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 was praying and making confession, weeping and prostrating himself before the house of God, a very large assembly, men, women and children, gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept bitterly.

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.

Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, said to Ezra, “ We have been unfaithful to our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope for Israel in spite of this.

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

So now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who 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 this matter is your responsibility, but we will be with you; be courageous and act.”

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

Then Ezra rose and made the leading priests, the Levites and all Israel, take oath that they would do according to this proposal; so they took the oath.

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 from before the house of God and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. Although he went there, he did not eat bread nor drink water, for he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.

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

They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the exiles, that they should assemble at 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 whoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the leaders and the elders, all his possessions should be forfeited and he himself excluded from the assembly of the exiles.

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.

So all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month on the twentieth of the month, and all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and the heavy rain.

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

Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful and have married foreign wives adding to 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 to the Lord God of your fathers and do His will; 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.

Then all the assembly replied with a loud voice, “That’s right! As you have said, so it is our duty to 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 there are many people; it is the rainy season and we are not able to stand in the open. Nor can the task be done in one or two days, for we have transgressed greatly 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 our leaders represent the whole assembly and let all those in our cities who have married foreign wives come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each city, until the fierce anger of our God on account of this matter is turned away 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 opposed this, with Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting 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،

But the exiles did so. And Ezra the priest selected men who were heads of fathers’ households for each of their father’s households, all of them by name. So they convened on the first day of the tenth month to investigate 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

They finished investigating all the men who had married foreign wives by the first day of the first month. List of Offenders

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

Among the sons of the priests who had married foreign wives were found of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah.

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

They pledged to put away their wives, and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their offense.

20 و َمِن بَنِي إمِّيرَ: حَنانِي وَزَبْدِيا.

Of the sons of Immer there were Hanani and Zebadiah;

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

and of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, 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.

Of Levites there were Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.

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

Of the singers there was Eliashib; and of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem and Uri.

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

Of Israel, of the sons of Parosh there were Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah and Benaiah;

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

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

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

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

28 و َمِن بَنِي بابايَ، يَهُوحانانُ وَحَنَنْيا وَزَبايُ وَعَثلايُ.

and of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai;

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

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

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

and of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, 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 and Shemariah;

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

of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei;

34 و َمِن بَنِي بانِي: مَعَدايُ وَعَمْرامُ وَأُوئِيلُ.

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

35 و َبَنايا وَبِيدْيا وَكَلُوهِي،

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,

36 و َوَنْيا وَمَرِيمُوثُ وَألْياشِيبُ،

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 و َمَتَّنْيا وَمَتَّنايُ وَيَعْسُو.

Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu,

38 و َمِنْ بَنِي بِنُّويَ: شَمْعَى،

Bani, Binnui, Shimei,

39 و َشَلَمْيا وَناثانُ وَعَدايا،

Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

40 و َمَكْنَدْبايُ وَشاشايُ وَشارايُ،

Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 و َعَزَرْئِيلُ وَشَلْمِيا وَشَمَرْيا،

Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 و َشَلُّومُ وَأمَرْيا وَيُوسُفُ.

Shallum, Amariah and Joseph.

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

Of the sons of Nebo there were Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah.

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

All these had married foreign wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had children.