Ɛsra 7
1 Persiahene Artasasta ahennie mu mfeɛ bebree akyi no, na ɔbarima bi wɔ hɔ a ne din de Ɛsra. Na ɔyɛ Seraia babarima a ɔyɛ Asaria babarima, na ɔno nso yɛ Hilkia babarima
Now after these things, in the reign of Arthasastha king of the Persians, came up Esdras the son of Saraias, the son of Azarias, the son of Chelcias,
2 na ɔno nso yɛ Salum babarima a ɔyɛ Sadok babarima a ɔyɛ Ahitub babarima
the son of Selum, the son of Sadduc, the son of Achitob,
3 na ɔno nso yɛ Amaria babarima a ɔyɛ Asaria babarima na ɔno nso yɛ Meraiot babarima
the son of Samarias, the son of Esria, the son of Mareoth,
4 a ɔyɛ Serahia babarima a ɔyɛ Usi babarima a ɔno nso yɛ Buki babarima
the son of Zaraia, the son of Ozias, the son of Bokki,
5 a ɔno yɛ Abisua babarima, a ɔyɛ Pinehas babarima, a ɔno nso yɛ Eleasa babarima, a ɔyɛ Aaron a ɔyɛ ɔsɔfopanin no babarima.
the son of Abisue, the son of Phinees, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the first priest.
6 Na saa Ɛsra yi yɛ mmara no kyerɛkyerɛni a ɔnim Mose mmara no a Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn, de ama Israelfoɔ no yie. Ɔfiri Babilonia baa Yerusalem na biribiara a ɔbisaa ɔhene no, ɔde maa no, ɛfiri sɛ, na Awurade ahummɔborɔ nsa no wɔ ne so.
This Esdras went up out of Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel gave: and the king gave him [leave], for the hand of the Lord his God was upon him in all things which he sought.
7 Israelhene no ne asɔfoɔ, Lewifoɔ, nnwomtofoɔ, aponoanohwɛfoɔ ne asɔredan mu asomfoɔ ne no kɔɔ Yerusalem, ɔhene Artasasta ahennie mfeɛ nson so.
And [some] of the children of Israel went up, and [some] of the priests, and of the Levites, and the singers, and the doorkeepers, and the Nathinim, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Arthasastha the king.
8 Saa afe no, Ab bosome (bɛyɛ Ɔsannaa) mu na Ɛsra kɔɔ Yerusalem.
And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, this [was] the seventh year of the king.
9 Ɔfirii Babilonia Abib bosome (bɛyɛ Oforisuo) da a ɛtɔ so nwɔtwe, na ɔkɔɔ Yerusalem Ab bosome (bɛyɛ Ɔsannaa) da a ɛtɔ so ɛnan. Na Onyankopɔn ahummɔborɔ nsa wɔ ne so.
For in the first [day] of the first month he began the going up from Babylon, and in the first day of the fifth month, they came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was upon him.
10 Ɛfiri sɛ, na Ɛsra asi nʼadwene pi sɛ, ɔbɛsua, na wadi Awurade mmara so, na wakyerɛ Israelfoɔ saa mmara no.
For Esdras had determined in his heart to seek the law, and to do and teach the ordinances and judgements in Israel.
11 Na ɔhene Artasasta de krataa no sɛso ama ɔsɔfoɔ Ɛsra, a ɔyɛ mmara no kyerɛni a ɔsuaeɛ, na ɔkyerɛɛ Israelfoɔ Awurade mmara no. Ɔtwerɛɛ sɛ:
And this [is] the copy of the order which Arthasastha gave to Esdras the priest, the scribe of the book of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his ordinances to Israel.
12 Me ahene mu ɔhene Artasasta, nkyea a merekyea ɔsɔfoɔ Ɛsra ne Awurade a ɔte sorosoro no mmarakyerɛni no nie:
Arthasastha, king of kings, to Esdras, the scribe of the law of the Lord God of heaven, Let the order and the answer be accomplished.
13 Mahyɛ mmara sɛ, Israelni biara a ɔte mʼahemman mu a asɔfoɔ ne Lewifoɔ ka ho no nyinaa mfiri wɔn pɛ mu ne wo nkɔ Yerusalem.
A decree is made by me, that every one who is willing in my kingdom of the people of Israel, and of the priests and Levites, to go to Jerusalem, [be permitted] to go with you.
14 Me ne mʼagyinatufoɔ baason no ahyɛ wo sɛ, gyina wo Onyankopɔn mmara a ɛhyɛ wo nsam no so yɛ nhwehwɛmu fa Yuda ne Yerusalem tebea ho.
[One] has been sent from the king and the seven councillors, to visit Judea and Jerusalem, according to the law of their God that is in your hand.
15 Yɛbɔ wʼaba so nso sɛ, fa dwetɛ ne sikakɔkɔɔ bi a yɛde rema wo sɛ afɔrebɔdeɛ a yɛrebɔ ama Israel Onyankopɔn a ɔte Yerusalem no kɔ.
And for the house of the Lord [there have been sent] silver and gold, which the king and the councillors have freely given to the God of Israel, who dwells in Jerusalem.
16 Ɛno akyi, gye dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ biara a wobɛnya afiri Babilonia ne deɛ wɔde bɛkyɛ wo biara afiri ɔmanfoɔ ne asɔfoɔ nkyɛn a wɔde ama sɛ, wɔmfa nkɔ wɔn Onyankopɔn asɔredan a ɛwɔ Yerusalem no ho.
And all the silver and gold, whatever you shall find in all the land of Babylon, with the free will offering of the people, and the priests that offer freely for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.
