1 و َبَينَما كانَ عَزرا يُصَلِّي وَيَعتَرِفُ وَيَنُوحُ وَيَطرَحُ نَفسَهُ أمامَ بَيتِ اللهِ، انْضَمَّ إلَيهِ جَمعٌ كَبِيرٌ جِدّاً مِنْ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ، رِجالاً وَنِساءً وَأطفالاً، وَكانُوا يَبكُونَ بُكاءً مُرّاً.

Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there was gathered together unto him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very sore.

2 و َقالَ شَكَنْيا بْنُ يَحِيئِيلَ، وَهُوَ مِنْ بَنِي عِيلامَ، لِعَزْرا: «لَقَد خُنّا إلَهَنا حِينَ اتَّخَذنا زَوجاتٍ غَرِيباتٍ مِنْ شُعُوبِ الأرْضِ. وَالآنَ ما زالَ يُوجَدُ لِشَعبِ اللهِ رَجاءٌ فِي هَذِهِ المَسألَةِ.

And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land: yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.

3 ف َلْنَتَعَهَّدْ لإلَهِنا بِصَرفِ كُلِّ الزَّوجاتِ الغَرِيباتِ وَأولادِهِنَّ حَسَبَ نَصِيحَةِ سَيِّدِي عَزْرا وَالَّذِينَ يَحتَرِمُونَ وَصِيَّةَ إلَهِنا. وَلِيَتِمَّ الأمرُ بِحَسَبِ الشَّرِيعَةِ.

Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.

4 ق ُمْ، فَإنَّ المَسؤُولِيَّةَ تَقَعُ عَلَى عاتِقِكَ فِي هَذا الأمرِ، وَسَنَدعَمُكَ نَحنُ. فَتَشَجَّعْ وَنَفِّذْ.»

Arise; for the matter belongeth unto thee, and we are with thee: be of good courage, and do it.

5 ف َنَهَضَ عَزْرا وَحَلَّفَ الكَهَنَةَ وَاللّاوِيِّينَ وَكُلَّ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ أن يَفعَلُوا حَسَبَ كَلامَ شَكَنْيا، فَحَلَفُوا لَهُ.

Then arose Ezra, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word. So they sware.

6 ث ُمَّ مَضَى عَزْرا مِنْ أمامِ بَيتِ اللهِ وَدَخَلَ غُرفَةَ يَهُوحانانَ بْنِ ألِياشِيبَ، وَباتَ هُناكَ. وَلَمْ يَذُق طَعاماً وَلا شَراباً لأنَّهُ كانَ ما يَزالُ يَنُوحُ بِسَبَبِ تَمَرُّدِ الَّذِينَ رَجِعُوا مِنَ السَّبيِ.

Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water; for he mourned because of the trespass of them of the captivity.

7 و َأذاعُوا نِداءً فِي كُلِّ يَهُوذا وَمَدينَةِ القُدْسِ لِكُلِّ العائِدِينَ مِنَ السَّبيِ لِلاجتِماعِ فِي مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ،

And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;

8 و َهَدَّدُوا بِمُصادَرَةِ مُمتَلَكاتِ كُلِّ مَنْ لا يَأتِي خِلالَ ثَلاثَةِ أيّامٍ حَسَبَ مَشُورَةِ القادَةِ وَالشُّيُوخِ، وَعَزلِهِ عَن جَماعَةِ العائِدِينَ مِنَ السَّبيِ.

and that whosoever came not within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the assembly of the captivity.

9 و َهَكَذا اجتَمَعَ كُلُّ رِجالِ يَهُوذا وَبَنْيامِيْنَ فِي مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ خِلالَ ثَلاثَةِ أيّامٍ. وَكانَ ذَلِكَ فِي العِشرِينَ مِنَ الشَّهرِ التّاسِعِ. وَجَلَسَ جَميعُ الشَّعبِ فِي ساحَةِ بَيتِ اللهِ، وَكانُوا يَرتَعِدُونَ بِسَبَبِ هَذِهِ المَسألَةِ وَالمَطَرِ الغَزِيرِ.

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month: and all the people sat in the broad place before the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

10 ث ُمَّ وَقَفَ الكاهِنُ عَزْرا وَقالَ لَهُمْ: «قَدْ تَمَرَّدْتُمْ عَلَى اللهِ وَخُنْتُمُوهُ بِزَواجِكُمْ مِنْ نِساءٍ غَرِيباتٍ. فَزِدْتُمْ فِي إثمِ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ.

