Ezra 4

1 Now the enemies of Juda and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to the Lord the God of Israel.

猶大和本雅明的敵人，一聽說充軍回來的子民，為上主以色列的天主修建聖宇，

2 And they came to Zorobabel, and the chief of the fathers, and said to them: Let us build with you, for we seek your God as ye do: behold we have sacrificed to him, since the days of Asor Haddan king of Assyria, who brought us hither.

便來見則魯巴貝耳、耶叔亞和族長，向他們說：「讓我們同你們一同建築吧! 因為我們同你們一樣，求問你們的天主；從亞述王厄撒哈冬，將我們帶到這裏之日起，我們即向衪獻祭」。

3 But Zorobabel, and Josue, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel said to them: You have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God, but we ourselves alone will build to the Lord our God, as Cyrus king of the Persians hath commanded us.

但是，則魯巴貝耳、耶叔亞和以色列的族長，回答他們說：「你們不能同我們一起，給我們的天主修建殿宇，因為按波斯王居魯士我們的命令，我們應單獨給上主以色列的天主修建殿宇」。

4 Then the people of the land hindered the hands of the people of Juda, and troubled them in building.

時便有當地人來挫折猶大人民的勇氣，擾亂他們的建築的工作；

5 And they hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their design all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of the Persians.

還買通了一些議，員來反對反對他們，破壞他們的計劃；整個波斯王居魯士朝代，自始至終，直到波斯王達理阿朝代，常是如此。

6 And in the reign of Assuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Juda and Jerusalem.

在薛西斯朝代，在他登極之初，他們還了訴狀，控告猶大和耶路撒冷的居民。

7 And in the days of Artaxerxes, Beselam, Mithridates, and Thabeel, and the rest that were in the council wrote to Artaxerxes king of the Persians: and the letter of accusation was written in Syriac, and was read in the Syrian tongue.

阿塔薛西斯年間，彼舍藍、米特達特、塔貝耳和其餘的同僚，也曾上書於波斯王阿塔薛西斯；奏文是用阿刺美文字，也是用阿刺語言的。

8 Reum Beelteem, and Samsai the scribe wrote a letter from Jerusalem to king Artaxerxes, in this manner:

以後，勒洪總督和史默秘書，為耶路撒冷事，也曾上書於阿塔薛西斯王，其文如下：──

9 Reum Beelteem, and Samsai the scribe and the rest of their counsellors, the Dinites, and the Apharsathacites, the Therphalites, the Apharsites, the Erchuites, the Babylonians, the Susanechites, the Dievites, and the Elamites,

上書的是勒洪總督、史默瑟秘書和其餘的同僚：即判官和欽差、人物書記、厄勒客人。巴比倫人、叔商人即厄藍人，

10 And the rest of the nations, whom the great and glorious Asenaphar brought over: and made to dwell in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the countries of this side of the river in peace.

以及偉大和顯貴的阿斯納帕所遺來，安置在撒馬黎雅城和河西其餘地區的各民族。──

11 (This is the copy of the letter, which they sent to him: ) To Artaxerxes the king, thy servants, the men that are on this side of the river, send greeting.

以下是送於王的奏文本：「你的臣僕，河西的人民上奏阿塔薛西斯王：

12 Be it known to the king, that the Jews, who came up from thee to us, are come to Jerusalem a rebellious and wicked city, which they are building, setting up the ramparts thereof and repairing the walls.

今上奏大王，前由大王那裏上到我們這裏來的猶太人，一到了那座作亂邪惡的耶路撒冷城，便大興土木，修建城牆，已打好基礎。

13 And now be it known to the king, that if this city be built up, and the walls thereof repaired, they will not pay tribute nor toll, nor yearly revenues, and this loss will fail upon the kings.

今上奏大王，那城若的建成，城垣若是修完，他們便不再納糧、出捐和完稅了，如此於大王的國庫必定有害。

14 But we remembering the salt that we have eaten in the palace, and because we count it a crime to see the king wronged, have therefore sent and certified the king,

現今我們既食王家的鹽，自不應坐視大王受害，為此我們上奏，稟告大王：

15 That search may be made in the books of the histories of thy fathers, and thou shalt find written in the records: and shalt know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to the kings and provinces, and that wars were raised therein of old time: for which cause also the city was destroyed.

請大王查閱先王記錄，在記錄上必會查出，從而知道這座城是座好亂的城，曾加害先王和各省；自古以來，其中常發生叛亂，故此才被毀滅。

16 We certify the king, that if this city be built, and the walls thereof repaired, thou shalt have no possession on this side of the river.

為此我們奏明大王：如果那城建成，牆垣築完，從此大王便沒有河西的版圖」。

17 The king sent word to Reum Beelteem and Samsai the scribe, and to the rest that were in their council, inhabitants of Samaria, and to the rest beyond the river, sending greeting and peace.

君王覆文如下：「願勒洪總督、史默秘書、以及其餘住在撒馬黎雅的官，和河西其餘的人民平安：

18 The accusation, which you have sent to us, hath been plainly read before me,

你們呈來的奏疏，已在我們清楚誦讀了。

19 And I commanded: and search hath been made, and it is found, that this city of old time hath rebelled against kings, and seditions and wars have been raised therein.

我下命檢查，的確發現那座城，自古以來即違抗君王，其中常發生叛亂造反之事。

20 For there have been powerful kings in Jerusalem, who hare had dominion over all the country that is beyond the river: and have received tribute, and toll and revenues.

先前曾有英武的君王，治理過耶路撒冷，統轄過整個河西之地，人都給他們納糧、出捐和完稅。

21 Now therefore hear the sentence: Hinder those men, that this city be not built, till further orders be given by me.

所以現在，你們應發一道命令，叫這些人停工，不准修城，我們另發指令。

22 See that you be not negligent in executing this, lest by little and little the evil grow to the hurt of the kings.

你們應注意，對此不可疏忽，免得捐害加重，禍及君王」。

23 Now the copy of the edict of king Artaxerxes was read before Reum Beelteem, and Samsai the scribe, and their counsellors: and they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and hindered them with arm and power.

當阿塔薛西斯王的覆文副本，在勒洪、史默秘書和他們同僚前，誦讀之後，這些人就急速前往耶路撒冷，來到猶太人那裏，用威脅和武力迫使他們停工。

24 Then the work of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem was interrupted, and ceased till the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.

耶路撒冷天主殿宇的工程，便停頓了，一直停到波斯王達理阿, 在位第二年。