Ezra 7
1 Ary rehefa afaka izany, tamin’ ny nanjakan’ i Artaksersesy, mpanjakan’ i Persia, dia niakatra Ezra, zanak’ i Seraia, zanak’ i Azaria, zanak’ i Hilklay
[Many/Fifty years] later, while Artaxerxes was the king of Persia, I, Ezra came from Babylon here to Jerusalem. I am the son of Seraiah and the grandson of Azariah, and the great-grandson of Hilkiah.
2 zanak’ i Saloma, zanak’ i Zadoka, zanak’ i Ahitoba,
Hilkiah was the son of Shallum, who was the son of Zadok, who was the son of Ahitub,
3 zanak’ i Amaria, zanak’ i Azaria, zanak’ i Meraiota,
who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth,
4 zanak’ i Zerahia, zanak’ i Ozy, zanak’ i Boky,
who was the son of Zerahiah, who was the son of Uzzi, who was the son of Bukki,
5 zanak’ i Abisoa, zanak’ i Finehasa, zanak’ i Eleazara, zanak’ i Arona mpisoronabe;
who was the son of Abishua, who was the son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eleazar, who was the son of Aaron, the [first] Supreme Priest.
6 io Ezra io dia niakatra avy tany Babylona (mpanora-dalàna izy sady nahay ny lalàn’ i Mosesy, izay efa nomen’ i Jehovah, Andriamanitry ny Isiraely); ary nomen’ ny mpanjaka azy izay rehetra nangatahiny, araka ny nomban’ ny tànan’ i Jehovah Andriamaniny azy.
I am a man who knows very well the laws that Moses [wrote]. Those were the laws that Yahweh, the God whom we Israeli people ([worship/belong to]), had given to us Israeli people. When I arrived in Jerusalem, Yahweh my God was kind to me, and as a result the [people] gave me everything that I had requested the king to [tell them to] give to me.
7 Ary niakatra koa ny sasany amin’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely sy ny sasany amin’ ny mpisorona mbamin’ ny Levita sy ny mpihira sy ny mpiandry varavarana ary ny Netinima mba hankany Jerosalema tamin’ ny taona fahafito nanjakan’ i Artaksersesy mpanjaka.
Some of the priests, some [other] descendants of Levi, [some] singers, [some] (gatekeepers/men who guarded the gates of the temple), and [some] men who worked in the temple, and some other [Israeli] people came up with me here to Jerusalem. That was during the seventh year that Artaxerxes was the king [of Persia].
8 Ary tonga tany Jerosalema Ezra tamin’ ny volana fahadimy tamin’ ny taona fahafito nanjakan’ ny mpanjaka.
We left Babylon on April 8, which was the first day of the Jewish year. Because God was very kind to us, we arrived [safely] in Jerusalem on August 4 of that year.
9 Fa tamin’ ny andro voalohany tamin’ ny volana voalohany no niaingany niakatra avy tany Babylona; ary tamin’ ny andro voalohany tamin’ ny volana fahadimy no nahatongavany tany Jerosalema araka ny soa nataon’ ny tànan’ Andriamaniny taminy.
10 Fa Ezra nampiomana ny fony hitady ny lalàn’ i Jehovah ka hankatò izany ary hampianatra ny Isiraely didy sy fitsipika.
During my entire life, I devoted myself to studying the laws of Yahweh, and how to obey those laws. I had also taught those laws and all their regulations to the Israeli people [for many years].
11 Ary izao no tenin’ ny taratasy izay nomen’ i Artaksersesy mpanjaka an’ i Ezra mpisorona, ilay mpanora-dalàna mahay ny tenin’ ny lalàn’ i Jehovah sy ny didiny tamin’ ny Isiraely:
King Artaxerxes [knew that] I am a priest who knows the Jewish laws very well. [He knew that for many years] I had studied those laws and had taught all the rules and regulations of those laws to the Israeli people. [So before I left Babylon to come to Jerusalem, ] he wrote a letter, and gave a copy to me. [This is what he wrote]:
12 Artaksersesy, mpanjakan’ ny mpanjaka, ho an’ i Ezra mpisorona, mpanora-dalàna mahay tsara ny lalàn’ Andriamanitry ny lanitra.
[“This letter is] from me, Artaxerxes, the greatest of the kings. [I am giving it] to Ezra the priest, who has studied very well all the rules and regulations that the God [who is/rules] in heaven [gave to the Israeli people].
13 Izaho manao didy fa na iza na iza eto amin’ ny fanjakako amin’ ny olona Isiraely sy ny mpisorony ary ny Levita no te-hiaraka aminao hankany Jerosalema, dia mahazo mandeha izy.
“Ezra, I command that when you return to Jerusalem, any of the Israeli people in my kingdom who want to are allowed to go with you. That includes any priests and [other] descendants of Levi [who will work in the temple] who want to go.
14 Fa ianao efa nirahin’ ny mpanjaka sy izy fito lahy mpanolo-tsainy handinika ny toetran’ i Joda sy Jerosalema araka ny lalàn’ Andriamanitrao izay eny an-tananao;
I, along with my seven counselors/advisors, am sending you to Jerusalem, in order that you can determine what is happening there and in [other towns in] Judah. You are taking with you [MTY] a copy of God’s laws; make sure that the people are doing everything that is written in those laws.
15 ary hitondra ny volafotsy sy ny volamena izay efa naterin’ ny mpanjaka sy ireo mpanolo-tsaina tamin’ ny sitrapo ho an’ Andriamanitry ny Isiraely, Izay monina any Jerosalema;
[We are also saying that] you should take with you the silver and gold that I and my advisors are wanting to give to you, in order that you will present it to be an offering to the God who [rules] the Israeli people and who lives in Jerusalem.
