1 Esdras 6

1 ΕΝ δὲ τῷ δευτέρῳ ἔτει τῆς Δαρείου βασιλείας ἐπροφήτευσεν Ἀγγαῖος καὶ Ζαχαρίας ὁ τοῦ Ἀδδὼ οἱ προφῆται ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους τοὺς ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ καὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου Θεοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς.

1 Now in the second year of the reign of Darius Aggeus and Zacharias the son of Addo, the prophets, prophesied to the Jews in Jewry and Jerusalem in the name of the Lord God of Israel, which was upon them.

2 τότε στὰς Ζοροβάβελ ὁ τοῦ Σαλαθιὴλ καὶ Ἰησοῦς ὁ τοῦ Ἰωσεδὲκ ἤρξαντο οἰκοδομεῖν τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Κυρίου τὸν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ, συνόντων τῶν προφητῶν τοῦ Κυρίου βοηθούντων αὐτοῖς.

2 Then stood up Zorobabel the son of Salatiel, and Jesus the son of Josedec, and began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, the prophets of the Lord being with them, and helping them.

3 ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ χρόνῳ παρῆν πρὸς αὐτοὺς Σισίννης ὁ ἔπαρχος Συρίας καὶ Φοινίκης καὶ Σαθραβουζάνης καὶ οἱ συνεταῖροι καὶ εἶπαν αὐτοῖς·

3 At the same time came to them Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phenice, with Sathrabuzanes and his companions, and said to them,

4 τίνος ὑμῖν συντάξαντος τὸν οἶκον τοῦτον οἰκοδομεῖτε, καὶ τὴν στέγην ταύτην καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα ἐπιτελεῖτε; καὶ τίνες εἰσὶν οἰκοδόμοι οἱ ταῦτα ἐπιτελοῦντες;

4 By whose appointment do you⌃ build this house and this roof, and perform all the other things? and who are the workmen that perform these things?

5 καὶ ἔσχοσαν χάριν ἐπισκοπῆς γενομένης ἐπὶ τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου οἱ πρεσβύτεροι τῶν Ἰουδαίων

5 Nevertheless the elders of the Jews obtained favour, because the Lord had visited the captivity;

6 καὶ οὐκ ἐκωλύθησαν τῆς οἰκοδομῆς, μέχρις οὗ ὑποσημανθῆναι Δαρείῳ περὶ αὐτῶν καὶ προσφωνηθῆναι.

6 And they were not hindered from building, until such time as signification was given to Darius concerning them, and an answer received.

7 Ἀντίγραφον ἐπιστολῆς, ἧς ἔγραψε Δαρείῳ καὶ ἀπέστειλαν· ‘Σισίννης ὁ ἔπαρχος Συρίας καὶ Φοινίκης καὶ Σαθραβουζάνης καὶ οἱ συνεταῖροι οἱ ἐν Συρίᾳ καὶ Φοινίκῃ ἡγεμόνες βασιλεῖ Δαρείῳ χαίρειν.

7 The copy of the letters which Sisinnes, governor of Syria and Phenice, and Sathrabuzanes, with their companions, rulers in Syria and Phenice, wrote and sent to Darius; To king Darius, greeting:

8 πάντα γνωστὰ ἔστω τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν τῷ βασιλεῖ, ὅτι παραγενόμενοι εἰς τὴν χώραν τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ ἐλθόντες εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ τὴν πόλιν κατελάβομεν τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ τῇ πόλει οἰκοδομοῦντας οἶκον τῷ Κυρίῳ μέγαν, καινὸν διὰ λίθων ξυστῶν πολυτελῶν, ξύλων τιθεμένων ἐν τοῖς τοίχοις,

8 Let all things be known to our lord the king, that being come into the country of Judea, and entered into the city of Jerusalem we found in the city of Jerusalem the ancients of the Jews that were of the captivity Building an house to the Lord, great and new, of hewn and costly stones, and the timber already laid upon the walls. (verse 6:8-9 in Brenton's English)

9 καὶ τὰ ἔργα ἐκεῖνα ἐπὶ σπουδῆς γινόμενα καὶ εὐοδούμενον τὸ ἔργον ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐν πάσῃ δόξῃ, καὶ ἐπιμελείᾳ συντελούμενον.

