1
Βασιλεύοντος Κύρου Περσῶν ἔτους πρώτου, εἰς συντέλειαν ῥήματος Κυρίου ἐν στόματι Ἱερεμίου,
In the first year of Cyrus king of the Persians, that the word of the Lord might be accomplished, that he had promised by the mouth of Jeremiah;
2
ἤγειρε Κύριος τὸ πνεῦμα Κύρου βασιλέως Περσῶν, καὶ ἐκήρυξεν ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἅμα διὰ γραπτῶν, λέγων,
the Lord raised up the spirit of Cyrus the king of the Persians, and he made proclamation through all his kingdom, and also by writing,
3
τάδε λέγει ὁ βασιλεὺς Περσῶν Κῦρος, ἐμὲ ἀνέδειξε βασιλέα τῆς οἰκουμένης ὁ Κύριος τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, Κύριος ὁ ὕψιστος.
saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of the Persians; The Lord of Israel, the most high Lord, hath made me king of the whole world,
4
Καὶ ἐσήμῃνέ μοι οἰκοδομῆσαι αὐτῷ οἶκον ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, τῇ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ.
and commanded me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Jewry.
5
Εἴ τις ἐστὶν οὖν ὑμῶν ἐκ τοῦ ἔθνους αὐτοῦ, ἔστω ὁ Κύριος αὐτοῦ μετʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀναβὰς εἰς τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ τὴν ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ, οἰκοδομείτω τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ Ἰσραήλ· οὗ ὁ Κύριος, ὁ κατασκηνώσας ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ.
If therefore there be any of you that are of his people, let his Lord be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem that is in Judea, and build the house of the Lord of Israel: for he is the Lord that dwelleth in Jerusalem.
6
Ὅσοι οὖν κατὰ τοὺς τόπους οἰκοῦσι, βοηθείτωσαν αὐτῷ οἱ ἐν τῷ τόπῳ αὐτοῦ, ἐν χρυσίῳ καὶ ἐν ἀργυρίῳ, ἐν δὀσεσι,
Whosoever then dwell in the places about, let them help him, those, I say, that are his neighbors, with gold, and with silver,
7
μεθʼ ἵππων καὶ κτηνῶν, σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῖς κατʼ εὐχὰς προστεθειμένοις εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦ Κυρίου τὸ ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ.
with gifts, with horses, and with cattle, and other things, which have been set forth by vow, for the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem.
8
Καὶ καταστήσαντες οἱ ἀρχίφυλοι τῶν πατριῶν τῆς Ἰούδα καὶ Βενιαμὶν φυλῆς, καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ οἱ Λευῖται, καὶ πάντων ὧν ἤγειρε Κύριος τό πνεῦμα, ἀναβῆναι οἰκοδομῆσαι οἶκον τῷ Κυρίῳ τὸν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ·
Then the chief of the families of Judea and of the tribe of Benjamin stood up; the priests also, and the Levites, and all they whose mind the Lord had moved to go up, and to build a house for the Lord at Jerusalem,
9
καὶ οἱ περικύκλῳ αὐτῶν ἐβοήθησαν ἐν πᾶσιν, ἐν ἀργυρίῳ καὶ χρυσίῳ, ἵπποις, κτήνεσι, καὶ εὐχαῖς ὡς πλείσταις πολλῶν, ὧν ὁ νοῦς ἠγέρθη.
and they that dwelt round about them, and helped them in all things with silver and gold, with horses and cattle, and with very many free gifts of a great number whose minds were stirred up thereto.
10
Καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Κύρος ἐξήνεγκε τὰ ἱερὰ σκεύη τοῦ Κυρίου, ἃ μετήνεγκε Ναβουχοδονόσορ ἐξ Ἱερουσαλὴμ, καὶ ἀπηρείσατο αὐτὰ ἐν τῷ εἰδωλείῳ αὐτοῦ.
King Cyrus also brought forth the holy vessels which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem, and had set up in his temple of idols.
11
Ἐξενέγκας δὲ αὐτὰ Κύρος ὁ βασιλεὺς Περσῶν παρέδωκεν αὐτὰ Μιθρδάτῃ τῷ ἑαυτοῦ γαζοφύλακι·
Now when Cyrus king of the Persians had brought them forth, he delivered them to Mithridates his treasurer:
12
Διὰ δὲ τούτου παρεδόθησαν Σαμανασσάρῳ προστάτῃ τῆς Ἰουδαίας.
and by him they were delivered to Sheshbazzar the governor of Judea.
