以斯拉记 4

1 犹大和便雅悯的敌人听说被掳归回的人为耶和华—以色列的 神建造殿宇，

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people from the exile were building a temple to the LORD, the God of Israel;

2 就去见所罗巴伯和以色列的族长，对他们说：“请容我们与你们一同建造；因为我们寻求你们的 神，与你们一样。自从亚述王以撒哈顿带我们上这地以来，我们常祭祀 神。”

then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of ancestral houses, and said to them, "Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as you do; and we sacrifice to him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here."

3 但所罗巴伯、耶书亚，和其余以色列的族长对他们说：“我们建造 神的殿与你们无干，我们自己为耶和华—以色列的 神协力建造，是照波斯王塞鲁士所吩咐的。”

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of ancestral houses of Israel, said to them, "You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to the LORD, the God of Israel, as king Koresh the king of Persia has commanded us."

4 那地的民，就在犹大人建造的时候，使他们的手发软，扰乱他们；

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

5 从波斯王塞鲁士年间，直到波斯王大流士登基的时候，贿买谋士，要败坏他们的谋算。

and hired counselors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Koresh king of Persia, even until the reign of Daryavesh king of Persia.

6 在亚哈随鲁才登基的时候，上本控告犹大和耶路撒冷的居民。

In the reign of Achashyerosh, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 亚达薛西年间，比施兰、米特利达、他别，和他们的同党上本奏告波斯王亚达薛西。本章是用亚兰文字，亚兰方言。

In the days of Artachshasta wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, to Artachshasta king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Aramaic, and set forth in the Aramaic language.

8 省长利宏、书记伸帅要控告耶路撒冷人，也上本奏告亚达薛西王。

Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artachshasta the king as follows:

9 省长利宏、书记伸帅，和同党的底拿人、亚法萨提迦人、他毗拉人、亚法撒人、亚基卫人、巴比伦人、书珊迦人、底亥人、以拦人，

[From] Rehum the commander, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,

10 和尊大的亚斯那巴所迁移、安置在撒马利亚城，并大河西一带地方的人等，

and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River.

11 上奏亚达薛西王说：“河西的臣民云云：

This is the copy of the letter that they sent to Artachshasta the king: Your servants the men beyond the River. And now,

12 王该知道，从王那里上到我们这里的犹大人，已经到耶路撒冷重建这反叛恶劣的城，筑立根基，建造城墙。

be it known to the king, that the Jews who came up from you have come to us to Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and wicked city, and have finished the walls, and repaired the foundations.

13 如今王该知道，他们若建造这城，城墙完毕就不再与王进贡，交课，纳税，终久王必受亏损。

Be it known now to the king that if this city is built, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings.

14 我们既食御盐，不忍见王吃亏，因此奏告于王。

Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not appropriate for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and informed the king;

15 请王考察先王的实录，必在其上查知这城是反叛的城，与列王和各省有害；自古以来，其中常有悖逆的事，因此这城曾被拆毁。

that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers: so you shall find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time; for which cause was this city laid waste.

16 我们谨奏王知，这城若再建造，城墙完毕，河西之地王就无分了。”

We inform the king that, if this city be built, and the walls finished, by this means you shall have no portion beyond the River.

17 那时王谕复省长利宏、书记伸帅，和他们的同党，就是住撒马利亚并河西一带地方的人，说：“愿你们平安云云。

Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River: Peace, and so forth.

18 你们所上的本，已经明读在我面前。

The letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me.

19 我已命人考查，得知此城古来果然背叛列王，其中常有反叛悖逆的事。

I decreed, and search has been made, and it is found that this city of old time has made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it.

20 从前耶路撒冷也有大君王统管河西全地，人就给他们进贡，交课，纳税。

There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them.

21 现在你们要出告示命这些人停工，使这城不得建造，等我降旨。

Make a decree now to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built, until a decree shall be made by me.

22 你们当谨慎，不可迟延，为何容害加重，使王受亏损呢？”

Take heed that you not be slack herein: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

23 亚达薛西王的上谕读在利宏和书记伸帅，并他们的同党面前，他们就急忙往耶路撒冷去见犹大人，用势力强迫他们停工。

Then when the copy of king Artachshasta's letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

24 于是，在耶路撒冷 神殿的工程就停止了，直停到波斯王大流士第二年。

Then ceased the work of God's house which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Daryavesh king of Persia.