9 And those works are done with great speed, and the work goes on prosperously in their hands, and with all glory and diligence is it made. (verse 10 in Brenton's English)

10 τότε ἐπυνθανόμεθα τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τούτων λέγοντες· τίνος ὑμῖν προστάξαντος οἰκοδομεῖτε τὸν οἶκον τοῦτον καὶ τὰ ἔργα ταῦτα θεμελιοῦτε;

10 Then asked we these elders, saying, By whose commandment build you⌃ this house, and lay the foundations of these works? (verse 11 in Brenton's English)

11 ἐπερωτήσαμεν οὖν αὐτοὺς εἵνεκεν τοῦ γνωρίσαι σοι καὶ γράψαι σοι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς ἀφηγουμένους καὶ τὴν ὀνοματογραφίαν ᾐτοῦμεν αὐτοὺς τῶν προκαθηγουμένων.

11 Therefore to the intent that we might give knowledge to you by writing, we demanded of them who were the chief doers, and we required of them the names in writing of their principal men. (verse 12 in Brenton's English)

12 οἱ δὲ ἀπεκρίθησαν ἡμῖν λέγοντες· ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν παῖδες τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ κτίσαντος τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν·

12 So they gave us this answer, We are the servants of the Lord which made heaven and earth. (verse 13 in Brenton's English)

13 καὶ ᾠκοδόμητο οἶκος ἔμπροσθεν ἐτῶν πλειόνων διὰ βασιλέως τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ μεγάλου καὶ ἰσχυροῦ καὶ ἐπετελέσθη.

13 And as for this house, it was builded many years ago by a king of Israel great and strong, and was finished. (verse 14 in Brenton's English)

14 καὶ ἐπεὶ οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν παραπικράναντες ἥμαρτον εἰς τὸν Κύριον τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ τὸν οὐράνιον, παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς εἰς χεῖρας Ναβουχοδονόσορ βασιλέως Βαβυλῶνος βασιλέως τῶν Χαλδαίων·

14 But when our fathers provoked God to wrath, and sinned against the Lord of Israel which is in heaven, he gave them over into the power of Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, of the Chaldees; (verse 15 in Brenton's English)

15 τόν τε οἶκον καθελόντες ἐνεπύρισαν καὶ τὸν λαὸν ἠχμαλώτευσαν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα.

15 Who pulled down the house, and burnt it, and carried away the people captives to Babylon. (verse 16 in Brenton's English)

16 ἐν δὲ τῷ πρώτῳ ἔτει βασιλεύοντος Κύρου χώρας Βαβυλωνίας ἔγραψεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Κῦρος τὸν οἶκον τοῦτον οἰκοδομῆσαι·

16 But in the first year that king Cyrus reigned over the country of Babylon Cyrus the king wrote to build up this house. (verse 17 in Brenton's English)

17 καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ σκεύη τὰ χρυσᾶ καὶ τὰ ἀργυρᾶ, ἃ ἐξήνεγκε Ναβουχοδονόσορ ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἀπηρείσατο αὐτὰ ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ ναῷ, πάλιν ἐξήνεγκεν αὐτὰ Κῦρος ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ τοῦ ἐν Βαβυλωνίᾳ, καὶ παρεδόθη Σαβανασσάρῳ Ζοροβάβελ τῷ ἐπάρχῳ,

17 And the holy vessels of gold and of silver, that Nabuchodonosor had carried away out of the house at Jerusalem, and had set them in his own temple those Cyrus the king brought forth again out of the temple at Babylon, and they were delivered to Zorobabel and to Sanabassarus the ruler, (verse 18 in Brenton's English)

18 καὶ ἐπετάγη αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀπήνεγκε πάντα τὰ σκεύη ταῦτα ἀποθεῖναι ἐν τῷ ναῷ τῷ ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Κυρίου οἰκοδομηθῆναι ἐπὶ τοῦ τόπου.