13
Ὁ δὲ τούτων ἀριθμὸς ἦν, σπονδεῖα χρυσᾶ χίλια, σπονδεῖα ἀργυρᾶ χίλια, θυΐσκαι ἀργυραῖ εἰκοσιεννέα, φιάλαι χρυσαῖ τριάκοντα, ἀργυραῖ διοχίλιαι τετρακόσιαι δέκα, καὶ ἄλλα σκεύη χίλια.
And this was the number of them; A thousand golden cups, and a thousand of silver, censers of silver twenty-nine, vials of gold thirty, and of silver two thousand four hundred and ten, and a thousand other vessels.
14
Τὰ δὲ πάντα σκεύη ἐκομίσθη, χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ, πεντακισχίλια τετρακόσια ἑξηκονταεννέα.
So all the vessels of gold and of silver, which were carried away, were five thousand four hundred threescore and nine.
15
Ἀνηνέχθη δὲ ὑπὸ Σαμανασσάρον ἅμα τοῖς ἐκ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ἐκ Βαβυλῶνος εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ.
These were brought back by Sheshbazzar, together with them of the captivity, from Babylon to Jerusalem.
16
Ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἐπὶ Ἀρταξέρξου τῶν Περσῶν βασιλέως χρόνοις κατέγραψαν αὐτῷ κατὰ τῶν κατοικούντων ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ καὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ, Βήλεμος, καὶ Μιθραδάτης, καὶ Ταβέλλιος, καὶ Ῥάθυμος, καὶ Βεέλτεθμος, καὶ Σαμέλλιος ὁ γραμματεὺς, καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ οἱ τούτοις συντασσόμενοι, οἰκοῦντες δὲ ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις τόποις, τὴν ὑπογεγραμμένην ἐπιστολήν·
But in the time of Artaxerxes king of the Persians Bishlam, and Mithridates, and Tabeel, and Rehum, and Beltethmus, and Shimshai the secretary, with the rest that were in commission with them, dwelling in Samaria and other places, wrote unto him against them that dwelt in Judea and Jerusalem this letter following;
17
Βασιλεῖ Ἀρταξέρξῃ κυρίῳ οἱ παῖδές σου, Ῥάθυμος ὁ τὰ προσπίπτοντα, καὶ Σαμέλλιος ὁ γραμματεὺς, καὶ οἱ ἐπίλοιποι τῆς βουλῆς αὐτῶν, καὶ κριταὶ οἱ ἐν κοίλῃ Συρίᾳ καὶ Φοινίκῃ.
To King Artaxerxes our lord, Thy servants, Rehum the storywriter, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their council, and the judges that are in Coelesyria and Phoenicia.
18
Καὶ νῦν γνωστὸν ἔστω τῷ κυρίῳ βασιλεῖ, ὅτι οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀναβάντες παρʼ ὑμῶν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐλθόντες εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ, τὴν πόλιν τήν ἀποστάτιν καὶ πονηρὰν, οἰκοδομοῦσι τάς τε ἀγορὰς αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ τείχη θεραπεύουσι, καὶ ναὸν ὑποβάλλονται.
Be it now known to the lord the king, that the Jews that are come up from you to us, being come into Jerusalem, that rebellious and wicked city, do build the marketplaces, and repair the walls of it, and do lay the foundation of the temple.
19
Ἐὰν οὖν ἡ πόλις αὕτη οἰκοδομηθῇ, καὶ τὰ τείχη συντελεσθῇ, φορολογίαν οὐ μὴ ὑπομείνωσι δοῦναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ βασιλεῦσιν ἀντιστήσονται.
Now if this city and the walls thereof be made up again, they will not only refuse to give tribute, but also rebel against kings.
20
Καὶ ἐπεὶ ἐνεργεῖται τὰ κατὰ τὸν ναὸν, καλῶς ἔχειν ὑπολαμβάνομεν μὴ ὑπεριδεῖν τὸ τοιοῦτο,
And forasmuch as the things pertaining to the temple are now in hand, we think it meet not to neglect such a matter,
21
ἀλλὰ προσφωνῆσαι τῷ κυρίῳ βασιλεῖ, ὅπως ἂν φαίνηταί σοι, ἐπισκεφθῇ ἐν τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν πατέρων σου βιβλίοις.