16 ary ny volafotsy sy ny volamena rehetra izay ho azonao eran’ ny tany Babylona sy ny fanati-tsitrapo aterin’ ny olona sy ny mpisorona, dia izay ateriny amin’ ny sitrapo hanaovany ny tranon’ Andriamaniny, izay any Jerosalema.
You should also take any silver and gold that the people in the entire Babylonia province give to you, and the money that the priests and [other] Israeli people have happily said that they would give to you to be offerings for building the temple of their God in Jerusalem.
17 Koa amin’ izany dia ividiano omby sy ondrilahy sy zanak’ ondry mbamin’ ny fanatitra hohanina sy ny fanatitra aidina momba azy amin’ io vola io araka izay marina, ka atero eo ambonin’ ny alitara ao an-tranon’ Andriamanitrareo izay any Jerosalema ireny.
With this money, you should buy the bulls, rams, lambs, and the grain and wine that the priests will burn on the altar [outside] the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
18 Ary izay rehetra sitrakao sy ny rahalahinao hatao amin’ ny volafotsy sy ny volamena sisa, dia ataovy izany araka ny sitrapon’ Andriamanitrareo.
“If there is any silver or gold that remains [you have bought all those things], you and your companions/colleagues are permitted to use it to [buy] whatever you desire, but buy only things that [you know that] God wants you to buy.
19 Ary ny fanaka izay nomena anao hanaovana ny fanompoana ao an-tranon’ Andriamanitrao dia atolory eo anatrehan’ Andriamanitra any Jerosalema.
We have given to you some valuable items to be used in the temple of your God. Take them also to Jerusalem.
20 Ary izay rehetra mbola hilainao koa ka tsy maintsy haloanao ho an’ ny tranon’ Andriamanitrao dia alao ao amin’ ny trano firaketan’ ny mpanjaka.
If you need any other things for the temple, you are permitted to get the money for those things from the building here where my government’s money is kept/stored.
21 Ary izaho, Artaksersesy mpanjaka, dia manao didy koa ho amin’ ny mpitahiry ny haren’ ny fanjakana rehetra izay any an-dafin’ ny ony, fa na inona na inona no ilain’ i Ezra mpisorona, mpanora-dalàna mahay ny lalàn’ Andriamanitry ny lanitra, aminareo, dia tovy marina izany,
“And I, King Artaxerxes, command this to all the treasurers in the province west of the [Euphrates] River: 'Give to Ezra, the priest who has studied very well the laws of the God [who is/rules] in heaven, everything that he requests, and give it to him quickly.
22 na hatramin’ ny talenta volafotsy zato sy ny vary tritika zato kora sy ny divay zato bata sy ny diloilo zato bata ary ny sira tsy misy fatrany aza.
The most that you should give to him is (7,500 pounds/3,400 kg.) of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, and 550 gallons of [olive] oil, but give to him all the salt that they need.
23 Na inona na inona andidian’ Andriamanitry ny lanitra dia aoka hataonao tanteraka avokoa ho an’ ny tranon’ Andriamanitry ny lanitra; fa nahoana no havela hisy fahatezerana hihatra amin’ ny fanjakan’ ny mpanjaka sy ny zanany?
Be sure that you provide whatever their God requires for his temple, because we certainly do not [RHQ] want him to be angry with me or with my descendants who will later be kings.
24 Ary mampahafantatra anareo koa izahay fa ny mpisorona rehetra sy ny Levita sy ny mpihira sy ny mpiandry varavarana sy ny Netinima ary ny mpanompo amin’ io tranon’ Andriamanitra io dia tsy mba hampandoavina hetra, na haba, na sara.
We are also commanding that none of the priests, descendants of Levi, musicians, temple guards, or other men who work in the temple, will be required to pay any kind of taxes.'
25 Ary ianao, ry Ezra, araka ny fahendren’ Andriamanitrao izay eo an-tananao, dia manendre mpanapaka sy mpitsara, izay hitsara ny olona rehetra any an-dafin’ ny ony, dia izay rehetra mahalala ny lalàn’ Andriamanitrao; fa izay tsy mbola mahalala izany dia aoka hampianarinareo.
“Ezra, your God has enabled you to become very wise. Using that wisdom, appoint men in the province west of the [Euphrates] River who will judge cases involving the people, and men who will judge cases involving the government. You must appoint men who know the laws of your God. All of you must teach God’s laws to others who do not know them.
26 Ary na iza na iza tsy mety mankatò ny lalan’ Andriamanitrao sy ny lalàn’ ny mpanjaka, dia aoka hotsaraina marina izy na hovonoina, na horoahina, na hosazina, na hafatotra.
Everyone who does not obey God’s laws or the laws of my government must be punished severely. Some of them will be executed, some will be put in prison, some will be sent out of the country or have all their property taken away from them.”
27 Isaorana anie Jehovah, Andriamanitry ny razantsika, Izay efa nanisy izany tao am-pon’ ny mpanjaka hahatsara tarehy ny tranon’ i Jehovah any Jerosalema.
[Because King Artaxerxes was very kind like that, I said], “Praise Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped/belonged to]! He has caused the king to want to honor the temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem.
28 sady efa nampahazo ahy famindram-po teo anatrehan’ ny mpanjaka sy ireo mpanolo-tsainy ary ny mpanapaka lehibe rehetra ao amin’ ny mpanjaka. Ary dia nampaherezina aho araka ny nomban’ ny tanan’ i Jehovah Andriamanitro ahy ka nahangona loholona tamin’ ny Isiraely mba hiara-miakatra amiko.
Because God was very kind to me, the king and all his advisors and all his powerful officials have also been kind to me. So, because God has helped me, I have become encouraged, and I have [been able to] persuade some of the Israeli leaders to go up to Jerusalem with me.”
