Ɛsra 5

1 Saa bere no, adiyifo Hagai ne Ido babarima Sakaria de Israel Nyankopɔn din hyɛɛ nkɔm kyerɛɛ Yudafo a wɔwɔ Yuda ne Yerusalem no.

Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.

2 Na Sealtiel babarima Serubabel ne Yosadak babarima Yesua tiei, fitii ase sii Onyankopɔn asɔredan no wɔ Yerusalem. Na Onyankopɔn adiyifo no ka wɔn ho a wɔboaa wɔn.

Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

3 Saa bere no mu na Tatenai a ɔyɛ amrado wɔ asu Eufrate agya no ne Setar-Bosnai ne wɔn mfɛfo kɔɔ Yerusalem kobisae se, “Hena na ɔmaa mo kwan sɛ munsiesie asɔredan yi?”

At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who has commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?

4 Wɔsan ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, wɔmfa nnipa a wɔreyɛ adwuma wɔ asɔredan no ho no nyinaa din mma wɔn.

Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?

5 Nanso esiane sɛ na wɔn Nyankopɔn hwɛ wɔn so nti, wɔansiw Yudafo ntuanofo no adansi no ho kwan kosii sɛ wɔde ɛho asɛm kɔdan Dario ma ɔsesaa nʼadwene.

But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter.

6 Eyi ne krataa a amrado Tatenai, Setar-Bosnai ne mpanyimfo a wɔwɔ asu Eufrate agya no bi kyerɛw kɔmaa ɔhene Dario:

The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king:

7 Yekyia wo, ɔhene Dario.

They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace.

8 Yɛpɛ sɛ yɛma wo te sɛ, yɛkɔɔ beae a wɔresiesie Onyankopɔn asɔredan no wɔ Yudaman mu no. Abo sononko a wɔasiesie ne nnua na wɔde resi afasu no. Adwuma no rekɔ so ahoɔden so.

Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goes fast on, and prospers in their hands.

9 Yebisaa ntuanofo no se, “Hena na ɔmaa mo kwan sɛ munsiesie asɔredan yi?”

Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?

10 Na yebisaa wɔn adwumayɛfo din sɛnea yebetumi akyerɛ wo wɔn ntuanofo no.

We asked their names also, to certify you, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.

11 Wɔn mmuae ni: “Yɛyɛ ɔsorosoro ne asase Nyankopɔn no asomfo, na yɛresan asi asɔredan a ɔhene kɛse bi a na ɔwɔ Israel sii mfe bebree a atwa mu no.

And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and set up.

12 Na esiane sɛ yɛn agyanom hyɛɛ ɔsorosoro Nyankopɔn abufuw nti, ogyaa wɔn maa Babiloniahene Nebukadnessar, ma ɔsɛee saa asɔredan yi, na otwaa nkurɔfo no asu kɔɔ Babilonia.

But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.

13 “Nanso Babiloniahene Kores adedi mu afe a edi kan no, ɔhyɛɛ mmara sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ wosiesie Onyankopɔn asɔredan no.

But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.

14 Ɔhene Kores de sikakɔkɔɔ ne dwetɛ, nkuku ne nkaka a Nebukadnessar tase fii Onyankopɔn asɔredan no mu wɔ Yerusalem de koguu Babilonia asɔredan mu no san bae. Wɔtasee saa nneɛma no fii saa asɔredan no mu de kɔmaa ɔbarima bi a ne din de Sesbasar a ɔhene Kores hyɛɛ no amrado wɔ Yuda no sɛ ɔnhwɛ so.

And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;

15 Ɔhene no hyɛɛ no sɛ, ɔnsan mfa nkuku ne nkaka no nsan nkogu wɔn afa wɔ Yerusalem, na ɔnsan nsi Onyankopɔn asɔredan no wɔ faako a na esi kan no.

And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in his place.

16 “Enti Sesbasar yi bɛtoo Onyankopɔn asɔredan yi fapem wɔ Yerusalem. Efi saa bere no, nnipa no gu so reyɛ ho adwuma nanso wonwiee ɛ.”

Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now has it been in building, and yet it is not finished.

17 Enti mprempren, sɛ ɛbɛyɛ ɔhene anisɔ a, monkɔsampam Babilonia ahemfi nneɛma dedaw akorae hɔ nhwɛ sɛ ɔhene Kores anhyɛ mmara sɛ wonsiesie Onyankopɔn asɔredan a ɛwɔ Yerusalem no ana. Na momma ɔhene no nkyerɛ nʼadwene wɔ saa asɛm yi ho.

Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.