Liber Esdrae, 7

1. Post haec autem in regno Arta xerxis regis Persarum, Esdras fi lius Saraiae filii Azariae filii Helciae

1. Now after this, in the reign of Ar-ta-xerx'es king of Persia, Ezra the son of Serai'ah, son of Azari'ah, son of Hilki'ah,

2. filii Sellum filii Sadoc filii Achitob

2. son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahi'tub,

3. filii Amariae filii Azariae filii Meraioth

3. son of Amari'ah, son of Azari'ah, son of Merai'oth,

4. filii Zaraiae filii Ozi filii Bocci

4. son of Zerahi'ah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,

5. filii Abisue filii Phinees filii Eleazar filii Aaron summi sacerdotis,

5. son of Abi'shu-a, son of Phin'ehas, son of Elea'zar, son of Aaron the chief priest --

6. ipse Esdras ascendit de Babylone et ipse scriba velox in lege Moysi, quam dedit Dominus, Deus Israel. Cumque manus Domini Dei eius esset super eum, dedit ei rex omnem petitionem eius.

6. this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses which the LORD the God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.

7. Et ascenderunt de filiis Israel et de filiis sacerdotum et de filiis Levitarum et de cantoribus et de ianitoribus et de oblatis in Ierusalem, anno septimo Artaxerxis regis.

7. And there went up also to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Ar-ta-xerx'es the king, some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests and Levites, the singers and gatekeepers, and the temple servants.

8. Venit in Ierusalem mense quinto, ipse est annus septimus regis.

8. And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king;

9. In primo die mensis primi coepit ascendere de Babylone et in primo die mensis quinti venit in Ierusalem, iuxta manum Dei sui bonam super se.

9. for on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was upon him.

10. Esdras enim applicavit cor suum, ut investigaret et impleret legem Domini et faceret et doceret in Israel praeceptum et iudicium.

10. For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach his statutes and ordinances in Israel.

11. Hoc est autem exemplar epistulae, quam dedit rex Artaxerxes Esdrae sacerdoti, scribae erudito in mandatis Domini et praeceptis eius in Israel.

11. This is a copy of the letter which King Ar-ta-xerx'es gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, learned in matters of the commandments of the LORD and his statutes for Israel:

12. “Artaxerxes rex regum Esdrae sacerdoti, scribae legis Dei caeli, salutem.

12. "Ar-ta-xerx'es, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven. And now

13. A me decretum est, ut cuicumque placuerit in regno meo de populo Israel et de sacerdotibus eius et de Levitis ire in Ierusalem, tecum vadat.

13. I make a decree that any one of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom, who freely offers to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.

14. A facie enim regis et septem consiliatorum eius missus es, ut visites Iudaeam et Ierusalem secundum legem Dei tui, quae est in manu tua,

14. For you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God, which is in your hand,

15. et ut feras argentum et aurum, quod rex et consiliatores eius sponte obtulerunt Deo Israel, cuius in Ierusalem tabernaculum est.

15. and also to convey the silver and gold which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,

16. Et omne argentum et aurum, quodcumque inveneris in universa provincia Babylonis simul cum oblationibus sponte oblatis a populo et a sacerdotibus pro domo Dei sui, quae est in Ierusalem,

16. with all the silver and gold which you shall find in the whole province of Babylonia, and with the freewill offerings of the people and the priests, vowed willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem.

17. igitur studiose eme de hac pecunia boves, arietes, agnos et oblationes et libamina eorum et offer ea super altare templi Dei vestri, quod est in Ierusalem.

17. With this money, then, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their cereal offerings and their drink offerings, and you shall offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

18. Sed et, si quid tibi et fratribus tuis placuerit de reliquo argento et auro ut faciatis iuxta voluntatem Dei vestri, facite.

18. Whatever seems good to you and your brethren to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do, according to the will of your God.

19. Vasa quoque, quae dantur tibi in ministerium domus Dei tui, trade in conspectu Dei in Ierusalem.

19. The vessels that have been given you for the service of the house of your God, you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem.

20. Sed et cetera, quibus opus fuerit in domum Dei tui, quantumcumque necesse est ut expendas, dabitur ab aerario regis.

20. And whatever else is required for the house of your God, which you have occasion to provide, you may provide it out of the king's treasury.

21. Et ego Artaxerxes rex statui atque decrevi omnibus custodibus arcae publicae, qui sunt trans flumen, ut quodcumque petierit a vobis Esdras sacerdos, scriba legis Dei caeli, absque mora detis

21. "And I, Ar-ta-xerx'es the king, make a decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, be it done with all diligence,

22. usque ad argenti talenta centum et usque ad frumenti coros centum et usque ad vini batos centum et usque ad batos olei centum; sal vero absque mensura.

22. up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

23. Omne, quod requirit Deus caeli, tribuatur diligenter in domo Dei caeli, ne forte irascatur contra regnum regis et filiorum eius.

23. Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done in full for the house of the God of heaven, lest his wrath be against the realm of the king and his sons.

24. Vobis quoque notum facimus de universis sacerdotibus et Levitis et cantoribus et ianitoribus, oblatis et ministris domus Dei huius, ut tributum et annonas et vectigal non habeatis potestatem imponendi super eos.

24. We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll upon any one of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

25. Tu autem, Esdra, secundum sapientiam Dei tui, quae est in manu tua, constitue praesides et iudices, ut iudicent omni populo, qui est trans flumen, his videlicet, qui noverunt legem Dei tui; sed et imperitos docete.

25. "And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God; and those who do not know them, you shall teach.

26. Et omnis, qui non fecerit legem Dei tui et legem regis diligenter, iudicium erit de eo, sive in mortem sive in exsilium sive in damnum substantiae eius vel certe in carcerem”.

26. Whoever will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed upon him, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of his goods or for imprisonment."

27. Benedictus Dominus, Deus patrum nostrorum, qui dedit hoc in corde regis, ut glorificaret domum Domini, quae est in Ierusalem,

27. Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem,

28. et in me inclinavit misericordiam regis et consiliariorum eius et cunctorum principum eius potentium. Et ego confortatus manu Domini Dei mei, quae erat in me, congregavi de Israel principes, qui ascenderent mecum.

28. and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.