Ezra 1 1 Then the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, son of Iddo, began to prophesy to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel. 那时,有哈盖和依多的儿子匝加利亚二位先知,受感动奉以色列天主的名,劝勉在犹大和的犹太人。 2 Thereupon Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, son of Jozadak, began again to build the house of God in Jerusalem, with the prophets of God giving them support. 于是沙耳提耳的儿子则鲁巴贝耳,和约匝达克的儿子耶叔亚起来,下手修建耶路撒冷的天主殿宇;身边有天主的二位先知,鼓励人民。 3 At that time there came to them Tattenai, governor of West-of-Euphrates, and Shethar-bozenai, and their fellow officials, who asked of them: "Who issued the decree for you to build this house and raise this edifice? 当时,河西州长塔特乃和舍达波则乃,以及他们的同僚,来到他们那里,问他们说:"谁给了你们许可,建筑这殿,修理城墙呢? 4 What are the names of the men who are building this structure?" 5 But their God watched over the elders of the Jews so that they were not hindered, until a report could go to Darius and then a written order be sent back concerning this matter. 于是天主垂顾了犹大人的长老,没有让人限令他们停工,直到上书达理阿,有了关于此事的覆文。 6 A copy of the letter sent to King Darius by Tattenai, governor of West-of-Euphrates, and Shethar-bozenai, and their fellow officials from West-of-Euphrates; 以下是河西州长塔特乃和舍达波则乃,以及他们在河西的同僚官员,上呈达理阿王奏文的副本。 7 they sent him a report in which was written the following: "To King Darius, all good wishes! 他们向王所呈的奏文上这样写道:"达理阿陛下万安! 8 Let it be known to the king that we have visited the province of Judah and the house of the great God: it is being rebuilt of cut stone and the walls are being reinforced with timber; the work is being carried on diligently and is making good progress under their hands. 奉奏我大王,我们日前去过犹大省,到了伟大天主的殿宇那里,见那殿正在用一石块修建,墙上也在安放木板;这工程在他们手下,进行的非常快,又非常顺利。 9 We then questioned the elders, addressing to them the following words: 'Who issued the decree for you to build this house and raise this edifice?' 我们询问了那些长老,这样问他们说:谁给了你们许可修建这殿,打奠墙基? 10 We also asked them their names, to report them to you in a list of the men who are their leaders. 我们也询问了他们的名字,为奏知大王;所以我们能给陛下写出他们首领的名字。 11 This was their answer to us: ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house built here long years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished. 他们如此答覆我们说:我们是天地大主的仆人,重修多年以前所修建的殿宇,这殿是一位以色列伟大的君王所建筑完成的。 12 But because our fathers provoked the wrath of the God of heaven, he delivered them into the power of the Chaldean, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, who destroyed this house and led the people captive to Babylon. 但因为我们的祖先冒犯了上天的大主,他便把他们交在加色丁人巴比伦王拿步高手中,让他破坏了这座殿宇,将人民掳到巴比伦去。 13 However, in the first year of Cyrus, king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree for the rebuilding of this house of God. 然而,在巴比伦王居鲁士元年,居鲁士王颁发谕旨,令重建这座天主的殿宇。 14 Moreover, the gold and silver utensils of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and carried off to the temple in Babylon, King Cyrus ordered to be removed from the temple in Babylon and consigned to a certain Sheshbazzar, whom he named governor. 居鲁士王且把拿步高从耶路撒冷殿内,带到巴比伦殿的天主殿宇的金银器皿,从巴比伦殿拿出来,交给了一个名叫市巴匝的,并立他为省长, 15 And he commanded him: Take these utensils and deposit them in the temple of Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its former site. 向他说:你将这些器皿带去,安放在耶路撒冷的殿内,并将天主的殿宇,重建在原来的地方。 16 Then this same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem. Since that time the building has been going on, and it is not yet completed.' 于是这位舍市巴匝便来,安放了耶路撒冷的天主殿宇的基石;从那时修建至今,没有竣工。 17 Now, if it please the king, let a search be made in the royal archives of Babylon to discover whether a decree really was issued by King Cyrus for the rebuilding of this house of God in Jerusalem. And may the king's pleasure in this matter be communicated to us." 现在大王若以为好,就派人彻查大王在巴比伦的宝库,看看是否居鲁士王,曾对重建耶路撒冷的天主殿宇,颁发过谕令,并祈大王对此事给我们颁下圣旨。 Footnotes(注解) 1 [1] The prophets Haggai and Zechariah: two of the Minor Prophets, whose books record their role in the encouragement of this work. |