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.

And while Ezra prayed, and made confession, weeping and falling down before the house of God, there were gathered to him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children; for the people wept very much.

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 Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, We have acted unfaithfully toward our God, and have taken foreign wives 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.

And now 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 lord, and of those that tremble at the commandments 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 this matter is incumbent on thee, and we will be with thee: be of good courage, and do.

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

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

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.

And Ezra arose from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib; and when he came thither, he ate no bread and drank no water; for he mourned because of the unfaithfulness of them that had been carried away.

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

And they made proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem to 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 would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be confiscated, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.

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 were all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered together at Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month; and all the people sat in the open space of the house of God, trembling because of the matter, and because of the pouring 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 to them, Ye have acted unfaithfully, and have taken foreign wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.

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

And now make confession to Jehovah the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure, and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign wives.

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

And the whole congregation answered and said with a loud voice, Yes, it is for us to do according to thy words.

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 pouring rain, and it is not possible to stand without: neither is this a work for one day or two; for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.

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, while this matter is going on, stand for all the congregation, and let all those that have taken foreign wives in our cities come at the appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce anger of our God be turned from us.

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; 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 certain of the chief fathers were separated according to their fathers' houses, and all of them by name; and they sat down on 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 ended with all the men that had taken foreign wives 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 taken foreign wives, 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 to send away their wives; and they offered a ram of the flock, as trespass-offering for their guilt.

20 و َمِن بَنِي إمِّيرَ: حَنانِي وَزَبْدِيا.

And of the children of Immer: Hanani, and Zebadiah.

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

And of the children 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 children of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

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

And of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (that 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 doorkeepers: 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 children of Parosh: Ramiah, and Jizzijah, and Malchijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

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

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

28 و َمِن بَنِي بابايَ، يَهُوحانانُ وَحَنَنْيا وَزَبايُ وَعَثلايُ.

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

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

And of the children of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.

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

And of the children of Pahath-Moab: Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

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

And the children of Harim: Eliezer, Jishijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Simeon,

32 و َبَنْيامِيْنُ وَمَلُّوخُ وَشَمَرْيا.

Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.

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

Of the children 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, Bediah, Cheluhu,

36 و َوَنْيا وَمَرِيمُوثُ وَألْياشِيبُ،

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 و َمَتَّنْيا وَمَتَّنايُ وَيَعْسُو.

Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasai,

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،

Machnadbai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 و َعَزَرْئِيلُ وَشَلْمِيا وَشَمَرْيا،

Azareel, 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 children of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, and Joel, Benaiah.

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

All these had taken foreign wives; and there were among them wives who had had children.