Ezra 4

1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,

1 犹大和便雅悯的敌人听说流亡归来的人为以色列的上帝耶和华建殿，

2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families, saying, “Let us build with you because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the time of King Esar-haddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”

2 就去见所罗巴伯和以色列的族长，对他们说：“请让我们与你们一同建造，因为我们像你们一样也寻求你们的上帝。自从亚述王以撒哈顿带我们到这里以后，我们就一直献祭给上帝。”

3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.”

3 所罗巴伯、耶书亚和以色列其余的族长回答说：“你们不能参与建殿。遵照波斯王塞鲁士的吩咐，我们要自己为以色列的上帝耶和华建殿。”

4 Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build.

4 于是，当地人阻挠犹大人，使他们不敢建殿，

5 They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

5 从波斯王塞鲁士统治年间，一直到波斯王大流士统治期间，当地人收买谋士，破坏他们的计划。

6 At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, an accusation was lodged against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.

6 亚哈随鲁统治初期，他们写信控告犹大和耶路撒冷的居民。

7 And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic and then translated.

7 波斯王亚达薛西统治年间，比施兰、米特利达、他别及其同党上奏亚达薛西。奏章是用亚兰文写的，经过翻译后呈上。

8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote the letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:

8 利宏省长和伸帅书记也写了奏本给亚达薛西王，控告耶路撒冷人，内容如下：

9 From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates—the judges and officials over Tripolis, Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,

9 “利宏省长、伸帅书记和我们的同僚底拿人、亚法萨提迦人、他毗拉人、亚法撒人、亚基卫人、巴比伦人、书珊迦人、底亥人、以拦人，

10 and the rest of the peoples whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and elsewhere west of the Euphrates.

10 以及伟大尊贵的亚斯那巴迁来并安置在撒玛利亚各城与幼发拉底河西一带的人民，

11 (This is the text of the letter they sent to him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men west of the Euphrates:

11 上奏亚达薛西王， “‘幼发拉底河西的臣民奏告亚达薛西王，

12 Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring its walls and repairing its foundations.

12 王该知道，从王那里到我们这里来的犹太人已经去了耶路撒冷，如今正在重建这座叛逆、罪恶之城，正在重建地基，修复城墙。

13 Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer.

13 王该知道，如果这城建好，城墙完工，他们将不再进贡、交赋、纳税，王的税收必受亏损。

14 Now because we are in the service of the palace and it is not fitting for us to allow the king to be dishonored, we have sent to inform the king

14 我们既食王禄，就不能坐视王遭受损失，因此上奏于王。

15 that a search should be made of the record books of your fathers. In these books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, inciting sedition from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.

15 请王查看先王的记录，必从中获悉这城是叛逆之城，危害列王和各省。自古以来，城中叛乱不断，因此才被毁灭。

16 We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, you will have no dominion west of the Euphrates.

16 我们愿王知道，这城一旦建好，城墙完工，幼发拉底河西之地就不再为王所有了。’”

17 Then the king sent this reply: To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of your associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates: Greetings.

17 王回复利宏省长、伸帅书记及其住在撒玛利亚与幼发拉底河西一带的同僚，说：“愿你们平安！

18 The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence.

18 你们呈上的奏章，经过翻译已奏报给我。

19 I issued a decree, and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has revolted against kings from ancient times, engaging in rebellion and sedition.

19 我已命人查考，发现这城自古以来屡屡背叛列王，是悖逆和叛乱之地。

20 And mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates; and tribute, duty, and toll were paid to them.

20 强大的君王曾经统管耶路撒冷和幼发拉底河西全境，并向人们征收贡物和赋税。

21 Now, therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.

21 现在你们要下令让这些人停止建造这城，等候我的谕旨。

22 See that you do not neglect this matter. Why allow this threat to increase and the royal interests to suffer?

22 要认真办理这事，不可迟延，何必让事情恶化，使王受亏损呢？”

23 When the text of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.

23 利宏、伸帅书记及其同僚接到亚达薛西王的谕旨后，急忙赶往耶路撒冷，用武力强迫犹太人停工。

24 Thus the construction of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

24 于是，耶路撒冷上帝殿的重建工程停止了，一直停到波斯王大流士第二年。