Ezra
Chapter 4
1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,
犹大和本雅明的敌人，一听说充军回来的子民，为上主以色列的天主修建殿宇，
2 they 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.＂
便来见则鲁巴贝耳、耶叔亚和族长，向他们说：＂让我们同你们一同建筑罢！因为我们同你们一样，求问你们的天主；从亚述王厄撒哈冬，将我们带到这里之日起，我们即向他献祭＂。
3 But 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.＂
但是，则鲁巴贝耳、耶叔亚和以色列的族长，回答他们说：＂你们不能同我们一起，给我们的天主修建殿宇，因为按波斯王居鲁士给我们出的命令，我们应单独给上主以色列的天主修建殿宇＂。
4 Thereupon the people of the land set out to intimidate and dishearten the people of Judah so as to keep them from building.
时便有当地人来挫折犹大人民的勇气，扰乱他们的建筑的工程；
5 1 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.
还买通了一些参议员，来反对反对他们，破坏他们的计划；整个波斯王居鲁士朝代，自始至终，直到波斯王达理阿朝代，常是如此。
6 Also at the beginning of the reign of Ahashuerus they prepared a written accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
在薛西斯朝代，在他登极之初，他们还写了诉状，控告犹大和耶路撒冷的居民。
7 2 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:)
阿塔薛西斯年间，彼舍蓝、米特达特、塔贝耳和其余的同僚，也曾上书于波斯王阿塔薛西斯；奏文是用阿刺美文字，也是用阿刺语言写的。
8 3 Then Rehum, the governor, and Shimshai, the scribe, wrote the following letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes:
以後，勒洪总督和史默秘书，为耶路撒冷事，也曾上书于阿塔薛西斯王，其文如下：──
9 ＂Rehum, the governor, Shimshai, the scribe, and their fellow judges, officials, and agents from among the Persian, Urukian, Babylonian, Susian (that is Elamite),
上书的是勒洪总督、史默瑟秘书和其余的同僚：即判官和钦差、波斯书记、厄勒客人。巴比伦人、叔商人即厄蓝人，
10 and 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. . . .＂
以及伟大和显贵的阿斯纳帕所遣来，安置在撒马黎雅城和河西其余地区的各民族。
11 This is a copy of the letter that they sent to him: ＂To King Artaxerxes, your servants, the men of West-of-Euphrates, as follows:
以下是送于王的奏文本：「你的臣仆，河西的人民上奏阿塔薛西斯王：
12 Let 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.
今上奏大王，前由大王那里上到我们这里来的犹太人，一到了那座作乱邪恶的耶路撒冷城，便大兴土木，修建城墙，现已打好基础。
13 Now 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.
今上奏大王，那城若的建成，城垣若是修完，他们便不再纳粮、出捐和完税了，如此於大王的国库必定有害。
14 Now, 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,
现今我们既食王家的盐，自不应坐视大王受害，为此我们上奏，禀告大王：
15 so 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.
请大王查阅先王记录，在记录上必会查出，从而知道这座城是座好乱的城，曾加害先王和各省；自古以来，其中常发生叛乱，故此才被毁灭。
16 We 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.＂
为此我们奏明大王：如果那城建成，墙垣筑完，从此大王便没有河西的版图＂。
17 The 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:
君王覆文如下：＂愿勒洪总督、史默秘书、以及其余住在撒马黎雅的官员，和河西其余的人民平安：
18 The communication which you sent us has been read plainly in my presence.
你们呈来的奏文，已在我们前清楚诵读了。
19 When 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.
我下命彻查，的确发现那座城，自古以来即违抗君王，其中常发生叛乱造反的事。
20 Powerful kings were once in Jerusalem who ruled over all West-of-Euphrates, and taxes, tributes, and tolls were paid to them.
先前曾有英武的君王，治理过耶路撒冷，统辖过整个河西之地，人都给他们纳粮、出捐和完税。
21 Give 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.
所以现在，你们应发一道命令，叫这些人停工，不准修城，直到我们另发谕令。
22 Take care that you do not neglect this matter, lest the evil grow to the detriment of the throne.＂
你们应注意，对此不可疏忽，免得捐害加重，祸及君王＂。
23 As 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.
当阿塔薛西斯王的覆文副本，在勒洪、史默瑟秘书和他们同僚前，诵读之後，这些人就急速前往耶路撒冷，来到犹太人那里，用威胁和武力迫使他们停工。
24 4 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.
于是耶路撒冷天主殿宇的工程，便停顿了，一直停到波斯王达理阿,在位第二年。
Previous Chapter Next Chapter
Footnotes（注解）
1 [5] Darius: Darius I (521-485 B.C.). The temple-building narrative continues in Ezra 4:24. In between (Ezra 4:6-23) is a series of notes about the opposition to the returned exiles voiced at the Persian court in the early fifth century B.C., after the temple had been reestablished.
2 [7] Aramaic: this word in the original text seems to be a note indicating a change of language from Hebrew to Aramaic, which in fact takes place here. The Aramaic section ends with Ezra 6:18 but again in Ezra 7:12-26 a royal letter is cited in Aramaic.
3 [8-23] The central question here is the rebuilding of the fortification walls of Jerusalem, not the building of the temple. The interruption of work on the city wall some time before 445 B.C. was the occasion for the coming of Nehemiah to Palestine (Nehemiah 1:1-4; 2:1-5). Artaxerxes: Artaxerxes I (464-423 B.C.).
4 [24] The second year . . . of Darius: that is, 520 B.C.; it marks the beginning of the successful restoration of the temple, which was accomplished within the five years following (Ezra 5:1-6:18).