Ezra 5

1 Then were moved to prophesy, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah son of Iddo, the prophets, unto the Jews who were in Judaea and in Jerusalem, —in the name of the God of Israel, unto them.

Men Profeterne Haggaj og Zakarias, Iddos Søn, profeterede for Jøderne i Juda og Jerusalem i Israels Guds Navn, som var over dem.

2 Then arose—Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God, which was in Jerusalem, —and, with them, were the prophets of God, strengthening them.

Da tog Zerubbabel, Sjealtiels Søn, og Jesua, Jozadaks Søn, fat og begyndte at bygge paa Guds Hus i Jerusalem sammen med Guds Profeter, som støttede dem.

3 At that time, came unto them Tattenai pasha Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, —and, thus, spake they unto them, Who hath issued unto you an edict, this house, to build, and, this wall, to complete?

Men paa den Tid kom Tattenaj, Statholderen hinsides Floden, Sjetar-Bozenaj og deres Embedsbrødre til dem og sagde: »Hvem har givet eder Lov til at bygge dette Tempel og genopføre denne Helligdom,

4 Then, after this manner, spake we unto them, —What are the names of these men, who, this building, do rear?

og hvad er Navnene paa de Mænd, der bygger denne Bygning?«

5 Nevertheless, the eye of their God, was upon the elders of Judah, and they did not forbid them, until the matter, unto Darius, should come, —and, then, answer be returned by letter, concerning this.

Men over Jødernes Ældste vaagede deres Guds Øje, saa de ikke standsede dem i Arbejdet, før Sagen var forelagt Darius og der var kommet Svar derpaa.

6 A copy of the letter which Tattenai pasha Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and his associates, the Apharsachites, who were Beyond the Rivet, sent unto Darius the king:

Afskrift af det Brev, som Tattenaj, Statholderen hinsides Floden, Sjetar-Bozenaj og hans Embedsbrødre, Afarsekiterne hinsides Floden, sendte Kong Darius;

7 a message, sent they unto him, —and, thus, was it written therein, Unto Darius the king, all prosperity!

de sendte ham en Skrivelse, hvori der stod: Kong Darius ønsker vi al Fred!

8 Be it known unto the king, that we journeyed into the province of Judah, unto the house of the Great God, and, the same, is being built with large stones, and, timber, is being laid in the walls, —and, this work, with speed, is being done, and is prospering in their hands.

Det være Kongen kundgjort, at vi begav os til Landsdelen Judæa til den store Guds Hus; det bliver bygget af Kvadersten, der lægges Bjælker i Muren, og Arbejdet udføres med Omhu og skyder frem under deres Hænder.

9 Then asked we of these elders, thus, we said to them, —Who hath issued to you an edict, this house, to build, and, this wall, to complete?

Vi spurgte da de Ældste der og talte saaledes til dem: »Hvem har givet eder Lov til at, bygge dette Tempel og opføre denne Helligdom?

10 Yea, their names also, asked we of them, to certify thee, —that we might write the name, of the men who are at their head.

Vi spurgte dem ogsaa om deres Navne for at lade dig dem vide, og vi opskrev Navnene paa de Mænd, der staar i Spidsen for dem.

11 And, thus, returned they, answer, to us saying, —We, are servants of the God of the heavens and the earth, and are building the house which was built these many years ago, which, a great king of Israel, built and completed.

Og Svaret, de gav os, lød saaledes: Vi er Himmelens og Jordens Guds Tjenere, og vi bygger det Tempel, som blev bygget for mange Aar siden, da en stor Konge i Israel byggede og opførte det.

12 But, after that our fathers had provoked the God of the heavens to wrath, he delivered them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, —and, this house, he destroyed, and, the people, he exiled to Babylon.

Da imidlertid vore Fædre vakte Himmelens Guds Vrede, gav han dem i Babels Konges, Kaldæeren Nebukadnezars, Haand, og han nedbrød dette Tempel og førte Folket i Landflygtighed til Babel.

13 Howbeit, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king, issued an edict, this house of God, to build.

Men i sit første Regeringsaar gav Kong Kyros af Babel Befaling til at genopbygge dette Gudshus;

14 Moreover also, the utensils of the house of God, of gold and silver, which, Nebuchadnezzar, had brought forth out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, and had brought into the temple of Babylon, Cyrus the king, brought them forth, out of the temple of Babylon, —and they were delivered to one Sheshbazzar by name, whom he made, pasha;

og Kong Kyros lod tillige de til Gudshuset hørende Guld— og Sølvkar, som Nebukadnezar havde borttaget fra Helligdommen i Jerusalem og ført til sin Helligdom i Babel, tage ud af Helligdommen i Babel, og de overgaves til en Mand ved Navn Sjesjbazzar, som han havde indsat til Statholder;

15 and said to him—These utensils, take, go carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, —and let, the house of God, be built in its place.

og han sagde til ham: «Tag disse Kar og drag ben og lad dem faa deres Plads i Helligdommen i Jerusalem og lad Gudshuset blive genopbygget paa sin gamle Plads!»

16 Then, this Sheshbazzar, came, he laid the foundations of the house of God, which was in Jerusalem, —and, since then, even until now, it hath been in building, and is not finished.

Saa kom denne Sjesjbazzar og lagde Grunden til Gudshuset i Jerusalem, og siden den Tid er der bygget derpaa, men det er ikke færdigt.

17 Now, therefore, if, unto the king, it seem good, let search be made in the treasure-house of the king which is there, in Babylon, whether it be so, that, from Cyrus the king, issued an edict, to build this house of God, in Jerusalem, —and, the pleasure of the king concerning this, let him send unto us.

Hvis derfor Kongen synes, saa lad der blive set efter i det kongelige Skatkammer ovre i Babel, om det har sig saaledes, at der af Kong Kyros er givet Befaling til at bygge dette Gudshus i Jerusalem; og Kongen give os saa sin Vilje i denne Sag til Kende!«