18 With commandment that he should carry away the same vessels, and put them in the temple at Jerusalem; and that the temple of the Lord should be built in his place. (verse 19 in Brenton's English)

19 τότε ὁ Σαβανάσσαρος παραγενόμενος ἀνεβάλετο τοὺς θεμελίους τοῦ οἴκου Κυρίου τοῦ ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ, καὶ ἀπ᾿ ἐκείνου μέχρι τοῦ νῦν οἰκοδομούμενος οὐκ ἔλαβε συντέλειαν.

19 Then the same Sanabassarus, being come here, laid the foundations of the house of the Lord at Jerusalem; and from that time to this being still a building, it is not yet fully ended. (verse 20 in Brenton's English)

20 νῦν οὖν εἰ κρίνεται, βασιλεῦ, ἐπισκεπήτω ἐν τοῖς βασιλικοῖς βιβλιοφυλακίοις τοῦ Κύρου·

20 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let search be made amongst the records of king Cyrus: (verse 21 in Brenton's English)

21 καὶ ἐὰν εὑρίσκηται μετὰ τῆς γνώμης Κύρου τοῦ βασιλέως γενομένην τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ οἴκου Κυρίου τοῦ ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ κρίνηται τῷ κυρίῳ βασιλεῖ ἡμῶν, προσφωνησάτω ἡμῖν περὶ τούτων’.

21 And if it be found that the building of the house of the Lord at Jerusalem has been done with the consent of king Cyrus, and if our lord the king be so minded, let him signify to us thereof. (verse 22 in Brenton's English)

22 Τότε ὁ βασιλεὺς Δαρεῖος προσέταξεν ἐπισκέψασθαι ἐν τοῖς βιβλιοφυλακίοις τοῖς κειμένοις ἐν Βαβυλῶνι, και εὑρέθη ἐν Ἐκβατάνοις τῇ βάρει τῇ ἐν Μηδίᾳ χώρᾳ τόμος εἷς, ἐν ᾧ ὑπομνημάτιστο τάδε·

22 Then commanded king Darius to seek amongst the records at Babylon: and so at Ecbatana the palace, which is in the country of Media, there was found a roll wherein these things were recorded. (verse 23 in Brenton's English)

23 ‘ Ἔτους πρώτου βασιλεύοντος Κύρου βασιλεὺς Κῦρος προσέταξε τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Κυρίου τὸν ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ οἰκοδομῆσαι, ὅπου ἐπιθύουσι διὰ πυρὸς ἐνδελεχοῦς,

23 In the first year of the reign of Cyrus king Cyrus commanded that the house of the Lord at Jerusalem should be built again, where they do sacrifice with continual fire: (verse 24 in Brenton's English)

24 οὗ τὸ ὕψος πηχῶν ἑξήκοντα, πλάτος πηχῶν ἑξήκοντα, διὰ δόμων λιθίνων ξυστῶν τριῶν καὶ δόμου ξυλίνου ἐγχωρίου καινοῦ ἑνός, καὶ τὸ δαπάνημα δοθῆναι ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου Κύρου τοῦ βασιλέως,

24 Whose height shall be sixty cubits and the breadth sixty cubits, with three rows of hewn stones, and one row of new wood of that country; and the expenses thereof to be given out of the house of king Cyrus: (verse 25 in Brenton's English)

25 καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ σκεύη τοῦ οἴκου Κυρίου τά τε χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ, ἃ ἐξήνεγκε Ναβουχοδονόσορ ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἀπήνεγκεν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα, ἀποκατασταθῆναι εἰς τὸν οἶκον τὸν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ, οὗ ἦν κείμενα, ὅπως τεθῇ ἐκεῖ.

