Ɛsra 5

1 Saa ɛberɛ no, adiyifoɔ Hagai ne Ido babarima Sakaria de Israel Onyankopɔn din hyɛɛ nkɔm kyerɛɛ Yudafoɔ a wɔwɔ Yuda ne Yerusalem no.

Now 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 [prophesied they] unto them.

2 Na Sealtiel babarima Serubabel ne Yosadak babarima Yesua tieeɛ, hyɛɛ aseɛ sii Onyankopɔn asɔredan no wɔ Yerusalem. Na Onyankopɔn adiyifoɔ 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 Na ankyɛre na Tatenai a ɔyɛ amrado wɔ asuo Eufrate atɔeɛ fam no ne Setar-Bosnai ne wɔn mfɛfoɔ kɔɔ Yerusalem kɔbisaa sɛ, “Hwan na ɔmaa mo kwan sɛ monsiesie asɔredan yi?”

At the same time came to them Tattenai, the governor beyond the river, and Shethar-bonzenai, and their companions, and said thus to them, Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?

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

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

5 Nanso, ɛsiane sɛ na wɔn Onyankopɔn hwɛ wɔn so enti, wɔansi Yudafoɔ ntuanofoɔ no dansie no ho kwan, kɔsii sɛ wɔde ɛho asɛm kɔdanee Dario, ma ɔsesaa nʼadwene.

But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease, till the matter should come to Darius, and then answer should be returned by letter concerning it.

6 Yei ne krataa a amrado Tatenai, Setar-Bosnai ne mpanimfoɔ a wɔwɔ asuo Eufrate atɔeɛ fam no bi twerɛ kɔmaa ɔhene Dario:

The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor beyond the river, and Shethar-bozenai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were beyond the river, sent unto Darius the king:

7 Yɛkyea wo, ɔhene Dario.

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

8 Yɛpɛ sɛ yɛma wote sɛ, yɛkɔɔ beaeɛ a wɔresiesie Onyankopɔn asɔredan no wɔ Yudaman mu. Aboɔ a wɔasiesie sononko ne nnua na wɔde resi afasuo no. Adwuma no rekɔ so ahoɔden so.

Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth on with diligence and prospereth in their hands.

9 Yɛbisaa ntuanofoɔ no sɛ, “Hwan na ɔmaa mo kwan sɛ monsiesie asɔredan yi?”

Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?

10 Na yɛbisaa wɔn adwumayɛfoɔ din sɛdeɛ yɛbɛtumi akyerɛ wo wɔn ntuanofoɔ.

We asked them their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were at the head of them.

11 Wɔn mmuaeɛ nie: “Yɛyɛ ɔsorosoro ne asase Onyankopɔn no asomfoɔ, na yɛresane asi asɔredan a ɔhene kɛseɛ bi a na ɔwɔ Israel sii mfeɛ bebree a atwam nie 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 builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and finished.

12 Na ɛsiane sɛ yɛn agyanom hyɛɛ ɔsorosoro Onyankopɔn abufuo enti, ɔgyaee wɔn maa Babiloniahene Nebukadnessar, ma ɔsɛee saa asɔredan yi, na ɔtwaa nkurɔfoɔ no asuo kɔɔ Babilonia.

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

13 “Nanso, Babiloniahene Kores adedie mu afe a ɛdi ɛkan no, ɔhyɛɛ mmara sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔsiesie Onyankopɔn asɔredan no.

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

14 Ɔhene Kores de sikakɔkɔɔ ne dwetɛ, nkuku ne nkaka a Nebukadnessar tase firii Onyankopɔn asɔredan mu wɔ Yerusalem de kɔguu Babilonia asɔredan mu no sane baeɛ. Wɔtasee saa nneɛma no firii 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 gold and sliver vessels also 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, ɔnsane mfa nkuku ne nkaka no nsane nkɔgu wɔn guberɛ wɔ Yerusalem, na ɔnsane nsiesie Onyankopɔn asɔredan no ma ɛnyɛ sɛdeɛ na ɛteɛ kane no.

and he said unto him, Take these vessels, go, put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in its place.

16 “Enti, Sesbasar yi bɛtoo Onyankopɔn asɔredan yi fapem wɔ Yerusalem. Ɛfiri saa ɛberɛ no, nnipa no gu so reyɛ ho adwuma nanso wɔnwieeɛ.”

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

17 Enti, seesei, sɛ ɛbɛyɛ ɔhene anisɔ a, monkɔnpɛnsɛmpɛnsɛm Babilonia ahemfie nneɛma dada akoraeɛ nhwɛ sɛ, ɔhene Kores hyɛɛ mmara sɛ wɔnsiesie Onyankopɔn asɔredan a ɛwɔ Yerusalem no anaa. 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.