And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have trespassed, and have married foreign women, to increase the guilt of Israel.

11 ف َاعتَرِفُوا الآنَ للهِ ، إلَهِ آبائِنا، وَنَفِّذُوا مَشِيئَتَهُ. اعزِلُوا أنفُسَكُمْ عَن شُعُوبِ الأرْضِ، وَعَن نِسائِكُمُ الغَرِيباتِ!»

Now therefore make confession unto Jehovah, the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women.

12 ف َأجابَ كُلُّ الجُّمهُورِ بِصَوتٍ عالٍ: «نَعَمْ! سَنَفعَلُ كَما قُلْتَ.

Then all the assembly answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said concerning us, so must we do.

13 ل َكِنَّ المُجتَمِعُونَ هُنا كَثِيرُونَ، وَالطَقسُ ماطِرٌ جِدّاً. فَلا قُدرَةَ لَنا عَلَى الوُقُوفِ تَحْتَ المَطَرِ. وَهَذا الأمرُ لا يَتِمُّ فِي يَومٍ أوْ يَومَين، لأنَّنا قَدْ أسَأنا كَثِيراً.

But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without: neither is this a work of one day or two; for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.

14 ف َليُمَثِّلْ قادَتُنا الجَّماعَةَ كُلَّها. وَلِيَأتِ كُلُّ الَّذِينَ تَزَوَّجُوا مِنْ نِساءٍ غَرِيباتٍ فِي أوقاتٍ مُعَيَّنَةٍ، وَمَعَهُمْ شُيُوخُ كُلِّ بَلدَةٍ وَقُضاتُها، إلَى أن يَزُولَ عَنّا غَضَبُ إلَهِنا المُتَّقِدِ فِي هَذِهِ المَسألَةِ.»

Let now our princes be appointed for all the assembly, and let all them that are in our cities that have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God be turned from us, until this matter be despatched.

15 و َلَمْ يُعارِضْ هَذا الرَّأيَ إلّا يُوناثانُ بْنُ عَسائِيلَ وَيَحَزْيا بْنُ تِقْوَةَ، وَأيَّدَهُما فِي ذَلِكَ مَشُلّامُ وَشَبْتايُ اللّاوِيُّ.

Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this matter: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.

16 ف َفَعَلَ هَذا العائِدُونَ مِنَ السَّبيِ. وَاختارَ عَزْرا الكاهِنُ رِجالاً مِنْ قادَةِ العَشائِرِ بِحَسَبِ تَقسِيماتِهِمْ لِتَمثِيلِها. وَتَمَّ تَعيِينُهُمْ كُلُّ واحِدٍ بِاسْمِهِ. وَفِي اليَومِ الأوَّلِ مِنَ الشَّهرِ العاشِرِ جَلَسُوا لِبَحثِ هَذِهِ المَسألَةِ،

And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers' houses, after their fathers' houses, and all of them by their names, were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

17 و َانتَهَوْا مِنَ مَسألَةِ كُلِّ الرِّجالِ الَّذِينَ تَزَوَّجُوا مِنْ نِساءٍ غَرِيباتٍ قَبلَ اليَومِ الأوَّلِ مِنَ الشَّهرِ الأوَّلِ مِنَ السَّنَةِ التّالِيَةِ. قائِمَةٌ بِالمُذنِبِين

And they made an end with all the men that had married foreign women by the first day of the first month.

18 و َقَد وَجَدُوا أنَّ مِنْ بَينِ نَسلِ الكَهَنَةِ الَّذِينَ تَزَوَّجُوا مِنْ نِساءٍ غَرِيباتٍ مِنْ بَنِي يَشُوعَ بِنِ يُوصاداقَ وَإخوَتِهِ: مَعْسِيا وَألِيعَزَرُ وَيارِيبُ وَجَدَليا.

And among the sons of the priests there were found that had married foreign women: namely, of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brethren, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.

19 و َقَد وَعَدُوا جَمِيعاً بِتَطلِيقِ نِسائِهِمْ، وَقَدَّمَ كُلُّ واحِدٍ مِنهُمْ كَبْشاً مِنْ قَطِيعِهِ عَن إثمِهِ.

And they gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guilt.

