en_wyc2014 - 1Ez 4 - Ozzuu Bible

¹ And the enemies of Judah and of Benjamin heard, that the sons of (the) captivity builded a temple to the Lord God of Israel;

² and they came to Zerubbabel, and to the princes of (the) fathers, and said to them, Build we with you, for so as ye do, we seek your God (and they came to Zerubbabel, and to the leaders of the families, and said to them, Let us build with you, for we seek your God, as ye do); lo! we have offered sacrifices (to him) from the days of Esarhaddon, king of Assur, that brought us hither into this land.

³ And Zerubbabel, and Joshua, and the other princes of the fathers of Israel, said to them, It is not to us and to you, that we build an house to our God; but we us-selves alone shall build an house to the Lord our God, as Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us. (And Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the other leaders of the families of the tribes of Israel, said to them, It is of no concern to thee, that we build a House for our God; yea, we shall build by ourselves the House for the Lord our God, as Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.)

⁴ And it was done, that the people of the land hindered the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building. (And then it was done, that the people of the land hindered the hands of the people of Judah, and made them afraid to continue building.)

⁵ And they hired counsellors against the Jews, that they should destroy the counsel, or purpose, of the Jews, in all the days of Cyrus, king of Persia, and unto the realm of Darius, king of Persia. (And they bribed court officials to work against the Jews, in all the days of Cyrus, the king of Persia, and into the reign of Darius, the king of Persia.)

⁶ And in the realm of Ahasuerus, he is (also) called Artaxerxes, in the beginning of his realm, they writed accusing against the dwellers of Judah and of Jerusalem; (And then in the kingdom of Ahasuerus, who is also called Artaxerxes, at the beginning of his reign, they wrote accusations against the inhabitants of Judah and of Jerusalem;)

⁷ and in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam wrote, and Mithredath, and Tabeel, and others, that were in the counsel of them, to Artaxerxes, king of Persia. And the epistle of accusing was written in the language of Syria, and it was read in the word of Syria. (yea, in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, and Mithredath, and Tabeel, and their counsellors, or their officials, wrote to Artaxerxes, the king of Persia. And their letter of accusation was written in the Aramaic language, and it was read aloud in Aramaic.)

⁸ Rehum, B’el T’em, and Shimshai, the scribe, wrote such an epistle from Jerusalem to king Artaxerxes, [on this manner]; (And Rehum, the chancellor, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, also wrote a letter from Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes, in this manner;)

⁹ Rehum, B’el T’em, and Shimshai, the scribe, and [the] other counsellors of them (From Rehum, the chancellor, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, and their counsellors, or their officials), (the) Dinaites, Apharsathchites, and Tarpelites, Apharistes, Archevites, men of Babylon, Susanchites, Dehavites, (and) men of Elam,

¹⁰ and others of heathen men, which the great and glorious Asnapper translated, and made them to dwell in the cities of Samaria, and in other countries beyond the flood, in peace. (and others of the heathen, whom the great and glorious Asnapper carried off captive, and made them live in the cities of Samaria, and in other places in the province west of the Euphrates River, peace to you.)

¹¹ This is the exemplar of the epistle, that they sent to the king. To Artaxerxes, king, thy servants, men beyond the flood, say health to thee. (This is the text of the letter that they sent to the king. To King Artaxeres, from thy servants, we men here in the province west of the Euphrates River, who desire good health and prosperity for thee.)

¹² Be it known to the king, that the Jews, which went up from thee, be come to us in Jerusalem, a rebel and full evil city, which they build (again), and they make the ground walls thereof, and they array the walls above. (Be it known to the king, that the Jews, who left thee, have come to us here in Jerusalem, yea, a rebellious and very evil city, which they now rebuild, and they have laid the foundations, and now raise up the walls on top of them.)

¹³ Now therefore be it known to the king, that if that city be builded (again), and the walls thereof be restored, they shall not give tribute, and toll, and annual rents, and this trespass, or harm, shall come to the king. (And so now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt, and its walls be restored, then they will not pay tribute, or taxes, or tolls, or annual rents, and that this harm shall come to the king.)