but to speak unto our lord the king, to the intent that, if it be thy pleasure, it may be sought out in the books of thy fathers:
22
Καὶ εὑρήσεις ἐν τοῖς ὑπομνηματισμοῖς γεγραμμένα περὶ τούτων, καὶ γνώσῃ ὅτι ἡ πόλις ἐκείνη ἦν ἀποστάτις,
and thou shalt find in the chronicles what is written concerning these things, and shalt understand that that city was rebellious, troubling both kings and cities:
23
καὶ βασιλεῖς καὶ πόλεις ἐνοχλοῦσα, καὶ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀποστάται καὶ πολιορκίας συνιστάμενοι ἐν αὐτῇ ἔτι ἐξ αἰῶνος, διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν καὶ ἡ πόλις αὕτη ἠρημώθη.
and that the Jews were rebellious, and raised always wars therein; for the which cause even this city was made desolate.
24
Νῦν οὖν ὑποδεικνύομέν σοι, κύριε βασιλεῦ, ὅτι ἐὰν ἡ πόλις αὕτη οἰκοδομηθῇ, καὶ τὰ ταύτης τείχη ἀνασταθῇ, κάθοδος οὐκ ἔτι σοι ἔσται εἰς κοίλην Συρίαν καὶ Φοινίκην.
Wherefore now we do declare unto thee, O lord the king, that if this city be built again, and the walls thereof set up anew, thou shalt from henceforth have no passage into Coelesyria and Phoenicia.
25
Τότε ἀντέγραψεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ῥαθύμῳ τῷ γράφοντι τὰ προσπίπτοντα, καὶ Βεελτέθμῳ, καὶ Σαμελλίῳ γραμματεῖ, καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς τοῖς συντασσομένοις καὶ οἰκοῦσιν ἐν τῇ Σαμαρείᾳ, καὶ Συρίᾳ, καὶ Φοινίκῃ, τὰ ὑπογεγραμμένα.
Then the king wrote back again to Rehum the storywriter, to Beltethmus, to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest that were in commission, and dwellers in Samaria and Syria and Phoenicia, after this manner;
26
Ἀνέγνων τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἣν πεπόμφατε πρὸς μέ· ἐπέταξα οὖν ἐπισκέψασθαι· καὶ εὑρέθη ὅτι ἡ πόλις ἐκείνη ἐστὶν ἐξ αἰῶνος βασιλεῦσιν ἀντιπαρατάσσουσα,
I have read the epistle which ye have sent unto me: therefore I commanded to make diligent search, and it hath been found that that city was from the beginning practicing against kings;
27
καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀποστάσεις καὶ πολέμους ἐν αὐτῇ συντελοῦντες, καὶ βασιλεῖς ἰσχυροὶ καὶ σκληροὶ ἦσαν ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ κυριεύοντες καὶ φορολογοῦντες κοίλην Συρίαν καὶ Φοινίκην.
and the men therein were given to rebellion and war: and that mighty kings and fierce were in Jerusalem, who reigned and exacted tributes in Coelesyria and Phoenicia.
28
Νῦν οὖν ἐπέταξα ἀποκωλῦσαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐκείνους τοῦ οἰκοδομῆσαι τὴν πόλιν, καὶ προνοηθῆναι ὅπως μηδὲν παρὰ ταῦτα γένηται.
Now therefore I have commanded to hinder those men from building the city, and heed to be taken that there be no more done in it;
29
Καὶ μὴ προβῇ ἐπὶ πλεῖον τὰ τῆς κακίας εἰς τὸ βασιλεῖς ἐνοχλῆσαι.
and that those wicked workers proceed no further to the annoyance of kings.
30
Τότε ἀναγνωσθέντων τῶν παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως Ἀρταξέρξου γραφέντων, Ῥάθυμος, καὶ Σαμέλλιος ὁ γραμματεὺς, καὶ οἱ τούτοις συντασσόμενοι, ἀναζεύξαντες εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ κατὰ σπουδὴν μεθʼ ἵππου καὶ ὄχλου παρατάξεως, ἤρξαντο κωλύειν τοὺς οἰκοδομοῦντας, καὶ ἤργει ἡ οἰκοδομὴ τοῦ ἱεροῦ τοῦ ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ μέχρι τοῦ δευτέρου ἔτους τῆς βασιλείας Δαρείου τοῦ Περσῶν βασιλέως.
Then King Artaxerxes his letters being read, Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest that were in commission with them, removing in haste toward Jerusalem with a troop of horsemen and a multitude of people in battle array, began to hinder the builders; and the building of the temple in Jerusalem ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.