Esdras 4
1 Y oyendo los enemigos de Judá y de Benjamín, que los venidos de la cautividad edificaban el templo del SEÑOR Dios de Israel,
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 vinieron a Zorobabel, y a los cabezas de los padres, y les dijeron: Edificaremos con vosotros, porque como vosotros buscaremos a vuestro Dios, y a él sacrificamos desde los días de Esar-hadón rey de Asiria, que nos hizo subir aquí.
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 Y les dijo Zorobabel, y Jesúa, y los demás cabezas de los padres de Israel: No nos conviene edificar con vosotros Casa a nuestro Dios, sino que nosotros solos la edificaremos al SEÑOR Dios de Israel, como nos mandó el rey Ciro, rey de Persia.
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 Mas el pueblo de la tierra debilitaba las manos del pueblo de Judá, y los perturbaban de edificar.
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 Contrataron además contra ellos consejeros para disipar su consejo, todo el tiempo de Ciro rey de Persia, y hasta el reinado de Darío rey de Persia.
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 Y en el reinado de Asuero, en el principio de su reinado, escribieron acusaciones contra los moradores de Judá y de Jerusalén.
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 Y en días de Artajerjes escribieron Bislam, Mitrídates, Tabeel, y los demás compañeros suyos, a Artajerjes rey de Persia; y la escritura de la carta estaba hecha en siriaco, y declarada en siriaco.
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 Rehum canciller, y Simsai escriba, escribieron una carta contra Jerusalén al rey Artajerjes, como se sigue.
Rehum, the high commissioner, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, wrote the letter to King Artaxerxes concerning what was happening in Jerusalem.
9 Entonces Rehum canciller, y Simsai escriba, y los demás compañeros suyos, los dineos, y los afarsataceos, tefarleos, afarseos, los ercueos, los babilonios, susasceos, dieveos, y elamitas;
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 y los demás pueblos que el grande y glorioso Asnapar ( Senacherib ) transportó, e hizo habitar en las ciudades de Samaria, y los demás del otro lado del río, y de Cheenet.
[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 Este es el traslado de la carta que enviaron: Al rey Artajerjes: Tus siervos del otro lado del río, y de Cheenet.
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 Sea notorio al rey, que los judíos que subieron de ti a nosotros, vinieron a Jerusalén; y edifican la ciudad rebelde y mala, y han acimentado los muros; y puesto los fundamentos.
“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 Ahora, notorio sea al rey, que si aquella ciudad fuere reedificada, y los muros fueren fundados, no darán el tributo, pecho, y rentas, y el catastro de los reyes será menoscabado.
“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 Ahora porque de la sal del palacio estamos salados, no nos es justo ver el menosprecio del rey; por tanto hemos enviado para hacerlo saber al rey,
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 para que busque en el libro de las historias de nuestros padres; y hallarás en el libro de las historias, y sabrás que esta ciudad es ciudad rebelde, y perjudicial a los reyes y a las provincias, y que de tiempo antiguo forman en medio de ella rebeliones; por lo que esta ciudad fue destruida.
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 Hacemos saber al rey, que si esta ciudad fuere edificada, y los muros fundados, la parte más allá del río no será tuya.
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 El rey envió esta respuesta a Rehum canciller, y a Simsai escriba, y a los demás de sus compañeros que habitan en Samaria, y a los demás del otro lado del río y a Cheenet:
[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 La carta que nos enviasteis claramente fue leída delante de mí.
The letter that you sent to me was translated and read to me.
19 Y por mí fue dado mandamiento, y buscaron; y hallaron que aquella ciudad de tiempo antiguo se levanta contra los reyes, y se rebela, y se forma en ella sedición;
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 y que reyes fuertes hubo en Jerusalén, y señores de todo lo que está al lado de allá del río; y que tributo, y pecho, y rentas se les daba.
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 Ahora, pues, dad orden que cesen aquellos varones, y no sea esa ciudad edificada, hasta que por mí sea dada nueva orden.
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 Y mirad bien que no hagáis error en esto, ¿por qué habrá de crecer el daño para perjuicio de los reyes?
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 Entonces, cuando el traslado de la carta del rey Artajerjes fue leído delante de Rehum, y de Simsai escriba, y sus compañeros, fueron prestamente a Jerusalén a los judíos, y les hicieron cesar con poder y fuerza.
[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 Cesó entonces la obra de la Casa de Dios, la cual estaba en Jerusalén; y cesó hasta el año segundo del reinado de Darío rey de Persia.
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.
