| 1 ܘܫܡܥܘ ܣܢ̈ܐܝ ܝܗܘܕܐ ܘܒܢܝܡܝܢ ܕܒܢܝ̈ ܫܒܝܬܐ ܒܢ̈ܝܢ ܗܝܟܠܐ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܐܠܗܐ ܕܐܝܣܪܝܠ | 1 Now the enemies of Juda and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to the Lord the God of Israel. |
| 2 ܘܩܪܒܘ ܠܘܬ ܙܘܪܒܒܠ ܘܠܘܬ ܪ̈ܝܫܝ ܐܒܗ̈ܬܐ ܘܐܡܪܝܢ ܠܗܘܢ ܢܒܢܐ ܐܦ ܚܢܢ ܥܡܟܘܢ ܡܛܠ ܕܐܟܘܬܟܘܢ ܢܒܢܐ ܠܐܠܗܟܘܢ ܘܠܗ ܗܘ ܕܒܚܝܢ ܚܢܢ ܗܪܟܐ ܡܢ ܝܘܡ̈ܬܗ ܕܣܪܚܕܘܡ ܡܠܟܐ ܕܐܬܘܪ ܕܐܣܩܢ ܠܗܪܟܐ | 2 And they came to Zorobabel, and the chief of the fathers, and said to them: Let us build with you, for we seek your God as ye do: behold we have sacrificed to him, since the days of Asor Haddan king of Assyria, who brought us hither. |
| 3 ܘܐܡܪܘ ܠܗܘܢ ܙܘܪܒܒܠ ܘܝܫܘܥ ܘܫܪܟܐ ܕܪ̈ܝܫܝ ܐܒܗ̈ܬܐ ܕܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܕܠܐ ܠܟܘܢ ܘܠܢ ܠܡܒܢܐ ܒܝܬܐ ܠܐܠܗܢ ܡܛܠ ܕܚܢܢ ܐܟܚܕ ܢܒܢܐ ܒܝܬܐ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܐܠܗܐ ܕܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܦܩܕܢ ܟܘܪܫ ܡܠܟܐ ܦܪܣܝܐ | 3 But Zorobabel, and Josue, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel said to them: You have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God, but we ourselves alone will build to the Lord our God, as Cyrus king of the Persians hath commanded us. |
| 4 ܘܗܘܘ ܥܡ̈ܡܐ ܕܐܪܥܐ ܡܪܦܝܢ ܐܝ̈ܕܝܗܘܢ ܕܥܡܐ ܕܝܗܘܕ ܘܡܒܠܗܝܢ ܠܗܘܢ ܕܠܐ ܢܒܢܘܢ | 4 Then the people of the land hindered the hands of the people of Juda, and troubled them in building. |
| 5 ܘܐܓܪܝܢ ܥܠܝܗܘܢ ܡܠܘ̈ܟܐ ܕܢܒܛܠܘܢ ܡ̣̈ܠܟܝܗܘܢ ܟܘܠ ܝܘܡ̈ܝ ܟܘܪܫ ܡܠܟܐ ܦܪܣܝܐ ܥܕ ܡܠܟܘܬ ܕܪܝܘܫ ܡܠܟܐ ܕܦܪܣ | 5 And they hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their design all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of the Persians. |
| 6 ܘܒܡܠܟܘܬ ܐܚܫܝܪܫ ܡܠܟܐ ܒܪܝܫ ܡܠܟܘܬܗ ܟ̣ܬܒ ܚܛܝܢܐ ܥܠ ܥܡܘܪ̈ܝܗ̇ ܕܝܗܘܕ ܘܕܐܘܪܫܠܡ | 6 And in the reign of Assuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Juda and Jerusalem. |
| 7 ܒܝܘܡ̈ܝ ܐܪܛܚܫܫܬ ܟ̣ܬܒ ܫ̣ܐܠ ܒܫܠܡ ܡܗܪܕܬ ܘܛܒܐܝܠ ܘܫܪܟܐ ܕܐܟܘܬܗ ܥܠ ܐܪܛܚܫܫܬ ܡܠܟܐ ܕܦܪܣ ܘܟܬܒܐ ܕܐܓܪܬܐ ܟܬܝܒ ܐܪܡܐܝܬ ܘܡܬܬܪܓܡ ܐܪܡܐܝܬ | 7 And in the days of Artaxerxes, Beselam, Mithridates, and Thabeel, and the rest that were in the council wrote to Artaxerxes king of the Persians : and the letter of accusation was written in Syriac, and was read in the Syrian tongue. |
| 8 ܐܪܚܘܡ ܒܥܠ ܛܓܡܐ ܘܫܡܫܝ ܣ̇ܦܪܐ ܟܬܒ ܐܓܪܬܐ ܗܕܐ ܥܠ ܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܠܐܪܛܚܫܫܬ ܡܠܟܐ ܐܝܟ ܢܡܘܣܐ | 8 Reum Beelteem, and Samsai the scribe wrote a letter from Jerusalem to king Artaxerxes, in this manner: |
