Ezra:Chapter 4

Index

Ezra:Chapter 4

厄斯德拉(上)	Ezra
¹猶大和本雅明的敵人，一聽說充軍回來的子民，為上主以色列的天主修建殿宇，	¹When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin learned that those who had returned from exile were building the sanctuary of Yahweh, the God of Israel,
²便來見則魯巴貝耳、耶叔亞和族長，向他們說：「讓我們同你們一起建築罷！因為我們同你們一樣，求問你們的天主；自從亞述王厄撒哈冬，將我們帶到這裏之日起，我們即向他獻祭。」	²they approached Zerubbabel, Joshua and the heads of the families, and said to them, "Allow us to help you in the work of reconstruction for we are also concerned about your God. We have offered him sacrifices from the time of Esar Haddon, king of Assyria, who brought us here."
³但是，則魯巴貝耳、耶叔亞和以色列的族長，回答他們說：「你們不能同我們一起，給我們的天主修建殿宇，因為按波斯王居魯士給我們出的命令，我們應單獨給上主以色列的天主修建殿宇。」	³Zerubbabel, Joshua and the heads of the Israelite families answered them, "We cannot let you join us, for we alone must rebuild it, as Cyrus, king of Persia, has commanded."
⁴當時便有當地人來挫折猶大人民的勇氣，擾亂他們建築的工作；	⁴Then the people of the land set about discouraging the workers of Judah and frightening them to keep them from building.
⁵還買通了一些參議員，來反對他們，破壞他們的計劃；整個波斯王居魯士朝代，自始至終，直到波斯王達理阿朝代，常是如此。	⁵They hired some counselors of the royal court to make the project fail, and they did this all during the time of Cyrus, king of Persia, until the reign of Darius, king of Persia.
⁶在薛西斯朝代，在他登極之初，他們還寫了訴狀，控告猶大和耶路撒冷的居民。	⁶In the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, they lodged a complaint against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
⁷阿塔薛西斯年間，彼舍藍、米特達特、搭貝耳和其餘的同僚，也曾上書於波斯王阿塔薛西斯；奏文是用阿刺美文字，也是用阿刺美語言寫的。	⁷Again in the time of King Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues wrote to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated. So it began this way:
⁸以後，勒洪總督和史默瑟秘書，為耶路撒冷事，也曾上書於阿塔薛西斯王，其文如下：──	⁸"From Rehum, the governor, and Shimshai, the secretary,
⁹上書的是勒洪總督、史默瑟秘書和其餘的同僚：即判官和欽差、波斯書記、厄勒客人、巴比倫人、叔商人即厄藍人，	⁹and from the rest of their colleagues, the judges and the legates, and all Persian officials, the people of Erech, Babylon and Susa, that is, the Elamites,
¹⁰以及偉大和顯貴的阿斯納帕所遣來，安置在撒瑪黎雅城和河西其餘地區的各民族。──	¹⁰and from the rest of the nations whom the great Assurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province at the other side of the River..."
¹¹以下是送於王的奏文副本：「你的臣僕，河西的人民上奏阿塔薛西斯王：	¹¹This is a copy of the letter they sent to King Artaxerxes: "Your servants, the people beyond the River, send greetings.
¹²今上奏大王，前由大王那裏上到我們這裏來的猶太人，一到了那座作亂邪惡的耶路撒冷城，便大興土木，修建城牆，現已打好基礎。	¹²It should be made known to the king that the Jews who came up from your side to ours and have gone to Jerusalem are now building this rebellious and wicked city. They are now rebuilding the walls and have laid the foundation.
¹³今上奏大王，那城若是建成，城垣若是修完，他們便不再納糧、出捐和完稅了，如此於大王的國庫必定有害。	¹³Be it known, then, to the king, that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, they will no longer pay taxes, tributes or toll duties, and in the end, this city shall bring harm to the kings.
¹⁴現今我們既食王家的鹽，自不應坐視大王受害，為此我們上奏，稟告大王：	¹⁴Now, as we eat the salt of the palace and we do not wish to see the king dishonored, we are sending this information to the king.
¹⁵請大王查閱先王記錄，在記錄上必會查出，從而知道這城是座好亂的城，曾加害先王和各省；自古以來，其中常發生叛亂，故此纔被毀滅。	¹⁵If you look into the records of your fathers, you will find that this city is a rebellious city. It has disturbed the kings and the provinces, and has fostered sedition from of old. It is precisely because of this that it was destroyed.
¹⁶為此，我們奏明大王：如果那城建成，牆垣築完，從此大王便沒有河西的版圖。」	¹⁶We make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls restored, you will soon lose your territories on that side of the River."
¹⁷君王覆文如下：「願勒洪總督、史默瑟秘書、以及其餘住在撒瑪黎雅的官員，和河西其餘的人民平安：	¹⁷The king wrote this in reply: "To Rehum, the governor; to Shimshai, the secretary; and to the rest of their colleagues who are in Samaria and in the other places at the other side of the River: greetings.
¹⁸你們呈來的奏疏，已在我們前清楚誦讀了。	¹⁸The letter you sent to me has been read word for word in my presence.
¹⁹我下命檢查，的確發見那座城，自古以來即違抗君王，其中常發生叛亂造反的事。	¹⁹I gave orders to inquire into these things, and it has been found that from ancient times that city has rebelled against the kings, and that sedition and rebellions have happened there.
²⁰先前曾有英武的君王，治理過耶路撒冷，統轄過整個河西之地，人都給他們納糧、出捐和完稅。	²⁰There were powerful kings in Jerusalem, masters of all the land at the other side of the River, to whom tribute taxes and toll duties were paid.
²¹所以現在，你們應發一道命令，叫這些人停止，不准修城，直到我們另發指令。	²¹Therefore, order the people to stop work; they shall not rebuild that city without my authorization.
²²你們應注意，對此不可疏忽，免得損害加重，禍及君王。」	²²Do not neglect this grave concern, lest further harm be done to the kingdom."
²³當阿塔薛西斯王的覆文副本，在勒洪、史默瑟秘書和他們同僚前，誦讀之後，這些人就急速前往耶路撒冷，來到猶太人那裏，用威脅和武力迫使他們停工。	²³When the copy of this letter of King Artaxerxes was read before Rehum, the governor, Shimshai, the secretary, and their colleagues, they went hurriedly to Jerusalem and they used force and violence to make the Jews suspend their work.
²⁴於是耶路撒冷天主殿宇的工程，便停頓了，一直停到波斯王達理阿在位第二年。	²⁴So the work on the House of God in Jerusalem was interrupted and not begun until the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia.

Produced by www.ccreadbible.org