以斯拉記 4

1 猶大和便雅憫的敵人聽說被擄歸回的人為耶和華－以色列的上帝建造殿宇，

Now, when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard—that, the Sons of the Exile, were building the temple, unto Yahweh, God of Israel,

2 就去見所羅巴伯和以色列的族長，對他們說：「請容我們與你們一同建造；因為我們尋求你們的上帝，與你們一樣。自從亞述王以撒哈頓帶我們上這地以來，我們常祭祀上帝。」

then drew they near unto Zerubbabel, and unto the ancestral chiefs, and said unto them, Let us build with you, for, like you, we seek your God, and, unto him, have, we, been sacrificing since the days of Esar-haddon, king of Assyria, who brought us up hither.

3 但所羅巴伯、耶書亞，和其餘以色列的族長對他們說：「我們建造上帝的殿與你們無干，我們自己為耶和華－以色列的上帝協力建造，是照波斯王塞魯士所吩咐的。」

But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the ancestral chiefs of Israel, said unto them, It pertaineth not to you and to us [in common], to build a house unto our God, —but, we ourselves together, will build unto Yahweh, God of Israel, even as King Cyrus, king of Persia, hath commanded us.

4 那地的民，就在猶大人建造的時候，使他們的手發軟，擾亂他們；

Then came it to pass, that, the people of the land, were weakening the hands of the people of Judah, —and troubling them in building;

5 從波斯王塞魯士年間，直到波斯王大流士登基的時候，賄買謀士，要敗壞他們的謀算。

and hiring against them counselors, to overturn their purpose, —all the days of Cyrus, king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius, king of Persia.

6 在亞哈隨魯才登基的時候，上本控告猶大和耶路撒冷的居民。

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

7 亞達薛西年間，比施蘭、米特利達、他別，和他們的同黨上本奏告波斯王亞達薛西。本章是用亞蘭文字，亞蘭方言。

And, in the days of Artaxerxes, wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates, unto Artaxerxes, king of Persia, —and, the writing of the letter, was written in Aramean, and was to be interpreted as Aramean.

8 省長利宏、書記伸帥要控告耶路撒冷人，也上本奏告亞達薛西王。

Rehum holder of judicial authority, and Shimshai the scribe, wrote a certain letter against Jerusalem, —to Artaxerxes the king, thus:

9 省長利宏、書記伸帥，和同黨的底拿人、亞法薩提迦人、他毗拉人、亞法撒人、亞基衛人、巴比倫人、書珊迦人、底亥人、以攔人，

Then Rehum holder of judicial authority, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, —the Dinaites and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites;

10 和尊大的亞斯那巴所遷移、安置在撒馬利亞城，並大河西一帶地方的人等，

and the rest of the peoples, whom the great and noble Osnappar hath exiled, and set in the city of Samaria, —and the rest Beyond the River, and so forth:

11 上奏亞達薛西王說：「河西的臣民云云：

This, is a copy of the letter which they sent unto him—unto Artaxerxes the king, —Thy servants, the men Beyond the River and so forth:

12 王該知道，從王那裏上到我們這裏的猶大人，已經到耶路撒冷重建這反叛惡劣的城，築立根基，建造城牆。

Be it known unto the king, —that, the Jews who came up from thee unto us, are come to Jerusalem, —the rebellious and wicked city, are they building, and, the walls, have they finished, and, the foundations, will they repair.

13 如今王該知道，他們若建造這城，城牆完畢就不再與王進貢，交課，納稅，終久王必受虧損。

Now be it known to the king, that, if this city, be built, and, the walls thereof, be finished, neither, tribute, excise, nor toll, will they render, and so, the revenue of the kings, shalt thou damage.

14 我們既食御鹽，不忍見王吃虧，因此奏告於王。

Now, because the salt of the palace we have eaten, the impoverishment of the king, it is not meet for us to see, —therefore have we sent, and certified the king;

15 請王考察先王的實錄，必在其上查知這城是反叛的城，與列王和各省有害；自古以來，其中常有悖逆的事，因此這城曾被拆毀。

so that search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers, so shalt thou find out in the book of records—and shalt ascertain, that, this city, is a rebellious city, and one that causeth damage unto kings and provinces, and that, rebellion, have they been wont to cause in the midst thereof since the days of age-past time, —for this cause, was this city laid waste.

16 我們謹奏王知，這城若再建造，城牆完畢，河西之地王就無分了。」

We do certify the king that, if, this city, be built, and, the walls thereof, finished, for that very reason, portion Beyond the River, shalt thou have none.

17 那時王諭覆省長利宏、書記伸帥，和他們的同黨，就是住撒馬利亞並河西一帶地方的人，說：「願你們平安云云。

The king sent, a message, unto Rehum holder of judicial authority, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, who were dwelling in Samaria, and the rest Beyond the River, Peace and so forth.

18 你們所上的本，已經明讀在我面前。

The letter which ye sent unto us, was distinctly read before me;

19 我已命人考查，得知此城古來果然背叛列王，其中常有反叛悖逆的事。

And, from me, went forth an edict, and they have made search and found, that, this city, since the days of age-past time, against kings, hath lifted herself up, —and, sedition and rebellion, have been made therein;

20 從前耶路撒冷也有大君王統管河西全地，人就給他們進貢，交課，納稅。

and, mighty kings, have there been over Jerusalem, and bearing rule everywhere Beyond the River, —and, tribute, excise, and toll, have been given to them.

21 現在你們要出告示命這些人停工，使這城不得建造，等我降旨。

Now, issue ye an edict, to forbid these men, —that, this city, be not built, until, from me, the edict be issued.

22 你們當謹慎，不可遲延，為何容害加重，使王受虧損呢？」

Beware, then, of failure to do thus, —wherefore should the damage increase, to inflict loss on the kings?

23 亞達薛西王的上諭讀在利宏和書記伸帥，並他們的同黨面前，他們就急忙往耶路撒冷去見猶大人，用勢力強迫他們停工。

Then, when, the copy of the letter of Artaxerxes the king, had been read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they journeyed in haste to Jerusalem, unto the Jews, and forbade them, with arm and force.

24 於是，在耶路撒冷上帝殿的工程就停止了，直停到波斯王大流士第二年。

Then ceased the work of the house of God, which was in Jerusalem, —yea it did cease, until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.