Adversaries Hinder the Work

1  וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֔וּ (And heard) צָרֵ֥י (the adversaries) יְהוּדָ֖ה (of Judah) וּבִנְיָמִ֑ן (and Benjamin) כִּֽי־ (that) בְנֵ֤י (the sons) הַגּוֹלָה֙ (of the captivity) בּוֹנִ֣ים (were building) הֵיכָ֔ל (the temple) לַיהוָ֖ה (of YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֥י (God) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (of Israel), 2  וַיִּגְּשׁ֨וּ (and they came) אֶל־ (to) זְרֻבָּבֶ֜ל (Zerubbabel) וְאֶל־ (and) רָאשֵׁ֣י (the heads) הָֽאָב֗וֹת (of the fathers) וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ (and said) לָהֶם֙ (to them), נִבְנֶ֣ה (Let us build) עִמָּכֶ֔ם (with you⁺), כִּ֣י (for) כָכֶ֔ם (like you⁺) נִדְר֖וֹשׁ (we seek) לֵֽאלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם (your⁺ God), וְלֹא (and to Him) אֲנַ֣חְנוּ (we) זֹבְחִ֗ים (have sacrificed) מִימֵי֙ (since the days) אֵסַ֤ר (of Esar-) חַדֹּן֙ (haddon) מֶ֣לֶךְ (king) אַשּׁ֔וּר (of Assyria) הַמַּעֲלֶ֥ה (who brought up) אֹתָ֖נוּ (us) פֹּֽה׃ (here).

3  וַיֹּאמֶר֩ (And said) לָהֶ֨ם (to them) זְרֻבָּבֶ֜ל (Zerubbabel) וְיֵשׁ֗וּעַ (and Jeshua) וּשְׁאָ֨ר (and the rest) רָאשֵׁ֤י (of the heads) הָֽאָבוֹת֙ (of the fathers) לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel), לֹֽא־ (Nothing) לָ֣כֶם (to you⁺) וָלָ֔נוּ (and to us is) לִבְנ֥וֹת (to build) בַּ֖יִת (a house) לֵאלֹהֵ֑ינוּ (for our God), כִּי֩ (but) אֲנַ֨חְנוּ (we) יַ֜חַד (alone) נִבְנֶ֗ה (will build) לַֽיהוָה֙ (to YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֣י (God) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel), כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר (as) צִוָּ֔נוּ (has commanded us) הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (King) כּ֥וֹרֶשׁ (Cyrus) מֶֽלֶךְ־ (the king) פָּרָֽס׃ (of Persia).

4  וַיְהִי֙ (And it came to pass), עַם־ (the people) הָאָ֔רֶץ (of the land) מְרַפִּ֖ים (tried to make feeble) יְדֵ֣י (the hands) עַם־ (the people) יְהוּדָ֑ה (of Judah), וּמְבַלַהִים (and they troubled) אוֹתָ֖ם (them) לִבְנֽוֹת׃ (in building) 5  וְסֹכְרִ֧ים (and hired) עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם (against them) יוֹעֲצִ֖ים (counselors) לְהָפֵ֣ר (to frustrate) עֲצָתָ֑ם (their counsel) כָּל־ (all) יְמֵ֗י (the days) כּ֚וֹרֶשׁ (of Cyrus) מֶ֣לֶךְ (king) פָּרַ֔ס (of Persia), וְעַד־ (and until) מַלְכ֖וּת (the reign) דָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁ (of Darius) מֶֽלֶךְ־ (king) פָּרָֽס׃ (of Persia).

Opposition under Xerxes and Artaxerxes

6  וּבְמַלְכוּת֙ (And in the reign) אֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ (of Ahasuerus), בִּתְחִלַּ֖ת (in the beginning) מַלְכוּת֑וֹ (of his reign), כָּתְב֣וּ (they wrote) שִׂטְנָ֔ה (an accusation) עַל־ (against) יֹשְׁבֵ֥י (the dwellers) יְהוּדָ֖ה (of Judah) וִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ס (and Jerusalem).