17 Saa akyɛdeɛ yi, deɛ ɛsɛ sɛ wɔde tɔ ara yɛ anantwinini, nnwennini, nnwammaa ne atokoɔ afɔrebɔdeɛ a ɛfata ne nsã afɔrebɔdeɛ a wɔde ne nyinaa bɛbɔ afɔdeɛ wɔ Onyankopɔn asɔredan a ɛwɔ Yerusalem no afɔrebukyia so.
And as for every one that arrives [there], speedily order him by this letter [to bring] calves, rams, lambs, and their meat-offerings, and their drink-offerings; and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
18 Sika biara a ɛbɛka no, wo ne wʼafɛfoɔ mfa nni dwuma biara a mogye di sɛ ɛyɛ mo Onyankopɔn pɛ.
And whatever it shall seem good to you and to your brethren to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do as it is pleasing to your God.
19 Na nkuku ne nkaka a yɛde rehyɛ wo nsa de adi mo Onyankopɔn asɔredan no ho dwuma no, fa ne nyinaa ma Onyankopɔn a ɔwɔ Yerusalem no.
And deliver the vessels that are given you for the service of the house of God, before God in Jerusalem.
20 Sɛ mo sika sa wɔ biribi a ɛho hia mo Onyankopɔn asɔredan ho anaa biribi a ɛte saa ho a, mommisa sika mfiri adehyeɛ fotoɔ mu.
And as to the rest of the need of the house of your God, you shall give from the king's treasure-houses,
21 Me ɔhene Artasasta, hyɛ mmara de kɔ agyapadeɛ akoraeɛ a ɛwɔ asuo Eufrate apueeɛ fam sɛ: Biribiara a Ɛsra bisa no, momfa mma no, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔyɛ ɔsɔfoɔ ne ɔsorosoro Onyankopɔn no mmara kyerɛkyerɛni.
and from me, whatever it shall seem [good] to you to give. I king Arthasastha have made a decree for all the treasuries that are in the [country] beyond the river, that whatever Esdras the priest and scribe of the God of heaven may ask you, it shall be done speedily,
22 Ɛsɛ sɛ moma no kɔsi dwetɛ nkariboɔ kilogram mpem mmiɛnsa ne ahanan, atokoɔ susukora ahanum, nsã gyare ahanum aduonum, ngo gyare ahanum aduonum ne nkyene a wɔbu ano a ɛnyɛ yie.
to [the amount of] a hundred talents of silver, and a hundred measures of wheat, and a hundred baths of wine, and a hundred baths of oil, and salt without reckoning.
23 Monhwɛ yie, na biribiara a Onyankopɔn a ɔte ɔsorosoro abisa ama nʼasɔredan no, momfa mmra. Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ yɛma Onyankopɔn abufuo ba ɔhene ne ne mmammarima so?
Let whatever is in the decree of the God of heaven, be done: take heed lest any one make an attack on the house of the God of heaven, lest at any time there shall be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons.
24 Mesane hyɛ sɛ, ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔsɔfoɔ, Lewini, dwomtofoɔ, ɛpono ano sohwɛfoɔ, asɔredan mu ɔsomfoɔ anaa obiara a ɔyɛ adwuma wɔ asɔredan mu tua toɔ biara.
Also this has been declared to you, with respect to all the priests, and Levites, the singers, porters, Nathinim and ministers of the house of God, let no tribute be [paid] to you; you shall not have power to oppress them.
25 Na wo Ɛsra, ɛsɛ sɛ wode nyansa a Onyankopɔn de ama wo no yi asɛnnifoɔ ne atemmufoɔ a wɔnim mo Onyankopɔn mmara no, na wɔdi nnipa a wɔwɔ asuo Eufrate atɔeɛ fam no nyinaa so. Sɛ nnipa nnim saa mmara no a, ɛsɛ sɛ wokyerɛkyerɛ wɔn.
And you, Esdras, as the wisdom of God [is] in your hand, appoint scribes and judges, that they may judge for all the people beyond the river, all that know the law of the Lord your God; and you shall make it known to him that knows not.
26 Obiara a ɔbɛbu mo Onyankopɔn, ne ɔhene mmara so no, wɔbɛkum no, wɔbɛtwa no asuo, wɔbɛfa nʼagyapadeɛ anaa wɔde no bɛto afiase sɛ asotwe.
And whoever shall not do the law of God, and the law of the king readily, judgement shall be taken upon him, whether for death or for chastisement, or for a fine of his property, or casting into prison.
27 Ayɛyie nka Awurade, yɛn agyanom Onyankopɔn a ɔmaa ɔhene adwene sɛ ɔnsiesie Awurade asɔredan a ɛwɔ Yerusalem no.
Blessed [be] the Lord God of our fathers, who has put it thus into the heart of the king, to glorify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem;
28 Na ayɛyie nka no sɛ, ɔdaa ne dɔ kann adi kyerɛɛ me, hyɛɛ me animuonyam wɔ ɔhene, nʼagyinatufoɔ ne nʼahenemma atumfoɔ no anim. Ɛhyɛɛ me nkuran, ɛfiri sɛ, na Awurade, me Onyankopɔn nsa wɔ me so. Na meboaboaa Israel ntuanofoɔ no bi ano sɛ, wɔnka me ho na yɛnkɔ Yerusalem.
and has given me favour in the eyes of the king, and of his councillors, and all the rulers of the king, the exalted ones. And I was strengthened according to the good hand of God upon me, and I gathered chief men of Israel to go up with me.