| 9 ܗܝܕܝܢ ܐܪܚܘܡ ܒܥܠ ܛܓܡܐ ܘܫܡܫܝ ܣܦܪܐ ܘܫܪܟܐ ܕܐܟܘܬܗܘܢ ܕܝ̈ܢܐ ܘܐܣܦܪ̈ܝܐ ܛܪ̈ܦܠܝܐ ܘܐܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ ܐܪ̈ܟܝܐ ܒܒ̈ܠܝܐ ܫܘܫܢ̈ܟܝܐ ܕܗ̈ܝܐ ܥܠܝܡ̈ܝܐ | 9 Reum Beelteem, and Samsai the scribe and the rest of their counsellors, the Dinites, and the Apharsathacites, the Therphalites, the Apharsites, the Erchuites, the Babylonians, the Susanechites, the Dievites, and the Elamites, |
| 10 ܘܫܪܟܐ ܕܐܡ̈ܘܬܐ ܕܫ̣ܒܐ ܐܣܦܝܪ ܪܒܐ ܘܝܩܝܪܐ ܘܐܘܬܒ ܐܢܘܢ ܒܩܘܪ̈ܝܐ ܕܫܡܪ̈ܝܐ ܘܫܪܟܐ ܕܥܒܪ ܢܗܪܐ ܐܝܟ ܥܢܬ | 10 And the rest of the nations, whom the great and glorious Asenaphar brought over: and made to dwell in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the countries of this side of the river in peace. |
| 11 ܘܗܢܐ ܦܪܫܓܢܐ ܕܐܓܪܬܐ ܕܫܕܪܘ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܥܠ ܐܪܛܚܫܫܬ ܡܠܟܐ ܥܒ̣̈ܕܝܟ ܐܢ̈ܫܝ ܥܒܪ ܢܗܪܐ ܘܟܢܥܬ | 11 (This is the copy of the letter, which they sent to him:) To Artaxerxes the king, thy servants, the men that are on this side of the river, send greeting. |
| 12 ܝܕܝܥ ܢܗܘܐ ܠܡܠܟܐ ܕܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ ܕܣܠܩܘ ܡܢ ܠܘܬܟ ܥܠܝܢ ܐܬܘ ܠܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܩܪܝܬܐ ܡܪܘܕܬܐ ܘܒܝܫܬܐ ܒܢܝܢ ܘܫܘܪ̈ܝܗ̇ ܫܟܠܠܘ ܘܫܬܐ̈ܣܝܗ̇ ܚ̣ܛܘ | 12 Be it known to the king, that the Jews, who came up from thee to us, are come to Jerusalem a rebellious and wicked city, which they are building, setting up the ramparts thereof and repairing the walls. |
| 13 ܗܟܢܐ ܢܗܘܐ ܝ̇ܕܥ ܡܠܟܐ ܕܐܢ ܗܘ ܕܩܪܝܬܐ ܗ̇ܝ ܬܬܒܢܐ ܘܫܘܪ̈ܝܗ̇ ܢܫܬܟܠܠܘܢ ܡܢܬܐ ܠܝܬ ܠܟ ܘܦܪܘܣ ܠܐ ܝ̇ܗܒܝܢ ܠܟ ܐܦ ܗܝ ܡ̈ܠܟܝܢ ܬܙܝܥ | 13 And now be it known to the king, that if this city be built up, and the walls thereof repaired, they will not pay tribute nor toll, nor yearly revenues, and this loss will fail upon the kings. |
| 14 ܘܡܟܝܠ ܕܡܢ ܡܠܚܐ ܕܗܝܟܠܐ ܡܠܚܢ ܨܥܪܐ ܕܡܠܟܐ ܠܐ ܘ̇ܠܐ ܠܢ ܠܡܚܙܐ ܡܛܠ ܗܢܐ ܫܕܪܢ ܘܐܘܕܥܢ | 14 But we remembering the salt that we have eaten in the palace, and because we count it a crime to see the king wronged, have therefore sent and certified the king, |
| 15 ܕܬܩܪܐ ܟܬܒ ܥܘܗ̈ܕܢܐ ܕܐܒܗ̈ܝܟ ܘܬܫܟܚ ܒܣܦܪ ܥܘܗ̈ܕܢܐ ܘܬܕܥ ܕܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܗܕܐ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܗܝ ܡܪܘܕܬܐ ܘܡܗܪܬ ܡ̈ܠܟܐ ܘܡ̈ܕܝܢܬܐ ܘܬܟ̈ܬܘܫܐ ܪ̈ܘܪܒܐ ܥܒܝܕܝܢ ܒܓܘܗ̇ ܡܢ ܝܘܡ̈ܬ ܥܠܡܐ ܡܛܠ ܗܢܐ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܗ̇ܝ ܕܚܪܒܬ | 15 That search may be made in the books of the histories of thy fathers, and thou shalt find written in the records: and shalt know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to the kings and provinces, and that wars were raised therein of old time: for which cause also the city was destroyed. |
| 16 ܡܘܕܥܝܢܢ ܠܡܠܟܐ ܕܐܢ ܗ̇ܝ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܬܬܒܢܐ ܘܫܘܪ̈ܝܗ̇ ܢܬܬܪܝܡܘܢ ܡܛܠ ܗܢܐ ܫܘܠܛܢܐ ܒܥܒܪ ܢܗܪܐ ܠܝܬ ܠܟ | 16 We certify the king, that if this city be built, and the walls thereof repaired, thou shalt have no possession on this side of the river. |
