to control/rule [the people in] this province west of the Euphrates [River].”
17 Tada car posla odgovor Reumu starješini u vijeæu i Simsaju pisaru i ostalijem drugovima njihovijem koji seðahu u Samariji i ostalijem s onu stranu rijeke: Pozdravlje, tada i tada.
[After] the king [read this letter, he] sent this reply to them: “To Rehum, the high commissioner, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, and their colleagues in Samaria and in other parts of the province that is west of the [Euphrates] River: I (send you my greetings/wish that things will go well for you).
18 Knjiga koju nam poslaste razgovijetno bi proèitana preda mnom.
The letter that you sent to me was translated and read to me.
19 I zapovjedih te potražiše i naðoše da je taj grad od davnina ustajao na careve i da su u njemu bivali odmeti i bune,
So then I ordered [my officials] to search the records. I have found out that [it is true that] the people of that city have always revolted against their rulers, and that the city is full of people who have rebelled and caused trouble.
20 I da su silni carevi bivali u Jerusalimu, koji vladahu svijem što je preko rijeke, i davahu im se danci i poreze i carine.
Powerful kings have ruled in Jerusalem, and they have also ruled over the whole province west of the [Euphrates] River. [The people in that province were] paying all kinds of taxes to those kings.
21 Zato naredite da se zabrani onijem ljudima da se onaj grad ne zida dokle ja ne zapovjedim.
So you must command that the people must stop rebuilding the city. Only if I tell them [that they may rebuild it] will they be allowed to continue.
22 I pazite da ne pogriješite u tom. Jer zašto bi zlo raslo na štetu carevima?
Do this immediately [LIT], because I do not want those people to do anything to harm the things/area about which I am concerned.”
23 A kad se prijepis od knjige cara Artakserksa proèita pred Reumom i Simsajem pisarem i pred drugovima njihovijem, oni brže otidoše u Jerusalim k Judejcima, te im zabraniše oružanom silom.
[Messengers took] that letter to Rehum and Shimshai and their colleagues and read it to them. Then Rehum and the others went quickly to Jerusalem, and they forced the Jews to stop [rebuilding the city wall].
24 Tada stade posao oko doma Božijega u Jerusalimu, i staja do druge godine carovanja Darija cara Persijskoga.
The result was that the Jews stopped rebuilding the temple. They did not do any more work to rebuild the temple until Darius became the King of Persia.