25 And that the holy vessels of the house of the Lord, both of gold and silver, that Nabuchodonosor took out of the house at Jerusalem, and brought to Babylon, should be restored to the house at Jerusalem, and be set in the place where they were before. (verse 26 in Brenton's English)

26 προσέταξε δὲ ἐπιμεληθῆναι Σισίννῃ ἐπάρχῳ Συρίας καὶ Φοινίκης καὶ Σαθραβουζάνῃ καὶ τοῖς συνεταίροις καὶ τοῖς ἀποτεταγμένοις ἐν Συρίᾳ καὶ Φοινίκῃ ἡγεμόσιν ἀπέχεσθαι τοῦ τόπου, ἐᾶσαι δὲ τὸν παῖδα Κυρίου Ζοροβάβελ, ἔπαρχον δὲ τῆς Ἰουδαίας, καὶ τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Κυρίου ἐκεῖνον οἰκοδομεῖν ἐπὶ τοῦ τόπου.

26 And also he commanded that Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phenice, and Sathrabuzanes, and their companions, and those which were appointed rulers in Syria and Phenice, should be careful not to meddle with the place, but suffer Zorobabel, the servant of the Lord, and governor of Judea, and the elders of the Jews, to build the house of the Lord in that place. (verse 27 in Brenton's English)

27 καὶ ἐγὼ δὲ ἐπέταξα ὁλοσχερῶς οἰκοδομῆσαι καὶ ἀτενίσαι, ἵνα συμποιῶσι τοῖς ἐκ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας τῆς Ἰουδαίας μέχρι τοῦ ἐπιτελεσθῆναι τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Κυρίου·

27 I have commanded also to have it built up whole again; and that they look diligently to help those that be of the captivity of the Jews, till the house of the Lord be finished: (verse 28 in Brenton's English)

28 καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς φορολογίας Κοίλης Συρίας καὶ Φοινίκης ἐπιμελῶς σύνταξιν δίδοσθαι τούτοις τοῖς ἀνθρώποις εἰς θυσίαν τῷ Κυρίῳ, Ζοροβάβελ ἐπάρχῳ, εἰς ταύρους καὶ κριοὺς καὶ ἄρνας,

28 And out of the tribute of Celosyria and Phenice a portion carefully to be given these men for the sacrifices of the Lord, that is, to Zorobabel the governor, for bullocks, and rams, and lambs; (verse 29 in Brenton's English)

29 ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ πυρὸν καὶ ἅλα καὶ οἶνον καὶ ἔλαιον ἐνδελεχῶς κατ᾿ ἐνιαυτόν, καθὼς ἂν οἱ ἱερεῖς οἱ ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ὑπαγορεύσωσιν ἀναλίσκεσθαι καθ᾿ ἡμέραν ἀναμφισβητήτως,

29 And also corn, salt, wine, and oil, and that continually every year without further question, according as the priests that be in Jerusalem shall signify to be daily spent: (verse 30 in Brenton's English)

30 ὅπως προσφέρωνται σπονδαὶ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ ὑψίστῳ ὑπὲρ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῶν παίδων καὶ προσεύχωνται περὶ τῆς αὐτῶν ζωῆς,

30 That offerings may be made to the most high God for the king and for his children, and that they may pray for their lives. (verse 31 in Brenton's English)

31 καὶ προστάξαι ἵνα ὅσοι ἐὰν παραβῶσί τι τῶν γεγραμμένων καὶ ἀκυρώσωσι, ληφθῆναι ξύλον ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τούτου κρεμασθῆναι καὶ τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ εἶναι βασιλικά.

31 And he commanded that whoever should transgress, yes, or make light of any thing before spoken or written, out of his own house should a tree be taken, and he thereon be hanged, and all his goods seized for the king. (verse 32 in Brenton's English)

32 διὰ ταῦτα καὶ ὁ Κύριος, οὗ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐπικέκληται ἐκεῖ, ἀφανίσαι πάντα βασιλέα καὶ ἔθνος, ὃς ἐκτενεῖ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ κωλῦσαι ἢ κακοποιῆσαι τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου ἐκεῖνον τὸν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ.

32 The Lord therefore, whose name is there called upon, utterly destroy every king and nation, that stretches out his hand to hinder or endamage that house of the Lord in Jerusalem. (verse 33 in Brenton's English)

33 ἐγὼ βασιλεὺς Δαρεῖος δεδογμάτικα ἐπιμελῶς κατὰ ταῦτα γίνεσθαι’.

33 I Darius the king have ordained that according to these things it be done with diligence. (verse 34 in Brenton's English)