Ezra 4

وَلَمَّا سَمِعَ أَعْدَاءُ يَهُوذَا وَبَنْيَامِينَ أَنَّ بَنِي السَّبْيِ يَبْنُونَ هَيْكَلاً لِلرَّبِّ إِلهِ إِسْرَائِيلَ،

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;

تَقَدَّمُوا إِلَى زَرُبَّابَِلَ وَرُؤُوسِ الآبَاءِ وَقَالُوا لَهُمْ: «نَبْنِي مَعَكُمْ لأَنَّنَا نَظِيرَكُمْ نَطْلُبُ إِلهَكُمْ، وَلَهُ قَدْ ذَبَحْنَا مِنْ أَيَّامِ أَسَرْحَدُّونَ مَلِكِ أَشُّورَ الَّذِي أَصْعَدَنَا إِلَى هُنَا».

Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar–haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

فَقَالَ لَهُمْ زَرُبَّابِلُ وَيَشُوعُ وَبَقِيَّةُ رُؤُوسِ آبَاءِ إِسْرَائِيلَ: «لَيْسَ لَكُمْ وَلَنَا أَنْ نَبْنِيَ بَيْتًا لإِلهِنَا، وَلكِنَّنَا نَحْنُ وَحْدَنَا نَبْنِي لِلرَّبِّ إِلهِ إِسْرَائِيلَ كَمَا أَمَرَنَا الْمَلِكُ كُورَشُ مَلِكُ فَارِسَ».

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

وَكَانَ شَعْبُ الأَرْضِ يُرْخُونَ أَيْدِيَ شَعْبِ يَهُوذَا وَيُذْعِرُونَهُمْ عَنِ الْبِنَاءِ.

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

وَاسْتَأْجَرُوا ضِدَّهُمْ مُشِيرِينَ لِيُبْطِلُوا مَشُورَتَهُمْ كُلَّ أَيَّامِ كُورَشَ مَلِكِ فَارِسَ وَحَتَّى مُلْكِ دَارِيُوسَ مَلِكِ فَارِسَ.

And 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.

وَفِي مُلْكِ أَحَشْوِيرُوشَ، فِي ابْتِدَاءِ مُلْكِهِ، كَتَبُوا شَكْوَى عَلَى سُكَّانِ يَهُوذَا وَأُورُشَلِيمَ.

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

وَفِي أَيَّامِ أَرْتَحْشَسْتَا كَتَبَ بِشْلاَمُ وَمِثْرَدَاثُ وَطَبْئِيلُ وَسَائِرُ رُفَقَائِهِمْ إِلَى أَرْتَحْشَسْتَا مَلِكِ فَارِسَ. وَكِتَابَةُ الرِّسَالَةِ مَكْتُوبَةٌ بِالأَرَامِيَّةِ وَمُتَرْجَمَةٌ بِالأَرَامِيَّةِ.

And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.

رَحُومُ صَاحِبُ الْقَضَاءِ وَشِمْشَايُ الْكَاتِبُ كَتَبَا رِسَالَةً ضِدَّ أُورُشَلِيمَ إِلَى أَرْتَحْشَسْتَا الْمَلِكِ هكَذَا:

Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:

كَتَبَ حِينَئِذٍ رَحُومُ صَاحِبُ الْقَضَاءِ وَشِمْشَايُ الْكَاتِبُ وَسَائِرُ رُفَقَائِهِمَا الدِّينِيِّينَ وَالأَفَرَسْتِكِيِّينَ وَالطَّرْفِلِيِّينَ وَالأَفْرَسِيِّينَ وَالأَرَكْوِيِّينَ وَالْبَابَِلِيِّينَ وَالشُّوشَنِيِّينَ وَالدَّهْوِيِّينَ وَالْعِيلاَمِيِّينَ،

Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,

وَسَائِرِ الأُمَمِ الَّذِينَ سَبَاهُمْ أُسْنَفَّرُ الْعَظِيمُ الشَّرِيفُ وَأَسْكَنَهُمْ مُدُنَ السَّامِرَةِ، وَسَائِرِ الَّذِينَ فِي عَبْرِ النَّهْرِ وَإِلَى آخِرِهِ.

And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.

هذِهِ صُورَةُ الرِّسَالَةِ الَّتِي أَرْسَلُوهَا إِلَيْهِ، إِلَى أَرْتَحْشَسْتَا الْمَلِكِْ:

This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.

لِيُعْلَمِ الْمَلِكُ أَنَّ الْيَهُودَ الَّذِينَ صَعِدُوا مِنْ عِنْدِكَ إِلَيْنَا قَدْ أَتَوْا إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ وَيَبْنُونَ الْمَدِينَةَ الْعَاصِيَةَ الرَّدِيَّةَ، وَقَدْ أَكْمَلُوا أَسْوَارَهَا وَرَمَّمُوا أُسُسَهَا.

Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.

لِيَكُنِ الآنَ مَعْلُومًا لَدَى الْمَلِكِ أَنَّهُ إِذَا بُنِيَتْ هذِهِ الْمَدِينَةُ وَأُكْمِلَتْ أَسْوَارُهَا لاَ يُؤَدُّونَ جِزْيَةً وَلاَ خَرَاجًا وَلاَ خِفَارَةً، فَأَخِيرًا تَضُرُّ الْمُلُوكَ.

Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.

وَالآنَ بِمَا إِنَّنَا نَأْكُلُ مِلْحَ دَارِ الْمَلِكِ، وَلاَ يَلِيقُ بِنَا أَنْ نَرَى ضَرَرَ الْمَلِكِ، لِذلِكَ أَرْسَلْنَا فَأَعْلَمْنَا الْمَلِكَ،

Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;

لِكَيْ يُفَتَّشَ فِي سِفْرِ أَخْبَارِ آبَائِكَ، فَتَجِدَ فِي سِفْرِ الأَخْبَارِ وَتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ هذِهِ الْمَدِينَةَ مَدِينَةٌ عَاصِيَةٌ وَمُضِرَّةٌ لِلْمُلُوكِ وَالْبِلاَدِ، وَقَدْ عَمِلُوا عِصْيَانًا فِي وَسَطِهَا مُنْذُ الأَيَّامِ الْقَدِيمَةِ، لِذلِكَ أُخْرِبَتْ هذِهِ الْمَدِينَةُ.

That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.

وَنَحْنُ نُعْلِمُ الْمَلِكَ أَنَّهُ إِذَا بُنِيَتْ هذِهِ الْمَدِينَةُ وَأُكْمِلَتْ أَسْوَارُهَا لاَ يَكُونُ لَكَ عِنْدَ ذلِكَ نَصِيبٌ فِي عَبْرِ النَّهْرِ».

We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.

فَأَرْسَلَ الْمَلِكُ جَوَابًا: «إِلَى رَحُومَ صَاحِبِ الْقَضَاءِ وَشَمْشَايَ الْكَاتِبِ وَسَائِرِ رُفَقَائِهِمَا السَّاكِنِينَ فِي السَّامِرَةِ وَبَاقِي الَّذِينَ فِي عَبْرِ النَّهْرِ. سَلاَمٌ إِلَى آخِرِهِ.

Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.

الرِّسَالَةُ الَّتِي أَرْسَلْتُمُوهَا إِلَيْنَا قَدْ قُرِئَتْ بِوُضُوحٍ أَمَامِي.

The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.

وَقَدْ خَرَجَ مِنْ عِنْدِي أَمْرٌ فَفَتَّشُوا وَوُجِدَ أَنَّ هذِهِ الْمَدِينَةَ مُنْذُ الأَيَّامِ الْقَدِيمَةِ تَقُومُ عَلَى الْمُلُوكِ، وَقَدْ جَرَى فِيهَا تَمَرُّدٌ وَعِصْيَانٌ.

And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.

وَقَدْ كَانَ مُلُوكٌ مُقْتَدِرُونَ عَلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ وَتَسَلَّطُوا عَلَى جَمِيعِ عَبْرِ النَّهْرِ، وَقَدْ أُعْطُوا جِزْيَةً وَخَرَاجًا وَخِفَارَةً.

There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.

فَالآنَ أَخْرِجُوا أَمْرًا بِتَوْقِيفِ أُولئِكَ الرِّجَالِ فَلاَ تُبْنَى هذِهِ الْمَدِينَةُ حَتَّى يَصْدُرَ مِنِّي أَمْرٌ.

Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me.

فَاحْذَرُوا مِنْ أَنْ تَقْصُرُوا عَنْ عَمَلِ ذلِكَ. لِمَاذَا يَكْثُرُ الضَّرَرُ لِخَسَارَةِ الْمُلُوكِ؟».

Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

حِينَئِذٍ لَمَّا قُرِئَتْ رِسَالَةُ أَرْتَحْشَسْتَا الْمَلِكِ أَمَامَ رَحُومَ وَشِمْشَايَ الْكَاتِبِ وَرُفَقَائِهِمَا ذَهَبُوا بِسُرْعَةٍ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ، إِلَى الْيَهُودِ، وَأَوْقَفُوهُمْ بِذِرَاعٍ وَقُوَّةٍ.

Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

حِينَئِذٍ تَوَقَّفَ عَمَلُ بَيْتِ اللهِ الَّذِي فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ، وَكَانَ مُتَوَقِّفًا إِلَى السَّنَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ مِنْ مُلْكِ دَارِيُوسَ مَلِكِ فَارِسَ.

Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.