厄斯德拉上:Chapter 4

厄斯德拉上: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 heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, 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 and the family heads and said to them, "Let us build with you, for we seek your God just as you do, and we have sacrificed to him since the days of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, who had us brought 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。」	³But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the family heads of Israel answered them, "It is not your responsibility to build with us a house for our God, but we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus of Persia has commanded us."
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；	⁴Thereupon the people of the land set out to intimidate and dishearten the people of Judah so as 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。	⁵ They also suborned counselors to work against them and thwart their plans during the remaining years of Cyrus, king of Persia, and 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。	⁶Also at the beginning of the reign of Ahashuerus they prepared a written accusation 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。	⁷ Again, in the time of Artaxerxes, Mithredath wrote in concert with Tabeel and the rest of his fellow officials to Artaxerxes, king of Persia. The document was written in Aramaic and was accompanied by a translation. (Aramaic:)
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 Then Rehum, the governor, and Shimshai, the scribe, wrote the following letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes:
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，	⁹"Rehum, the governor, Shimshai, the scribe, and their fellow judges, officials, and agents from among the Persian, Urukian, Babylonian, Susian (that is Elamite),
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 the other peoples whom the great and illustrious Assurbanipal transported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in the province West-of-Euphrates, as follows. . . ."
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 that they sent to him: "To King Artaxerxes, your servants, the men of West-of-Euphrates, as follows:
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。	¹²Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have arrived at Jerusalem and are now rebuilding this rebellious and evil city. They are raising up its walls, and the foundations have already been laid.
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。	¹³Now let it be known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are raised up again, they will no longer pay taxes, tributes, or tolls; thus it can only result in harm to the throne.
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, since we partake of the salt of the palace, we ought not simply to look on while the king is being dishonored. Therefore we have sent this message to inform you, O 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。	¹⁵so that inquiry may be made in the historical records of your fathers. In the historical records you can discover and verify that this city is a rebellious city which has proved fatal to kings and provinces, and that sedition has been fostered there since ancient times. For that reason this city 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 inform you, O king, that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are raised up again, by that very fact you will no longer own any part of West-of-Euphrates."
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 sent this answer: "To Rehum, the governor, Shimshai, the scribe, and their fellow officials living in Samaria and elsewhere in the province West-of-Euphrates, greetings and the following:
¹⁸你們呈來的奏疏，已在我們前清楚誦讀了。	¹⁸The communication which you sent us has been read plainly 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。	¹⁹When at my command inquiry was made, it was verified that from ancient times this city has risen up against kings and that rebellion and sedition have been fostered 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。	²⁰Powerful kings were once in Jerusalem who ruled over all West-of-Euphrates, and taxes, tributes, and tolls were paid to them.
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。	²¹Give orders, therefore, that will stop the work of these men. This city may not be rebuilt until a further decree has been issued by me.
²²你們應注意，對此不可疏忽，免得損害加重，禍及君王。」	²²Take care that you do not neglect this matter, lest the evil grow to the detriment of the throne."
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。	²³As soon as a copy of King Artaxerxes' letter had been read before Rehum, the governor, Shimshai, the scribe, and their fellow officials, they went in all haste to the Jews in Jerusalem and stopped their work by force of arms.
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。	²⁴ Thus it was that the work on the house of God in Jerusalem was halted. This inaction lasted until the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia.