Liber Esdrae, 5

1. prophetaverunt autem Aggeus propheta et Zaccharias filius Addo prophetantes ad Judæos qui erant in Judæa et Hierusalem in nomine Dei Israël

1. Now Aggeus the prophet, and Zacharias the son of Addo, prophesied to the Jews that were in Judea and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel.

2. tunc surrexerunt Zorobabel filius Salathihel et Josue filius Josedech et cœperunt ædificare templum Dei in Hierusalem et cum eis prophetæ Dei adiuvantes eos

2. Then rose up Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, and Josue the son of Josedec, and began to build the temple of God in Jerusalem, and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

3. in ipso tempore venit ad eos Tatannai qui erat dux trans Flumen et Starbuzannai et consiliarii eorum sicque dixerunt eis quis dedit vobis consilium ut domum hanc ædificaretis et muros hos instauraretis

3. And at the same time came to them Thathanai, who was governor beyond the river, and Stharbuzanai, and their counsellors: and said thus to them: Who hath given you counsel to build this house, and to repair the walls thereof?

4. ad quod respondimus eis quæ essent nomina hominum auctorum illius ædificationis

4. In answer to which we gave them the names of the men who were the promoters of that building.

5. oculus autem Dei eorum factus est super senes Judæorum et non potuerunt inhibere eos placuitque ut res ad Darium referretur et tunc satisfacerent adversus accusationem illam

5. But the eye of their God was upon the ancients of the Jews, and they could not hinder them. And it was agreed that the matter should be referred to Darius, and then they should give satisfaction concerning that accusation.

6. exemplar epistulæ quam misit Tatannai dux regionis trans Flumen et Starbuzannai et consiliatores ejus Apharsacei qui erant trans Flumen ad Darium regem

6. The copy of the letter that Thathanai governor of the country beyond the river, and Stharbuzanai, and his counsellors the Arphasachites, who dwelt beyond the river, sent to Darius the king.

7. sermo quem miserant ei sic scriptus erat Dario regi pax omnis

7. The letter which they sent him, was written thus: To Darius the king all peace.

8. notum sit regi isse nos ad Judæam provinciam ad domum Dei magni quæ ædificatur lapide inpolito et ligna ponuntur in parietibus opusque illud diligenter extruitur et crescit in manibus eorum

8. Be it known to the king, that we went to the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which they are building with unpolished stones, and timber is laid in the walls: and this work is carried on diligently, and advanceth in their hands.

9. interrogavimus ergo senes illos et ita diximus eis quis dedit vobis potestatem ut domum hanc ædificaretis et muros instauraretis

9. And we asked those ancients, and said to them thus: Who hath given you authority to build this house, and to repair these walls?

10. sed et nomina eorum quæsivimus ab eis ut nuntiaremus tibi quæ scripsimus nomina virorum qui sunt principes in eis

10. We asked also of them their names, that we might give thee notice: and we have written the names of the men that are the chief among them.

11. hujuscemodi autem sermonem responderunt nobis dicentes nos sumus servi Dei cæli et terræ et ædificamus templum quod erat extructum ante hos annos multos quodque rex Israël magnus ædificaverat et extruxerat

11. And they answered us in these words, saying: We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are building a temple that was built these many years ago, and which a great king of Israel built and set up.

12. postquam autem ad iracundiam provocaverunt patres nostri Deum cæli et tradidit eos in manu Nabuchodonosor regis Babylonis Chaldei domum quoque hanc destruxit et populum ejus transtulit in Babylonem

12. But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he delivered them into the hands of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon the Chaldean: and he destroyed this house, and carried away the people to Babylon.

13. anno autem primo Cyri regis Babylonis Cyrus rex proposuit edictum ut domus Dei ædificaretur

13. But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon, king Cyrus set forth al decree, that this house of God should be built.

14. nam et vasa templi Dei aurea et argentea quæ Nabuchodonosor tulerat de templo quod erat in Hierusalem et asportaverat ea in templum Babylonis protulit Cyrus rex de templo Babylonis et data sunt Sasabassar vocabulo quem et principem constituit

14. And the vessels also of gold and silver of the temple of God, which Nabuchodonosor had taken out of the temple, that was in Jerusalem, and had brought them to the temple of Babylon, king Cyrus brought out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one Sassabasar, whom also he appointed governor,

15. dixitque ei hæc vasa tolle et vade et pone ea in templo quod est in Hierusalem et domus Dei ædificetur in loco suo

15. And said to him: Take these vessels, and go, and put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in its place.

16. tunc itaque Sasabassar ille venit et posuit fundamenta templi Dei in Hierusalem et ex eo tempore usque nunc ædificatur et necdum conpletum est

16. Then came this same Sassabasar, and laid the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it is in building, and is not yet finished.

17. nunc ergo si videtur regi bonum recenseat in bibliotheca regis quæ est in Babylone utrumnam a Cyro rege jussum sit ut ædificaretur domus Dei in Hierusalem et voluntatem regis super hac re mittat ad nos

17. Now therefore if it seem good to the king, let him search in the king's library, which is in Babylon, whether it hath been decreed by Cyrus the king, that the house of God in Jerusalem should be built, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.