20 و َمِن بَنِي إمِّيرَ: حَنانِي وَزَبْدِيا.

And of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

21 و َمِن بَنِي حارِيمَ: مَعْسِيّا وَإيلِيّا وَشَمْعِيا وَيَحِئِيلُ وَعُزِّيّا.

And of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.

22 و َمِن بَنِي فَشْحُورَ: ألِيُوعِينايُ وَمَعْسِيّا وَإسْماعِيلُ وَنَثنائِيلُ وَيُوزابادُ وَألْعاسَةُ.

And of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

23 و َمِنَ اللّاوِيِّينَ: يُوزابادُ وَشَمْعَى وَقَلايا – أي قَلِيطا – وَفَتَحْيا وَيَهُوذا وَألِيعَزَرُ.

And of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (the same is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

24 و َمِنَ المُرَّنِّمِينَ: ألْياشِيبُ، وَمِن حُرّاسِ البَوّاباتِ، شَلُّومُ وَطالَمُ وَأُورِي.

And of the singers: Eliashib. And of the porters: Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.

25 و َمِن بَقِيَّةِ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ: مِنْ بَنِي فَرْعُوشَ رَمْيا وَيَزِّيّا وَمَلْكِيّا وَمِيّامِينُ وَألعازارُ وَمَلْكِيّا وَبَنايا.

And of Israel: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, and Izziah, and Malchijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

26 و َمِن بَنِي عِيلامَ، مَتَّنْيا وَزَكَرِيّا وَيَحِيئِيلُ وَعَبْدِي وَيَرِيمُوثُ وَإيلِيّا.

And of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Elijah.

27 و َمِن بَنِي زَتُّو، ألْيُوْعِينايُ وَألْياشِيبُ وَمَتَّنْيا وَيَرِيمُوثُ وَزابادُ وَعَزِيزا.

And of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.

28 و َمِن بَنِي بابايَ، يَهُوحانانُ وَحَنَنْيا وَزَبايُ وَعَثلايُ.

And of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.

29 و َمِن بَنِي بانِي، مَشُلّامُ وَمَلُّوخُ وَعَدايا وَياشُوبُ وَشَآلُ وَرامُوثُ.

And of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, Jeremoth.

30 و َمِن بَنِي فَحَثَ مُوآبَ، عَدْنا وَكَلالُ وَبَنايا وَمَعْسِيا وَمَتَّنْيا وَبَصَلْئِيلُ وَبَنُّويُ وَمَنَسَّى.

And of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

31 و َمِن بَنِي حارِيمَ: ألِيعَزَرُ وَيِشِّيّا وَمَلْكِيّا وَشِمْعِيا وَشِمْعُونُ.

And of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 و َبَنْيامِيْنُ وَمَلُّوخُ وَشَمَرْيا.

Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.

33 و َمِن بَنِي حَشُومَ: مَتَّنايُ وَمَتّاثا وَزابادُ وَألِيفَلَطُ وَيَرِيمايُ وَمَنَسَّى وَشَمْعَى.

Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei.

34 و َمِن بَنِي بانِي: مَعَدايُ وَعَمْرامُ وَأُوئِيلُ.

Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, and Uel,

35 و َبَنايا وَبِيدْيا وَكَلُوهِي،

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,

36 و َوَنْيا وَمَرِيمُوثُ وَألْياشِيبُ،

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 و َمَتَّنْيا وَمَتَّنايُ وَيَعْسُو.

Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu,

38 و َمِنْ بَنِي بِنُّويَ: شَمْعَى،

and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,

39 و َشَلَمْيا وَناثانُ وَعَدايا،

and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

40 و َمَكْنَدْبايُ وَشاشايُ وَشارايُ،

Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 و َعَزَرْئِيلُ وَشَلْمِيا وَشَمَرْيا،

Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 و َشَلُّومُ وَأمَرْيا وَيُوسُفُ.

Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.

43 و َمِن بَنِي نَبُو: يَعِيئِيلُ وَمَتَّثْيا وَزابادُ وَزَبِينا وَيَدُّو وَيُوئِيلُ وَبَنايا.

Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, and Joel, Benaiah.

44 ت َزَوَّجَ هَؤلاءِ جَمِيعاً مِنْ نِساءٍ أجنَبِيّاتٍ، وَأنجَبُوا مِنهُنَّ أولاداً.

All these had taken foreign wives; and some of them had wives by whom they had children.