Esdras 4

1 Lènmi moun Jida yo ak lènmi moun Benjamen yo vin konnen moun ki te tounen soti nan kote yo te depòte yo a t'ap rebati yon kay pou Seyè a, Bondye pèp Izrayèl la.

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to the LORD, the God of Israel,

2 Yo vin jwenn Zowobabèl ak chèf fanmi yo, yo di yo konsa: -Kite nou mete men ansanm ak nou nan travay pou rebati tanp lan, paske nou menm tou se menm Bondye a nou adore ak nou. Epi, depi lè Esaradon, wa peyi Lasiri a, te fè nou vin rete isit la, n'ap ofri bèt pou yo touye pou li.

they came near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have been sacrificing to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”

3 Zowobabèl, Jozye ak tout lòt chèf fanmi yo reponn yo: -Non mèsi! Nou pa bezwen konkou pesonn pou nou bati yon tanp pou Seyè a, Bondye nou an. N'a bati l' nou menm, pou kont nou ak men nou, jan Siris, wa peyi Pès la, te ban nou lòd fè a.

But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households 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 Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”

4 Lè sa a, moun ki t'ap viv depi lontan nan peyi a soti pou yo dekouraje moun Jida yo. Yo t'ap kraponnen yo pou yo te sispann travay batisman an.

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

5 Yo menm rive bay kèk anplwaye gouvènman an lajan anba chal pou anpeche travay la mache. Se konsa, pandan tout tan wa Siris t'ap gouvènen an jouk sou rèy wa Dariyis, yo antrave travay moun yo san rete.

They hired counsellors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

6 Konsa tou, lè wa Zèsès te fenk pran pouvwa a, yo ekri yon lèt akizasyon voye bay wa a kont moun k'ap viv nan peyi Jida ak nan lavil Jerizalèm.

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

7 Sou rèy wa Atagzèsès, Bislam, Mitridat ak Tabeyèl mete tèt yo ansanm avèk kèk lòt kòlèg yo, yo ekri yon lèt plent voye bay Atagzesès, wa peyi Pès la, kont moun Jerizalèm yo. Lèt la te ekri nan lang arameyen, e se pou yo te tradwi l' lè yo t'ap li l'.

In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Syrian and delivered in the Syrian language.

8 (Dokiman arameyen an konmanse isit la). Se konsa Reyoum, gouvènè a, ak Chimchayi, ki te sekretè pwovens la, ekri yon lèt bay wa Atagzèsès sou keksyon lavil Jerizalèm lan. Men ki jan lèt te pati:

Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows.

9 Se mwen menm, Reyoum, gouvènè a ak Chimchayi, sekretè pwovens la, ki ekri lèt sa a ansanm ak tout lòt kòlèg nou yo anplwaye gouvenman an, moun lavil Den, moun lavil Afasatak, moun lavil Tapèl, moun lavil Afaras, moun lavil Erèk, moun lavil Babilòn, moun lavil Souz, moun lavil Deya ak moun peyi Elam,

Then Rehum the chancellor, 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 avèk chèf tout lòt pèp k'ap viv koulye a nan lavil peyi Samari yo ak nan rès pwovens ki bò solèy kouche larivyè Lefrat la. Se gran wa Asnapa, wa ki te fè tout moun respekte l' la, ki te depòte yo al fè yo viv kote yo ye koulye a.

and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over and settled in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River, and so forth, wrote.

11 Men kopi lèt yo te voye bay wa a. -Pou wa Atagzèsès. Se nou menm sèvitè ou yo, moun pwovens lòt bò larivyè Lefrat la, k'ap voye di ou bonjou.

This is the copy of the letter that they sent: To King Artaxerxes, from your servants, the people beyond the River.

12 Nou vle fè wa a konnen jwif yo soti nan tout teritwa ki sou lòd li yo, yo vini lavil Jerizalèm, epi y'ap rebati lavil sa a ki pa janm vle soumèt devan li epi ki toujou ap fè bagay ki mal. Y'ap travay pou rebati gwo miray ranpa lavil la, yo gen tan fini ak fondasyon an.

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 bad city, and have finished the walls and repaired the foundations.

13 Nou vle fè wa a konnen, si moun sa yo rebati lavil la, si yo remoute miray ranpa a ankò, yo p'ap peye okenn taks, yo p'ap fè okenn kontribisyon, ni yo p'ap bay lajan yo fè moun peye pou pase lakay yo. Lè sa a se kès wa a menm ki pral fè defisi.

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 Men, paske nou respekte kontra nou gen avè ou la, monwa, nou pa ka rete konsa ap gade moun yo ap kraze enterè wa a. Se poutèt sa nou voye fè wa a konn sa,

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

15 pou l' ka fè rechèch nan achiv zansèt li yo te kite. Nan ansyen dokiman sa yo, l'a jwenn sa yo te ekri sou lavil sa a. L'a konnen jan lavil sa a pa te janm vle soumèt devan yo, li te toujou pare pou revòlte. Se poutèt sa yo te detwi lavil sa a nèt.

that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will see 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 started rebellions within it in the past. That is why this city was destroyed.

16 Nou fè wa a konnen si yo rebati lavil sa a, si yo refè miray ranpa li yo, talè konsa wa a p'ap gen yon teritwa pou li ankò nan pwovens bò solèy kouche larivyè Lefrat la.

We inform the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, then you will have no possession beyond the River.

17 Men repons wa a voye ba yo: -Nou voye gwo bonjou pou Reyoum, gouvènè a, Chimchayi, sekretè pwovens la, ak tout lòt kòlèg yo k'ap viv nan peyi Samari ak nan rès pwovens lòt bò larivyè Lefrat.

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

18 Lèt nou te voye ban mwen an rive jwenn mwen. Yo tradwi l' mo pa mo pou mwen.

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

19 Mwen pase lòd pou yo fè rechèch nan achiv yo, epi yo jwenn lavil sa a, depi tout tan, te toujou derefize soumèt devan otorite wa yo. Se tout tan gen moun la k'ap revòlte, k'ap pran lèzam kont wa yo.

I decreed, and search has been made, and it was found that this city has made insurrection against kings in the past, and that rebellion and revolts have been made in it.

20 Te gen gwo wa ki te konn gouvènen lavil Jerizalèm. Yon lè, yo te donminen sou tout teritwa ki lòt bò larivyè Lefrat la. Yo te konn fè moun peye yo taks, lajan kontribisyon ak lajan pou pèmèt yo pase sou chemen lakay yo.

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

21 Se poutèt sa, nou mèt bay lòd pou yo rete travay mesye yo ap fè a: Pesonn p'ap gen dwa rebati lavil sa a toutotan mwen pa bay lòd pou sa.

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

22 Piga nou pote neglijans nan zafè sa a, pou kès wa a pa fè plis defisi pase sa.

Be careful that you not be slack doing so. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

23 Fini yo fini li lèt wa Atagzèsès la bay Reyoum, gouvènè a, Chimchayi, sekretè pwovens la, ak lòt kòlèg yo nan gouvènman an, mesye yo leve, yo kouri lavil Jerizalèm al jwenn jwif yo, avèk zam nan men yo, yo fòse yo sispann travay la.

Then when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force of arms.

24 Se konsa yo te rete travay tanp Bondye a lavil Jerizalèm. Travay la rete bloke jouk dezyèm lanne rèy Dariyis, wa peyi Pès la.

Then work stopped on God’s house which is at Jerusalem. It stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.