7  וּבִימֵ֣י (And in the days) אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֗שְׂתָּא (of Artaxerxes) כָּתַ֨ב (wrote) בִּשְׁלָ֜ם (Bishlam), מִתְרְדָ֤ת (Mithredath), טָֽבְאֵל֙ (Tabel), וּשְׁאָ֣ר (and the rest) כְּנָוֹתוֹ (of his companions), עַל־ (to) אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתָּא (Artaxerxes) מֶ֣לֶךְ (king) פָּרָ֑ס (of Persia), וּכְתָב֙ (and) הַֽנִּשְׁתְּוָ֔ן (the letter) כָּת֥וּב (was written) אֲרָמִ֖ית (in Aramaic) וּמְתֻרְגָּ֥ם (and translated) אֲרָמִֽית׃פ (in Aramaic).

8  רְח֣וּם (Rehum) בְּעֵל־ (the owner) טְעֵ֗ם (of the command) וְשִׁמְשַׁי֙ (and Shimshai) סָֽפְרָ֔א (the scribe) כְּתַ֛בוּ (wrote) אִגְּרָ֥ה (letter) חֲדָ֖ה (one) עַל־ (against) יְרוּשְׁלֶ֑ם (Jerusalem) לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֥שְׂתְּא (to Artaxerxes) מַלְכָּ֖א (King) כְּנֵֽמָא׃ (thus):

9  אֱדַ֜יִן (Then) רְח֣וּם (Rehum) בְּעֵל־ (the owner) טְעֵ֗ם (of the command), וְשִׁמְשַׁי֙ (and Shimshai) סָֽפְרָ֔א (the scribe), וּשְׁאָ֖ר (and the rest) כְּנָוָתְה֑וֹן (of their companions), דִּ֠ינָיֵא (Dinaites), וַאֲפַרְסַתְכָיֵ֞א (and Apharsathchites), טַרְפְּלָיֵ֣א (Tarpelites), אֲפָֽרְסָיֵ֗א (Apharsites), אַרְכְּוָי (Archevites), בָבְלָיֵא֙ (Babylonians), שֽׁוּשַׁנְכָיֵ֔א (Susanchites) דִּהוּא (who are) עֵלְמָיֵֽא׃ (Elamite), 10  וּשְׁאָ֣ר (and the rest) אֻמַּיָּ֗א (of nations the) דִּ֤י (whom) הַגְלִי֙ (removed) אָסְנַפַּר֙ (Osnappar) רַבָּ֣א (the great) וְיַקִּירָ֔א (and honorable) וְהוֹתֵ֣ב (and settled) הִמּ֔וֹ (them) בְּקִרְיָ֖ה (in the city) דִּ֣י (of) שָׁמְרָ֑יִן (Samaria), וּשְׁאָ֥ר (and the remainder) עֲבַֽר־ (beyond) נַהֲרָ֖ה (the River), וּכְעֶֽנֶת׃ (and now).

11  דְּנָה֙ (This is) פַּרְשֶׁ֣גֶן (a copy) אִגַּרְתָּ֔א (of the letter) דִּ֚י (that) שְׁלַ֣חוּ (they sent) עֲל֔וֹהִי (to him):

עַל־ (To) אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֖שְׂתְּא (Artaxerxes) מַלְכָּ֑א (the king),

עַבְדָ֛יךְ (from your servants), אֱנָ֥שׁ (the men) עֲבַֽר־ (beyond) נַהֲרָ֖ה (the River), וּכְעֶֽנֶת׃פ (and now),

12  יְדִ֙יעַ֙ (known) לֶהֱוֵ֣א (be it) לְמַלְכָּ֔א (to the king) דִּ֣י (that) יְהוּדָיֵ֗א (the Jews) דִּ֤י (who) סְלִ֙קוּ֙ (came up) מִן־ (from) לְוָתָ֔ךְ (you) עֲלֶ֥ינָא (to us) אֲת֖וֹ (have come) לִירוּשְׁלֶ֑ם (to Jerusalem), קִרְיְתָ֨א (the city) מָֽרָדְתָּ֤א (rebellious) וּבִֽאישְׁתָּא֙ (and wicked) בָּנַ֔יִן (they are building), וְשׁוּרַיָּ (and its walls) אֲשַׁכְלְלוּ (they are finishing), וְאֻשַּׁיָּ֖א (and the foundations) יַחִֽיטוּ׃ (they are repairing).

