1 فتنبأ النبيان حجي النبي وزكريا ابن عدّو لليهود الذين في يهوذا واورشليم باسم اله اسرائيل عليهم.2 حينئذ قام زربابل بن شألتئيل ويشوع بن يوصاداق وشرعا ببنيان بيت الله الذي في اورشليم ومعهما انبياء الله يساعدونهما.3 في ذلك الزمان جاء اليهم تتناي والي عبر النهر وشتر بوزناي ورفقاؤهما وقالوا لهم هكذا. من أمركم ان تبنوا هذا البيت وتكملوا هذا السور.4 حينئذ اخبرناهم على هذا المنوال ما هي اسماء الرجال الذين يبنون هذا البناء.5 وكانت على شيوخ اليهود عين الههم فلم يوقفوهم حتى وصل الأمر الى داريوس وحينئذ جاوبوا برسالة عن هذا.6 صورة الرسالة التي ارسلها تتناي والي عبر النهر وشتر بوزناي ورفقاؤهما الافرسكيين الذين في عبر النهر الى داريوس الملك.7 ارسلوا اليه رسالة وكان مكتوبا فيها هكذا لداريوس الملك كل سلام.8 ليكن معلوما لدى الملك اننا ذهبنا الى بلاد يهوذا الى بيت الاله العظيم واذا به يبنى بحجارة عظيمة ويوضع خشب في الحيطان وهذا العمل يعمل بسرعة وينجح في ايديهم.9 حينئذ سألنا اولئك الشيوخ وقلنا لهم هكذا. من أمركم ببناء هذا البيت وتكميل هذه الاسوار.10 وسألناهم ايضا عن اسمائهم لنعلمك وكتبنا اسماء الرجال رؤوسهم.11 وبمثل هذا الجواب جاوبوا قائلين نحن عبيد اله السماء والارض ونبني هذا البيت الذي بني قبل هذه السنين الكثيرة وقد بناه ملك عظيم لاسرائيل واكمله12 ولكن بعد ان اسخط آباؤنا اله السماء دفعهم ليد نبوخذناصّر ملك بابل الكلداني الذي هدم هذا البيت وسبى الشعب الى بابل.13 على انه في السنة الاولى لكورش ملك بابل اصدر كورش الملك أمرا ببناء بيت الله هذا.14 حتى ان آنية بيت الله هذا التي من ذهب وفضة التي اخرجها نبوخذناصّر من الهيكل الذي في اورشليم واتى بها الى الهيكل الذي في بابل اخرجها كورش الملك من الهيكل الذي في بابل وأعطيت لواحد اسمه شيشبصّر الذي جعله واليا.15 وقال له خذ هذه الآنية واذهب واحملها الى الهيكل الذي في اورشليم وليبن بيت الله في مكانه.16 حينئذ جاء شيشبصّر هذا ووضع اساس بيت الله الذي في اورشليم ومن ذلك الوقت الى الآن يبنى ولمّا يكمل.17 والآن اذا حسن عند الملك فليفتش في بيت خزائن الملك الذي هو هناك في بابل هل كان قد صدر أمر من كورش الملك ببناء بيت الله هذا في اورشليم وليرسل الملك الينا مراده في ذلك

1 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even to them.2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.3 At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai and their companions, and said thus to them, Who has commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?4 Then said we to them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?5 But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter.6 The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent to Darius the king:7 They sent a letter to him, wherein was written thus; To Darius the king, all peace.8 Be it known to the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goes fast on, and prospers in their hands.9 Then asked we those elders, and said to them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?10 We asked their names also, to certify you, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and set up.12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;15 And said to him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in his place.16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now has it been in building, and yet it is not finished.17 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king' treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.