¹⁴ Therefore we be mindful of the salt, that is, of meats made savory with salt, that we ate in thy palace, and for we held it unleaveful to see the harms of the king (and for we found it unacceptable to see the king harmed in any way), therefore we have sent and told (this) to the king;

¹⁵ that thou account (for) and seek in the books of [the] stories of thy fathers, and thou shalt find (it) written in (the) chronicles, and (then) thou shalt know, that that city Jerusalem is a rebel city, and that it harmeth kings and provinces, and that battles be raised therein of eld days; wherefore also that city was destroyed. (and that if thou search in the books of the stories of thy fathers, thou shalt find it written in The Chronicles, and then thou shalt know, that this city Jerusalem hath long been a rebellious city, and that it harmeth kings and provinces, and that battles be raised up there from days of old, or the olden days; and for that reason the city was destroyed.)

¹⁶ We tell to the king, that if that city be builded (again), and the walls thereof be restored, thou shalt not have possession beyond the flood. (We say to the king, that if that city is rebuilt, and its walls be restored, then thou shalt not have power, or authority, in the province west of the Euphrates River.)

¹⁷ The king sent word to Rehum, B’el T’em, and to Shimshai, the scribe, and to others that were in the counsel of them, to the dwellers of Samaria, and to others beyond the flood, and said, Health and peace. (And the king sent word by a letter, saying, To Rehum, the chancellor, and to Shimshai, the provincial secretary, and to their counsellors, or to their officials, who be inhabitants of Samaria, and to the others who live throughout the province west of the Euphrates River, health and peace to all of you.)

¹⁸ The accusing (The accusation), which ye sent to us, was read openly before me;

¹⁹ and it was commanded of me, and they reckoned, and they found, that that city rebelleth of eld days against kings, and dissensions and battles be raised therein; (and I commanded that they search in The Chronicles, and indeed they found, that that city in days of old rebelled against kings, and dissensions and battles were raised up there;)

²⁰ for why there were in Jerusalem full strong kings, which also were lords of all the country that is beyond the flood; also those kings took tribute, and toll, and rents. (for there were very strong kings in Jerusalem, who were also lords of all the province that is west of the Euphrates River; and those kings took tribute, or taxes, and tolls, and rents.)

²¹ Now therefore hear ye the sentence, that ye forbid those men to build, and that that city be not builded (again), till if peradventure it be commanded of me. (And so now listen ye to my decree, which is, that ye forbid those men to continue to build, and that that city not be rebuilt, unless, and until, I command it to be done.)

²² See ye, that this behest be not fulfilled negligently, and evil increase little and little against (the) kings. (See ye, that this command be not carelessly fulfilled, for then evil would increase little by little against the king.)

²³ Therefore the exemplar of the commandment of king Artaxerxes was read before Rehum, B’el T’em, and Shimshai, the scribe, and their counsellors; and they went in haste into Jerusalem to the Jews, and they forbade them to build, with arm and might. (And so when the text of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, the chancellor, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, and their counsellors, or their officials, they went in haste to the Jews in Jerusalem, and with might and arms, or weapons, they forbade them to continue building.)

²⁴ Then the work of God’s house in Jerusalem was left [off], and it was not made till to the second year of the realm of Darius, king of Persia. (And so the work on the House of God in Jerusalem was stopped, and it was not started again until the second year of the reign of Darius, the king of Persia.)

¹ And the next follower began to say [or And the follower began to say], that said of the strength of a king,

² O men! whether men be not (sur)passingly strong, the which hold land and sea, and all things that be in them?

³ The king forsooth (sur)passeth above all things, and he hath lordship of them, and they do all thing(s), whatever he will say to them. [The king forsooth over all things passeth, and hath lordship of them, and all thing, whatever he shall say to them, they do.]

⁴ And if he send them to fighters, they go, and destroy hills, and walls, and towers;

⁵ they be slain and slay, and they pass not the word of the king; for if they overcome, they bring to the king all things, whatever things they have spoiled evermore, and all other things.

⁶ And how many ever (or however many) bear not knighthood, nor fight, but ere (or plow) the land, again when they shall reap, they bring tributes to the king.

⁷ And (yet) he is (but) one (man) alone; and if he bid to slay, they slay; and if he bid them to forgive, they forgive; [And he one alone; and if he say to slay, they slay; and if he say to forgive, they forgive;]

⁸ and if he say them to smite [or and if he say to smite], they smite; if he say to outlaw, they outlaw; if he bid them to build, they build;

⁹ if he bid to throw down, they throw adown; if he bid to plant, they plant;

¹⁰ and all (the) folk and virtues (or hosts) obeish (or obey) to him; and over all these things he shall sit, and drink, and sleep.