13  כְּעַ֗ן (Now) יְדִ֙יעַ֙ (known) לֶהֱוֵ֣א (be it) לְמַלְכָּ֔א (to the king) דִּ֠י (that) הֵ֣ן (if) קִרְיְתָ֥א (city) דָךְ֙ (this) תִּתְבְּנֵ֔א (is built) וְשׁוּרַיָּ֖ה (and the walls) יִֽשְׁתַּכְלְל֑וּן (are completed), מִנְדָּֽה־ (tax), בְל֤וֹ (tribute), וַהֲלָךְ֙ (and custom) לָ֣א (not) יִנְתְּנ֔וּן (they will pay), וְאַפְּתֹ֥ם (and the treasury) מַלְכִ֖ים (of king) תְּהַנְזִֽק׃ (will be diminished).

14  כְּעַ֗ן (Now) כָּל־ (all) קֳבֵל֙ (according to) דִּֽי־ (that) מְלַ֤ח (the salt) הֵֽיכְלָא֙ (of the palace), מְלַ֔חְנָא (is our salt) וְעַרְוַ֣ת (and the nakedness), מַלְכָּ֔א (of the king) לָ֥א (not) אֲ‍ֽרִֽיךְ (it was proper) לַ֖נָא (for us) לְמֶֽחֱזֵ֑א (to see), עַ֨ל־ (on account) דְּנָ֔ה (of this) שְׁלַ֖חְנָא (we have sent) וְהוֹדַ֥עְנָא (and informed) לְמַלְכָּֽא׃ (the king), 15  דִּ֡י (that) יְבַקַּר֩ (he may search) בִּֽסְפַר־ (in the book) דָּכְרָ֨נַיָּ֜א (of the records) דִּ֣י (of) אֲבָהָתָ֗ךְ (your fathers). וּ֠תְהַשְׁכַּח (And you will find) בִּסְפַ֣ר (in the book) דָּכְרָנַיָּא֮ (of the records), וְתִנְדַּע֒ (and you will know) דִּי֩ (that) קִרְיְתָ֨א (city) דָ֜ךְ (this is) קִרְיָ֣א (a city) מָֽרָדָ֗א (rebellious) וּֽמְהַנְזְקַ֤ת (and causing loss) מַלְכִין֙ (to kings) וּמְדִנָ֔ן (and provinces), וְאֶשְׁתַּדּוּר֙ (that sedition) עָבְדִ֣ין (they have incited) בְּגַוַּ֔הּ (within the city) מִן־ (from) יוֹמָ֖ת (the days) עָלְמָ֑א (of old). עַ֨ל־ (On account) דְּנָ֔ה (of this), קִרְיְתָ֥א (city) דָ֖ךְ (this) הָֽחָרְבַֽת׃ (was destroyed).

16  מְהוֹדְעִ֤ין (Are making known) אֲנַ֙חְנָה֙ (we) לְמַלְכָּ֔א (to the king) דִּ֠י (that) הֵ֣ן (if) קִרְיְתָ֥א (city) דָךְ֙ (this) תִּתְבְּנֵ֔א (is rebuilt) וְשׁוּרַיָּ֖ה (and its walls) יִֽשְׁתַּכְלְל֑וּן (are completed), לָקֳבֵ֣ל (upon) דְּנָ֔ה (this), חֲלָק֙ (dominion) בַּעֲבַ֣ר (beyond) נַהֲרָ֔א (the River) לָ֥א (no) אִיתַ֖י (is) לָֽךְ׃פ (unto you).

The Decree of Artaxerxes

17  פִּתְגָמָ֞א (An answer) שְׁלַ֣ח (sent) מַלְכָּ֗א (the king):

עַל־ (To) רְח֤וּם (Rehum) בְּעֵל־ (the owner) טְעֵם֙ (of the command), וְשִׁמְשַׁ֣י (and to Shimshai) סָֽפְרָ֔א (the scribe), וּשְׁאָר֙ (and to the rest) כְּנָוָ֣תְה֔וֹן (of their companions) דִּ֥י (who) יָתְבִ֖ין (dwell) בְּשָֽׁמְרָ֑יִן (in Samaria) וּשְׁאָ֧ר (and the remainder) עֲבַֽר־ (beyond) נַהֲרָ֛ה (the River),

