1 ب َعدَ هَذِهِ الأحداثِ، وَفِي عَهدِ أرْتَحْشَسْتا مَلِكِ فارِسَ، وَصَلَ عَزْرا مِنْ بابِلَ إلَى مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ. وَعَزْرا هُوَ ابْنُ سَرايا بْنِ عَزَرْيا بْنِ حِلْقِيّا

Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, there went up Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,

2 ب نِ شَلُّومَ بْنِ صادُوقَ بْنِ أخِيطُوبَ

son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,

3 ب ْنِ أمَرْيا بْنِ عَزَرْيا بْنِ مَرايُوثَ

son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,

4 ب ْنِ زَرَحْيا بْنِ عُزِّي بْنِ بُقِّي

son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,

5 ب ْنِ أبِيَشُوعَ بْنِ فِينْحاسَ بْنِ ألِعازارَ بْنِ هارُونَ رَئِيسِ الكَهَنَةِ.

son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest.

6 و َكانَ عَزْرا هَذا الَّذِي جاءَ مِنْ بابِلَ، مُعَلِّماً ضَلِيعاً بِشَرِيعَةِ مُوسَى الَّتِي أعطاهُ إيّاها اللهُ ، إلَهُ إسْرائِيلَ. وَقَد لَبَّى المَلِكُ لِعَزْرا كُلَّ ما طَلَبَهُ مِنهُ، حَيْثُ إنَّ يَدَ إلَهِهِ كانَتْ مَعَهُ وَتُعِينُهُ.

This Ezra went up from Babylon, and he was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all he requested because the hand of the Lord his God was upon him.

7 و َصَعِدَ قَومٌ مِنْ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ، مَعَ بَعضِ الكَهَنَةِ وَاللّاوِيِّينَ وَالمُرَنِّمِينَ وَحُرّاسِ البَوّاباتِ وَخُدّامِ الهَيكَلِ، إلَى مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ فِي السَّنَةِ السّابِعَةِ مِنْ حُكمِ المَلِكِ أرْتَحْشَسْتا.

Some of the sons of Israel and some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

8 و َوَصَلَ عَزْرا إلَى مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ فِي الشَّهرِ الخامِسِ مِنَ السَّنَةِ السّابِعَةِ لِحُكمِ المَلِكِ.

He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.

9 و َكانَ قَد غادَرَ بابِلَ فِي اليَومِ الأوَّلِ مِنَ الشَّهرِ الأوَّلِ، فَوَصَلَ فِي اليَومِ الأوَّلِ مِنَ الشَّهرِ الخامِسِ، لأنَّ يَدَ إلَهِهِ الكَرِيمَةَ كانَت مَعَهُ.

For on the first of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, because the good hand of his God was upon him.

10 ف َقَدْ كانَ عَزْرا قَد هَيَّأ قَلبَهُ لِدِراسَةِ شَرِيعَةِ اللهِ وَالعَمَلِ بِها، وَلِتَعلِيمِ وَصايا اللهِ وَفَرائِضِهِ لِبَنِي إسْرائِيلَ. رسالةُ الملكِ أرْتَحْشَسْتا إلَى عَزْرا

For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. King’s Decree on Behalf of Ezra

11 و َهَذِهِ نُسخَةٌ مِنَ الرِّسالَةِ الَّتِي أعْطاها المَلِكُ أرْتَحْشَسْتا إلَى عَزْرا الكاهِنِ وَالمُعَلِّمِ، مُعَلِّمِ الأُمُورِ المُختَصَّةِ بِوَصايا اللهِ وَفَرائِضِهِ لِبَنِي إسْرائِيلَ:

Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, learned in the words of the commandments of the Lord and His statutes to Israel:

12 م ِنْ أرْتَحْشَسْتا مَلِكِ المُلُوكِ إلَى عَزْرا الكاهِنِ مُعَلِّمِ شَرِيعَةِ إلَهِ السَّماءِ. سَلامٌ لَكَ …

“ Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now

13 ف َإنِّي أُصدِرُ أمرِي بِأن يَرجِعَ إلَى مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ كُلُّ مَنْ شاءَ فِي مَملَكَتِي مِنْ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ أوْ كَهَنَتِهِمْ أوِ اللّاوِيِّينَ.

I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.

14 ل أنَّكَ مُرسَلٌ مِنَ المَلِكِ وَمُستَشارِيهِ السَّبعِ لِتَرَى مَدَى طاعَةِ بَنِي يَهُوذا لِشَرِيعَةِ إلَهِكَ الَّتِي أنتَ ضَلِيعٌ بِها.

Forasmuch as you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God which is in your hand,

15 و َخُذْ ما تَبَرَّعَ بِهِ المَلِكُ وَمُستَشارُوهُ لإلَهِ إسْرائِيلَ السّاكِنِ فِي القُدْسِ مِنَ الفِضَّةَ وَالذَّهَبَ.

and to bring the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,

16 و َخُذْ مَعَكَ أيضاً كُلَّ ما تَستَطِيعُ الحُصُولَ عَلَيهِ مِنَ الفِضَّةِ وَالذَّهَبِ فِي كُلِّ إقلِيمِ بابِلَ، مَعَ تَبَرُعاتِ الشَّعبِ وَالكَهَنَةِ لِبَيتِ إلَهِهِمْ فِي مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ.

with all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, who offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem;

17 و َخَصِّصْ هَذا المالَ لِشِراءِ ثِيرانٍ وَكِباشٍ وَحِملانٍ وَما يُرافِقُها مِنْ تَقدِماتِ الحُبُوبِ وَالسَّكِيبِ، وَقَدِّمها عَلَى مَذبَحِ هَيكَلِ إلَهِكَ فِي مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ.

with this money, therefore, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings and offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

18 و َتَصَرَّف بِما يَتَبَقَّى مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالفِضَّةِ كَما تَستَحسِنُ أنتَ وَرِفاقُكَ اليَهُودُ حَسَبَ مَشِيئَةِ إلَهِكُمْ.

Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do according to the will of your God.

19 و َأمّا الآنِيَةُ الَّتِي أُعطِيَتْ لَكَ مِنْ أجلِ خَدَماتِ بَيتِ إلَهِكَ، فَضَعْها فِي حَضْرَةِ إلَهِ مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ.

Also the utensils which are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem.

20 و َفِي ما يَتَعَلَّقُ بِبَقِيَّةِ الأُمُورِ اللّازِمَةِ لِبَيتِ إلَهِكَ، الَّتِي تَقَعُ ضِمنَ مَسؤُولِيَّتِكَ، يُمكِنُكَ تَوفِيرَها مِنَ الخَزِينَةِ المَلَكِيَّةِ.

The rest of the needs for the house of your God, for which you may have occasion to provide, provide for it from the royal treasury.

21 ك َما آمُرُ أنا المَلِكَ أرْتَحْشَسْتا كُلَّ أُمَناءِ الخَزِينَةِ فِي إقلِيمِ غَرْبِ نَهرِ الفُراتِ بِأن يُقَدِّمُوا لِعَزْرا الكاهِنِ وَمُعَلِّمِ شَرِيعَةِ إلَهِ السَّماءِ كُلَّ ما يَطلُبُهُ فَوراً وَمِنْ دُونِ تَوانٍ.

“I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently,

22 ف َليُعْطَ حَتَّى مِئَةِ قِنْطارٍ مِنَ الفِضَّةِ، وَمِئَةِ كِيسٍ مِنَ القَمحِ، ومِئَةِ صَفِيحَةٍ مِنَ النَّبِيذِ، ومِئَةِ صَفِيحَةٍ مِنْ زَيتِ الزَّيتُونِ. وَلِيَأخُذْ مِنَ المِلحِ قَدْرَ ما يَشاءُ.

even up to 100 talents of silver, 100 kors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt as needed.

23 ف َلِيَتِمَّ تَنفِيذُ كُلَّ ما أمَرَ بِهِ إلَهُ السَّماءِ مِنْ أجلِ هَيكَلِهِ بِسُرعَةٍ وَبِشَكلٍ كامِلٍ، لِئَلّا يَأتِي غَضَبُ اللهِ عَلَى مَملَكَةِ المَلِكِ وَبَنِيهِ.

Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons.

24 و َنُعلِمُكُمْ أنَّهُ يُمنَعُ استِيفاءُ أيِّ نَوعٍ مِنَ أنواعِ الضَّرائِبِ مِنَ الكَهَنَةِ وَاللّاوِيِّينَ وَالمُرَنِّمِينَ وَحُرّاسِ البَوّاباتِ وَخُدّامِ الهَيكَلِ وَأيِّ عامِلٍ آخَرَ فِي بَيتِ اللهِ.

We also inform you that it is not allowed to impose tax, tribute or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim or servants of this house of God.

25 و َقُمْ أنتَ يا عَزْرا، بِالاستِعانَةِ بِحِكمَةِ إلَهِكَ الَّتِي تَملُكُها، فِي تَعيِينِ قُضاةٍ وَحُكّامٍ يَقضُونَ بَينَ سُكّانِ إقلِيمِ غَرْبِ نَهرِ الفُراتِ، أي كُلِّ الَّذِينَ يَعْرِفُونَ شَعائِرَ إلَهِكُمْ. وَعَلِّمها لَكُّلِ مَنْ لا يَعرِفُها.

“You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges that they may judge all the people who are in the province beyond the River, even all those who know the laws of your God; and you may teach anyone who is ignorant of them.

26 و َأنزِل حُكْماً سَرِيعاً وَشَدِيداً بِكُلِّ مَنْ لا يُطِيعُ شَرِيعَةَ إلَهِكَ وَشَرِيعَةَ المَلِكِ، إمّا بِالمَوْتِ أوْ بِالنَّفيِ أوْ بِالغَرامَةِ أوْ بِالحَبسِ. عَزْرا يُسَبِّحِ الله

Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.” The King’s Kindness

27 ا لحَمدُ للهِ ، إلَهِ آبائِنا الَّذِي رَغَّبَ المَلِكَ فِي تَكرِيمِ بَيْتِ اللهِ فِي مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ،

Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to adorn the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem,

28 و َأظهَرَ لِي مَحَبَّتَهُ الثّابِتَةَ أمامَ المَلِكِ وَمُستَشارِيهِ وَكُلِّ كِبارِ مَسؤُولِيهِ. فَتَشَجَّعتُ لأنَّ يَدَ إلَهِي كانَتْ تُعينُنِي. وَجَمَعتُ قادَةً مِنْ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ للِذَّهابِ مَعِي إلَى القُدْسِ.

and has extended lovingkindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king’s mighty princes. Thus I was strengthened according to the hand of the Lord my God upon me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.