1 ح ِينَئِذٍ، أصدَرَ المَلِكُ دارِيُوسُ أمراً بِالبَحثِ فِي السِّجِلّاتِ المَحفُوظَةِ فِي بابِلَ.

Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.

2 ف تَمَّ العُثُورُ فِي أحْمَثا، مَقَرِّ المَلِكِ فِي إقلِيمِ مادِيَ، عَلَى مَخطُوطَةٍ كُتِبَ فِيها: هَذِهِ مُذَكِّرَةُ …

And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, a roll, and therein was thus written for a record:

3 ف ِي السَّنَةِ الأُولَى مِنْ حُكمِ المَلِكِ كُورَشَ، أصدَرَ المَلِكُ الأمرَ التّالِي حُولَ بَيتِ اللهِ الَّذِي فِي مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ: لِيُبنَ البَيتُ الَّذِي كانَت تُقَدَّمُ الذَّبائِحُ فِيهِ، وَلِتُوضَعْ أساساتُهُ، وَلِيَكُن ارتِفاعُهُ سِتِّينَ ذِراعاً وَعَرضُهُ سِتِّينَ ذِراعاً.

In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be builded, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;

4 ب ِثَلاثِ طَبَقاتٍ مِنَ الحِجارَةِ الضَخمَةِ وَطَبَقَةٍ مِنَ الألواحِ الخَشَبِيَّةِ. عَلَى أن تُدفَعَ نَفَقاتُ البِناءِ مِنَ الخَزِينَةِ المَلَكِيَّةِ.

with three courses of great stones, and a course of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house.

5 و َكُلُّ الأوَنِيَ الذَّهَبِيَّةِ وَالفِضِّيَّةِ الَّتِي سَلَبَها نَبُوخَذْناصَّرُ مِنْ مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ وَأحضَرَها إلَى بابِلَ، تُرَدُّ إلَى مَكانِها فِي الهَيكَلِ الَّذِي فِي مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ، وَتُوضَعُ فِي بَيتِ اللهِ.

And also let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to its place; and thou shalt put them in the house of God.

6 و َالآنَ يا تَتْنايُ، والِي إقلِيمِ غَرْبِ نَهرِ الفُراتِ وَشَتَرْبُوزْنايُ وَرِفاقَهُم المَسؤُولِينَ هُناكَ، دَعُوهُمْ وَشَأنَهُمْ.

Now therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the River, be ye far from thence:

7 و َلا تَتَدَخَّلُوا فِي عَمَلِ بِناءِ بَيتِ اللهِ. وَدَعُوا والِيَ اليَهُودِ وَشُيُوخَهُمْ يُعِيدُوا بِناءَ بَيتِ اللهِ فِي مَوقِعِهِ الأصلِيِّ.

let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in its place.

8 و َأنا أُصدِرُ هَذا الأمرَ حَولَ ما يَنبَغِي أن تَفعَلُوهُ لِشُيُوخِ اليَهُودِ هَؤُلاءِ مِنْ أجلِ بِناءِ بَيتِ اللهِ: تُدفَعُ جَميعُ نَفَقاتِ هَؤُلاءِ الرِّجالِ مِنَ الخَزِينَةِ المَلَكِيَّةِ، مِنَ الضَّرائِبِ المُستَوفاةِ مِنْ إقلِيمِ غَرْبِ نَهرِ الفُراتِ، حَتَّى لا يَتَوَقَّفُوا عَنِ العَمَلِ.

Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to these elders of the Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the River, expenses be given with all diligence unto these men, that they be not hindered.

9 أ عطُوهُمْ كُلَّ ما يَحتاجُونَ إلَيهِ مِنَ الثِّيرانِ وَالكِباشِ وَالحِملانِ للذَّبائِحِ المُقَدَّمَةِ لإلَهِ السَّماواتِ، وَكُلَّ ما يَطلُبُهُ الكَهَنَةُ فِي مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ مِنْ قَمحٍ وَمِلحٍ وَنَبيذٍ وَزَيتٍ، يَوماً فَيَوماً دُونَ تَقصِيرٍ،

And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for burnt-offerings to the God of heaven; also wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the priests that are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail;

10 ل ِكَي يُقَدِّمُوا ذَبائِحَ يُسَّرُّ بِها إلَهُ السَّماءِ، وَيُصَّلُّوا مِنْ أجلِ حَياةِ المَلِكِ وَبَنِيهِ.

that they may offer sacrifices of sweet savor unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.

11 و َها أنا أُصدِرُ أيضاً أمراً بِأن يُقلَعَ لَوْحُ خَشَبٍ مِنْ بَيتِ كُلِّ شَخصٍ يُخالِفُ أوامِرِي هَذِهِ، وَيُعَلَّقَ عَلَيهِ وَيُخَرَّبَ بَيتُهُ بِسَبَبِ ذَلِكَ.

Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this:

12 و َلَيتَ اللهَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ اسْمَهُ يَسكُنُ هُناكَ يُدَمِّرُ أيَّ مَلِكٍ أوْ شَعبٍ يُحاوِلُ أن يَهدِمَ بَيتَ اللهِ الَّذِي فِي مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ. صَدَرَ هَذا الأمرُ عَنِّي أنا دارِيُوسَ، فَلْيَتِمَّ تَنفِيذُهُ بِدِقَّةٍ وَسُرعَةٍ. إكْمالُ بِناءِ الهَيْكَل

and the God that hath caused his name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples that shall put forth their hand to alter the same, to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with all diligence.

13 و َبِحَسَبِ رِسالَةِ المَلِكِ دارِيُوسَ هَذِهِ، بَذَلَ تَتْنايُ والِي إقلِيمِ غَرْبِ نَهرِ الفُراتِ وَشَتَرْبُوزْنايُ وَرِفاقُهُما كُلَّ جُهدِهِمْ لِتَنفِيذِ ما أمَرَ بِهِ المَلِكُ.

Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their companions, because that Darius the king had sent, did accordingly with all diligence.

14 و َاستَمَرَّ شُيُوخُ اليَهُودِ وَقادَتُهُمْ فِي البِناءِ بِنَجاحٍ حَسَبَ نُبُوَّةِ حَجَّي وَزَكَرِيّا بْنِ عِدُّوَ، وَأكمَلُوهُ حَسَبَ أمرِ إلَهِ إسْرائِيلَ وَأمرِ كُورَشَ وَدارِيُوسَ أرْتَحْشَسْتا، مُلُوكِ فارِسَ.

And the elders of the Jews builded and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

15 و َقَد اكتَمَلَ بِناءُ هَذا البَيتِ فِي اليَومِ الثّالِثِ مِنْ شَهرِ آذارَ فِي السَّنَةِ السّادِسَةِ مِنْ حُكمِ المَلِكِ دارِيُوسَ.

And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

16 ث ُمَّ كَرَّسَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ مِنَ الكَهَنَةِ وَاللّاوِيِّينَ وَبَقِيَّةِ العائِدِينَ مِنَ السَّبيِ بَيتَ اللهِ بِفَرَحٍ.

And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.

17 و َقَدَّمُوا فِي احتِفالِ تَكرِيسِ بَيتِ اللهِ مِئَةَ ثَورٍ وَمِئَتَي كَبْشٍ وَأربَعَ مِئَةِ حَمَلٍ. كَما قَدَّمُوا اثنَيّ عَشَرَ تَيساً عَلَى عَدَدِ قَبائِلِ شَعبِ اللهِ، ذَبِيْحَةَ خَطِيَّةٍ عَنهُمْ جَمِيعاً.

And they offered at the dedication of this house of God a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

18 و َعَيَّنُوا الكَهَنَةَ فِي فِرَقِهِمِ الخاصَّةِ وَاللّاوِيِّينَ فِي فِرَقِهِمِ الخاصَّةِ مِنْ أجلِ خِدمَةِ اللهِ فِي مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ، كَما هُوَ مَكتُوبٌ فِي كِتابِ مُوسَى. فِصحُ عامِ خَمسِ مِئَةٍ وَعَشْرَة

And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.

19 و َاحتَفَلَ العائِدُونَ مِنَ السَّبيِ بِعِيدِ الفِصحِ فِي الرّابِعَ عَشَرَ مِنَ الشَّهرِ الأوَّلِ.

And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.

20 ل أنَّ جَمِيعَ الكَهَنَةِ كانُوا قَد طَهَّرُوا أنفُسَهُمْ. وَكانَ اللّاوِيُّونَ جَمِيعاً طاهِرِينَ، فَذَبَحُوا حَمَلَ الفِصحِ عَنْ كُلِّ الَّذِينَ عادُوا مِنَ السَّبيِ، وَعَنْ إخْوَتِهِمِ الكَهَنَةِ، وَعَن أنفُسِهِمْ.

For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure: and they killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

21 و َأكَلَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ العائِدُونَ مِنَ السَّبيِ مِنْ وَلِيمَةِ الفِصحِ مَعَ كُلِّ الَّذِينَ انضَمُّوا إلَيْهِمْ بَعدَ أنِ انفَصَلُوا عَن نَجاسَةِ أُمَمِ الأرْضِ لِيَعبُدُوا اللهَ ، إلَهَ إسْرائِيلَ.

And the children of Israel that were come again out of the captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek Jehovah, the God of Israel, did eat,

22 و َاحتَفَلُوا بِعِيدِ الخُبْزِ غَيرِ المُخْتَمِرِ لِمُدَّةِ سَبعَةِ أيّامٍ بِفَرَحٍ كَبِيرٍ، لأنَّ اللهَ فَرَّحَهُمْ وَأمالَ قَلبَ مَلِكِ أشُّورَ إلَيْهِمْ، فَساعَدَهُمْ فِي بِناءِ بَيتِ اللهِ، إلَهِ إسْرائِيلَ.

and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for Jehovah had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.