¹¹ These forsooth keep him about [or These forsooth in environ keep him], and may not go each one (or be not able to go each one), and do their own works, but in his word men obeish (or obey) to him.

¹² What manner wise (sur)passeth not the king before others, that thus is loosed? And he held his peace.

¹³ The third, that had said of women, and of truth; this is said (or he was called) Zerubbabel; he began to speak,

¹⁴ O men! the king is not great, neither many other men, nor wine (sur)passeth before; who is it then that hath lordship of them?

¹⁵ Whether not women, that have (be)gotten kings, and all the people, the which kings have lordship both of (the) sea and of (the) land, and of women they be born? [Whether not women begat the king, and all the people, that lordship to the sea, and to the earth, and of them be borne?]

¹⁶ And they brought forth them that planted vines, of the which wine is made.

¹⁷ And they make the stoles, or long clothes, of all men, and they do glory to men, and men may not or be not able to be severed from women.

¹⁸ If they gather together gold and silver, and all fair thing, and see a woman in good(ly) array, and in good fairness,

¹⁹ they, forsaking all these things [or all these things forsaking], take heed to her, and the mouth opened, they behold her, and they draw more to her than to gold and [or] silver, or any precious thing.

²⁰ A man shall forsake his father, that nourished him, and his own land, and to a woman he joineth him(self) together,

²¹ and with a woman he liveth his life, and neither remembereth father, nor mother, nor the land of his birth.

²² And therefore it behooveth us to know, that women have lordship of us. Whether ye sorrow not? [or Whether sorrow ye not?]

²³ And also a man taketh his sword, and goeth in the way to do thefts, and manslaughters, and to sail over the sea, and over floods (or on rivers);

²⁴ and he seeth a lion, and he goeth in darknesses; and when he hath done his theft, and guiles, and ravens, he bringeth it to his lief (or to his love).

²⁵ And again a man loveth his wife more than father or mother;

²⁶ and many men be made mad for their wives, and many be made thralls for them;

²⁷ and many perished, and were strangled, and many have sinned for women. [and many perished, and be strangled, and sinned, for women.]

²⁸ And now (be)leiveth me; forsooth a king is great, and his power [or for great is the king in his power], for all regions, or kingdoms about, be afeared to touch him.

²⁹ I saw neverthelater (or nevertheless) Apame, the daughter of Bartacus, the wonderful man [or the daughter of (the) wonderful man Bartacus], the secondary wife (or the concubine) of the king, sitting beside the king at the right side;

³⁰ and taking away the diadem (or the crown) from his head, and putting it on herself, and with the palm of her left hand she smote the king. [and taking away the diadem from his head, and putting onto herself, and with hands she smote the king of (or with) the left hand.]

³¹ And over these things, the mouth opened, he beheld her, and if she laugh to (or at) him, he laughed, and if she were wroth to him, he glosseth (or he flattereth), or pleaseth, unto the time that he be reconciled [in]to grace.

³² O men! why be not women strongest? Great is the earth, and heaven is high, that do these things. [O men! why be not women strongest? Great is the earth, and high is heaven, that these things do.]

³³ Then the king and the purpled men beheld either into (the) other; and he began to speak of truth.

³⁴ O men! whether women be not strong? Great is the earth, and heaven is high, and the course of the sun is swift; it is turned in the compass of heaven, and again it runneth again into the same place in a day. [O men! whether strong be not women? Great is the earth, and high is heaven, and swift is the course of the sun; it is turned in the compass of heaven, and again it runneth again into the same place (in) one day.]

³⁵ Whether he is not a great doer, that maketh these things? and truth great, and stronger before all things?

³⁶ All (the) earth calleth inwardly (the) truth, also it blesseth heaven, and all works be moved and dread it; and there is no wicked thing with it. [All earth truth inwardly calleth, heaven also it blesseth, and all works be moved and dread it; and there is not with it anything wicked.]

³⁷ (A) Wicked king, and wicked women, and all the sons of men be wicked, [or and wicked (be) all the works of them], and there is not truth in them, and in their wickedness they shall perish;

³⁸ and truth dwelleth, and waxeth into without end, and it liveth, and wieldeth, into worlds of worlds (or forevermore).