| 17 ܘܡܠܟܐ ܫ̣ܠܚ ܦܬܓܡܐ ܠܘܬ ܐܪܚܘܡ ܒܥܠ ܛܓܡܐ ܘܠܘܬ ܫܡܫܝ ܣܦܪܐ ܘܠܘܬ ܫܪܟܐ ܕܐܟܘܬܗܘܢ ܕܝܬܒܝܢ ܒܫܡܪܝܢ ܘܫܪܟܐ ܕܝܬܒܝܢ ܒܥܒܪ ܢܗܪܐ ܫܠܡ ܘܟܢܥܬ | 17 The king sent word to Reum Beelteem and Samsai the scribe, and to the rest that were in their council, inhabitants of Samaria, and to the rest beyond the river, sending greeting and peace. |
| 18 ܐܓܪܬܐ ܕܫܕܪܬܘܢ ܠܘܬܝ ܫܪܝܪܐܝܬ ܩܪܘ ܩܕܡܝ | 18 The accusation, which you have sent to us, hath been plainly read before me, |
| 19 ܘܡܢ ܩܕܡܝ ܐܬܬܣܝܡ ܕܝܛܓܡܐ ܘܩܪܘ ܘܐܫܟܚܘ ܕܗ̇ܝ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܡܢ ܝܘܡ̈ܬ ܥܠܡܐ ܥܠ ܡ̈ܠܟܐ ܡܬܬܪܝܡܐ ܘܡܪܕܐ ܘܬܟܬܘܫܐ ܪܒܐ ܐܬܥܒܕ ܒܓܘܗ̇ | 19 And I commanded: and search hath been made, and it is found, that this city of old time hath rebelled against kings, and seditions and wars have been raised therein. |
| 20 ܘܡ̈ܠܟܐ ܥܫܝ̈ܢܐ ܗܘܘ ܥܠ ܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܘܫܠܝܛܝܢ ܒܟܠ ܥܒܪ ܢܗܪܐ ܘܠܡ̈ܠܟܐ ܩܕܡ̈ܝܐ ܒܡܕܡ ܠܐ ܚܫܒܘ ܐܢܘܢ | 20 For there have been powerful kings in Jerusalem, who hare had dominion over all the country that is beyond the river: and have received tribute, and toll and revenues. |
| 21 ܡܟܝܠ ܣܝܡܘ ܢܡܘܣܐ ܠܡܒܛܠܘ ܠܓܒܪ̈ܐ ܗ̇ܢܘܢ ܘܩܪܝܬܐ ܗ̇ܝ ܠܐ ܬܬܒܢܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܕܡܢ ܩܕܡܝ ܢܗܘܐ ܦܘܩܕܢܐ | 21 Now therefore hear the sentence: Hinder those men, that this city be not built, till further orders be given by me. |
| 22 ܘܗܘܝܬܘܢ ܙܗܝܪܝܢ ܥܠ ܥܒܝܕܬܐ ܗܕܐ ܕܠܡܐ ܕܝܢ ܬܣܓܐ ܗܪܬܐ ܠܡܗܪܘ ܠܡܠܟܐ | 22 See that you be not negligent in executing this, lest by little and little the evil grow to the hurt of the kings. |
| 23 ܗܝܕܝܢ ܟܕ ܐ̣ܬܐ ܦܪܫܓܢܐ ܕܐܓܪܬܐ ܕܐܪܛܚܫܫܬ ܡܠܟܐ ܩܪܐܘܗܝ ܩܕܡ ܐܪܚܘܡ ܒܥܠ ܛܓܡܐ ܘܫܡܫܝ ܣܦܪܐ ܘܩܕܡ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܐܟܘܬܗܘܢ ܗܝܕܝܢ ܐܬܘ ܒܒܗܠܐ ܥܠ ܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ ܠܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܘܒ̇ܛܠܘ ܐܢܘܢ ܒܚܝܠܐ ܥܫܝܢܐ | 23 Now the copy of the edict of king Artaxerxes was read before Reum Beelteem, and Samsai the scribe, and their counsellors: and they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and hindered them with arm and power. |
| 24 ܗܝܕܝܢ ܒܛ̣ܠܬ ܥܒܝܕܬܐ ܡܢ ܒܝܬܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܕܒܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܘܗܘܬ ܒܛܠܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܫܢܬ ܬܪܬܝܢ ܠܡܠܟܘܬܗ ܕܕܪܝܘܫ ܡܠܟܐ ܦܪܣܝܐ | 24 Then the work of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem was interrupted, and ceased till the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians. |
