Esdras 7
1 Después de todo esto, durante el reinado de Artajerjes, rey de Persia, llegó Esdras desde Babilonia. Era hijo de Seraías, hijo de Azarías, hijo de Hilcías,
[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 hijo de Salum, hijo de Sadoc, hijo de Ajitub,
Hilkiah was the son of Shallum, who was the son of Zadok, who was the son of Ahitub,
3 hijo de Amarías, hijo de Azarías, hijo de Meraiot,
who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth,
4 hijo de Zeraías, hijo de Uzí, hijo de Bucí,
who was the son of Zerahiah, who was the son of Uzzi, who was the son of Bukki,
5 hijo de Abisúa, hijo de Finees, hijo de Eleazar, hijo del sumo sacerdote Aarón.
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 Este Esdras llegó de Babilonia y era un escriba experto en la Ley de Moisés, que el Señor, el Dios de Israel, había dado a Israel. El rey había concedido a Esdras todo lo que había pedido, porque el Señor, su Dios, estaba con él.
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 En el séptimo año del rey Artajerjes partió hacia Jerusalén, acompañado de parte del pueblo de Israel y de algunos de los sacerdotes y levitas, cantores y porteros, y servidores del Templo.
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 Esdras llegó a Jerusalén en el quinto mes del séptimo año del reinado de Artajerjes.
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 Había emprendido el viaje desde Babilonia el primer día del primer mes, y llegó a Jerusalén el primer día del quinto mes, yendo con él su Dios bondadoso.
10 Porque Esdras se había comprometido a adquirir conocimientos de la Ley del Señor, queriendo practicarla y enseñar en Israel sus reglas y cómo vivir.
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 Esta es una copia de la carta que el rey Artajerjes entregó al sacerdote y escriba Esdras, que había estudiado los mandamientos y reglamentos del Señor dados a Israel:
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 “Artajerjes, rey de reyes, al sacerdote Esdras, el escriba de la Ley del Dios del cielo: Saludos.
[“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 Por la presente emito este decreto: Cualquiera del pueblo de Israel o de sus sacerdotes o levitas en mi reino que voluntariamente decida ir a Jerusalén con ustedes puede hacerlo.
“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 Ustedes son enviados por el rey y sus siete consejeros para investigar la situación en Judá y Jerusalén en lo que se refiere a la Ley de su Dios, que ustedes llevan consigo.
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 También te ordenamos que lleves contigo la plata y el oro que el rey y sus consejeros han donado voluntariamente al Dios de Israel, que vive en Jerusalén,
[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 junto con toda la plata y el oro que recibas de la provincia de Babilonia, así como las donaciones voluntarias del pueblo y los sacerdotes al Templo de su Dios en Jerusalén.
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 Con este dinero comprarás primero todos los toros, carneros y corderos que sean necesarios, junto con sus ofrendas de grano y de bebida, y los presentarás en el altar del Templo de tu Dios en Jerusalén.
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 Luego, tú y los que están contigo pueden decidir usar el resto de la plata y el oro de la manera que mejor les parezca, de acuerdo con la voluntad de tu Dios.
“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 “Pero los objetos que te han dado para el servicio del Templo de tu Dios deben ser entregados todos al Dios de Jerusalén.
We have given to you some valuable items to be used in the temple of your God. Take them also to Jerusalem.
20 Si hay alguna otra cosa necesaria para el Templo de tu Dios que tengas que proveer, puedes cargarla al tesoro real.
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 “Yo, el rey Artajerjes, decreto que todos los tesoreros al oeste del Éufrates deben proveer todo lo que el sacerdote Esdras, el escriba de la Ley del Dios del cielo, les pida, y debe ser provisto en su totalidad,
“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 hasta cien talentos de plata, cien corsos de trigo, cien baños de vino, cien baños de aceite de oliva y cantidades ilimitadas de sal.
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 Asegúrate de proveer en su totalidad todo lo que el Dios del cielo requiera para su Templo, pues ¿por qué habría de caer su ira sobre el rey y sus hijos?
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 Ten en cuenta también que todos los sacerdotes, levitas, cantores, porteros, sirvientes del Templo u otros trabajadores de este Templo están exentos de pagar cualquier impuesto, tributo o tasa, y no estás autorizado a cobrarles.
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 “Tú, Esdras, debes seguir la sabiduría de tu Dios que posees, debes nombrar magistrados y jueces para impartir justicia a todo el pueblo al oeste del Éufrates, a todos los que siguen las leyes de tu Dios. Tú deberás enseñar estas leyes a los que no las cumplen.
“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 Cualquiera que no cumpla la ley de tu Dios y la ley del rey, será castigado severamente, ya sea con la muerte, el destierro, la confiscación de bienes o la prisión”.
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 Alabado sea el Señor, el Dios de nuestros antepasados, que puso en la mente del rey honrar así el Templo del Señor en Jerusalén,
[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 y que me ha mostrado tanta bondad al honrarme ante el rey, sus consejeros y todos sus altos funcionarios. Como el Señor, mi Dios, estaba conmigo, me animé y convoqué a los jefes de Israel para que regresaran conmigo a Jerusalén.
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.”