שְׁלָ֖ם (Peace),

וּכְעֶֽת׃ס (and now). 18  נִשְׁתְּוָנָ֕א (The letter) דִּ֥י (that) שְׁלַחְתּ֖וּן (you⁺ sent) עֲלֶ֑ינָא (to us) מְפָרַ֥שׁ (clearly) קֱרִ֖י (has been read) קָדָמָֽי׃ (before me). 19  וּמִנִּי֮ (And I) שִׂ֣ים (made) טְעֵם֒ (a decree), וּבַקַּ֣רוּ (and a search has been made), וְהַשְׁכַּ֔חוּ (and it was found) דִּ֚י (that) קִרְיְתָ֣א (city) דָ֔ךְ (this) מִן־ (in) יוֹמָת֙ (times) עָֽלְמָ֔א (former) עַל־ (against) מַלְכִ֖ין (kings) מִֽתְנַשְּׂאָ֑ה (has revolted), וּמְרַ֥ד (and rebellion) וְאֶשְׁתַּדּ֖וּר (and sedition) מִתְעֲבֶד־ (have been made) בַּֽהּ׃ (in it). 20  וּמַלְכִ֣ין (And kings) תַּקִּיפִ֗ין (mighty) הֲווֹ֙ (there have been) עַל־ (over) יְר֣וּשְׁלֶ֔ם (Jerusalem), וְשַׁ֨לִּיטִ֔ין (and who have ruled) בְּכֹ֖ל (over all) עֲבַ֣ר (beyond) נַהֲרָ֑ה (the River); וּמִדָּ֥ה (and tax), בְל֛וֹ (tribute), וַהֲלָ֖ךְ (and custom) מִתְיְהֵ֥ב (were paid) לְהֽוֹן׃ (to them).

21  כְּעַן֙ (Now) שִׂ֣ימוּ (give) טְּעֵ֔ם (the command) לְבַטָּלָ֖א (to make cease) גֻּבְרַיָּ֣א (men) אִלֵּ֑ךְ (these), וְקִרְיְתָ֥א (that city) דָךְ֙ (this) לָ֣א (not) תִתְבְּנֵ֔א (may be built) עַד־ (until) מִנִּ֖י (by me) טַעְמָ֥א (a decree) יִתְּשָֽׂם׃ (is made). 22  וּזְהִירִ֥ין (And heed) הֱו֛וֹ (take) שָׁל֖וּ (of negligence) לְמֶעְבַּ֣ד (to do) עַל־ (upon) דְּנָ֑ה (this). לְמָה֙ (Why) יִשְׂגֵּ֣א (should become great) חֲבָלָ֔א (the damage). לְהַנְזָקַ֖ת (To the harm) מַלְכִֽין׃ס (of the kings)?

23  אֱדַ֗יִן (Then) מִן־ (from) דִּ֞י (the time that) פַּרְשֶׁ֤גֶן (the copy) נִשְׁתְּוָנָא֙ (of letter) דִּ֚י (that) אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתָּא (Artaxerxes) מַלְכָּ֔א (King) קֱרִ֧י (was read) קֳדָם־ (before) רְח֛וּם (Rehum) וְשִׁמְשַׁ֥י (and Shimshai) סָפְרָ֖א (the scribe) וּכְנָוָתְה֑וֹן (and their companions), אֲזַ֨לוּ (they went up) בִבְהִיל֤וּ (in haste) לִירֽוּשְׁלֶם֙ (to Jerusalem) עַל־ (against) יְה֣וּדָיֵ֔א (Jews), וּבַטִּ֥לוּ (and made cease) הִמּ֖וֹ (them) בְּאֶדְרָ֥ע (by force) וְחָֽיִל׃ס (and strength).

24  בֵּאדַ֗יִן (Then) בְּטֵלַת֙ (ceased) עֲבִידַ֣ת (the work) בֵּית־ (of the house) אֱלָהָ֔א (of God) דִּ֖י (that is) בִּירוּשְׁלֶ֑ם (in Jerusalem). וַהֲוָת֙ (And it) בָּֽטְלָ֔א (was discontinued) עַ֚ד (until) שְׁנַ֣ת (year) תַּרְתֵּ֔ין (the second) לְמַלְכ֖וּת (of the reign) דָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁ (of Darius) מֶֽלֶךְ־ (king) פָּרָֽס׃פ (of Persia).