³⁹ It is not with truth to out-take (or to accept) persons, and differences (or It is not with truth to show favouritism, or partiality); but it doeth those things that be rightful [or rightwise], to all unrightwise and evil men; and all men be made benign in his works.

⁴⁰ And there is not wickedness in his doom [or And there is not in his doom wickedness], but there is strength, and realm, and power, and majesty of all (en)durings above time. Blessed be the God of truth!

⁴¹ And then he left (off) in speaking. And all the peoples cried, and said, Great is truth, and it (sur)passeth before all others.

⁴² Then the king said to him, Ask, if thou wilt, anything moreover, than there be written, and I shall give (it) to thee, after that thou art found (the) wiser; and next to me thou shalt sit, and thou shalt be called my cousin.

⁴³ Then said he to the king, Be thou mindful of the vow, that thou vowedest, to build up Jerusalem, in the day in which thou took the realm; [Then he saith to the king, Be thou mindful of the vow, that thou vowedest, to build Jerusalem, in the day that thou took the realm;]

⁴⁴ and to send again (or away) all the vessels, that be taken from Jerusalem, the which Cyrus parted (or set apart), when he slew Babylon, and would send again those things thither.

⁴⁵ And thou wouldest build up the temple, that Idumeans burned (up), for Judea is put out of their terms, or marches, of the Chaldeans. (And thou wouldest rebuild the Temple, that the Edomites burned up, when Judea was destroyed by the Chaldeans.)

⁴⁶ And now, lord, this it is that I ask, and that I bid; this is the majesty that I ask of thee, that thou do the vow that thou vowedest to the King of heaven, of (or with) thy mouth.

⁴⁷ Then Darius, the king, rising kissed him, and wrote epistles to all the dispensators, and prefects, and to men clothed in purple, that they should lead him forth, and them that were with him, all wending up [or all going up] to build Jerusalem.

⁴⁸ And to all the prefects that were in (Celo)Syria and Phenice (or in Greater Syria and Phoenicia), and (in) Lebanon, he wrote epistles, that they should draw (up) cedar trees from the hill Lebanon into Jerusalem, (and) that they build up the city with them.

⁴⁹ And he wrote to all the Jews, that went up from the realm in(to) Judea, for freedom, that any man of power, or master judge, and prefect, should not come over to the gates of them,

⁵⁰ and each region, that they had hold (of), to be free from them; and that Idumeans leave up [or left] the castles of Jews, that they withheld (and that the Edomites should let go of the towns of the Jews, that they held),

⁵¹ and to give year by year twenty talents, into (the) making of the temple, unto the time that it be full(y) builded;

⁵² and each day to offer hosts upon the place of sacred things (or the altar), as they be commanded; to offer, by all years, (an)other ten talents; [and to offer hosts each day upon the place of sacred things, as they have behested; other ten talents to offer by all years;]

⁵³ and to all men, that go forth from Babylon, to make the city, as freedom were, both to them, and to the sons of them, and to [all] the priests that go before.

⁵⁴ Forsooth also he wrote the quantity; and he commanded the sacred stole(s), or vestment(s), to be given, in which they should serve;

⁵⁵ and he wrote (the) wages to be given to the deacons [or to the Levites], unto the day that the house should be fully ended (or until the day that the Temple was finished), and Jerusalem made out;

⁵⁶ and he wrote to all men keeping the city, to give to the builders lots and wages. [and to all men keeping the city he wrote, to give to them lots and wages.]

⁵⁷ And he left (for) them (or he let go to them) all the vessels, that Cyrus has parted (or had set apart) from Babylon; and all things, whatever Cyrus said, he commanded it to be done, and to be sent to Jerusalem.

⁵⁸ And when that young man had gone forth, raising his face toward Jerusalem, he blessed the King of heaven,

⁵⁹ and said, Of thee, Lord, is victory, and of thee is wisdom, and clearness (or glory), and I am thy servant.

⁶⁰ Thou art blessed [or Blessed thou art], for thou hast given to me wisdom, and I acknowledge to thee, Lord of our fathers.

⁶¹ And he took the epistles, or (the) letters, and went forth into Babylon; and he came, and told to all his brethren, that were in Babylon.

⁶² And they blessed the God of their fathers, that gave to them forgiveness and refreshing,

⁶³ that they should go up [or that they go up], and build Jerusalem, and the temple, where his name is named in it; and they joyed [full out] with musics and with gladness (for) seven days.