1حِينَئِذٍ أَمَرَ دَارِيُوسُ الْمَلِكُ فَفَتَّشُوا فِي بَيْتِ الأَسْفَارِ حَيْثُ كَانَتِ الْخَزَائِنُ مَوْضُوعَةً فِي بَابِلَ،2فَوُجِدَ فِي أَحْمَثَا فِي الْقَصْرِ الَّذِي فِي بِلاَدِ مَادِي دَرْجٌ مَكْتُوبٌ فِيهِ هَكَذَا، تِذْكَارٌ.3فِي السَّنَةِ الأُولَى لِكُورَشَ الْمَلِكِ أَمَرَ كُورَشُ الْمَلِكُ مِنْ جِهَةِ بَيْتِ اللَّهِ فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ، لِيُبْنَ الْبَيْتُ، الْمَكَانُ الَّذِي يَذْبَحُونَ فِيهِ ذَبَائِحَ، وَلْتُوضَعْ أُسُسُهُ، ارْتِفَاعُهُ سِتُّونَ ذِرَاعاً وَعَرْضُهُ سِتُّونَ ذِرَاعاً.4بِثَلاَثَةِ صُفُوفٍ مِنْ حِجَارَةٍ عَظِيمَةٍ وَصَفٍّ مِنْ خَشَبٍ جَدِيدٍ. وَلْتُعْطَ النَّفَقَةُ مِنْ بَيْتِ الْمَلِكِ.5وَأَيْضاً آنِيَةُ بَيْتِ اللَّهِ الَّتِي مِنْ ذَهَبٍ وَفِضَّةٍ الَّتِي أَخْرَجَهَا نَبُوخَذْنَصَّرُ مِنَ الْهَيْكَلِ الَّذِي فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ وَأَتَى بِهَا إِلَى بَابِلَ، فَلْتُرَدَّ وَتُرْجَعْ إِلَى الْهَيْكَلِ الَّذِي فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ إِلَى مَكَانِهَا، وَتُوضَعْ فِي بَيْتِ اللَّهِ.6وَالآنَ يَا تَتْنَايُ وَالِي عَبْرِ النَّهْرِ وَشَتَرْبُوزْنَايُ وَرُفَقَاءَكُمَا الأَفَرْسَكِيِّينَ الَّذِينَ فِي عَبْرِ النَّهْرِ، ابْتَعِدُوا مِنْ هُنَاكَ.7اتْرُكُوا عَمَلَ بَيْتِ اللَّهِ هَذَا. أَمَّا وَالِي الْيَهُودِ وَشُيُوخُ الْيَهُودِ فَلْيَبْنُوا بَيْتَ اللَّهِ هَذَا فِي مَكَانِهِ.8وَقَدْ صَدَرَ مِنِّي أَمْرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ مَعَ شُيُوخِ الْيَهُودِ هَؤُلاَءِ فِي بِنَاءِ بَيْتِ اللَّهِ هَذَا. فَمِنْ مَالِ الْمَلِكِ، مِنْ جِزْيَةِ عَبْرِ النَّهْرِ، تُعْطَ النَّفَقَةُ عَاجِلاً لِهَؤُلاَءِ الرِّجَالِ حَتَّى لاَ يَبْطُلُوا.9وَمَا يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الثِّيرَانِ وَالْكِبَاشِ وَالْخِرَافِ مُحْرَقَةً لإِلَهِ السَّمَاءِ، وَحِنْطَةٍ وَمِلْحٍ وَخَمْرٍ وَزَيْتٍ حَسَبَ قَوْلِ الْكَهَنَةِ الَّذِينَ فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ، لِتُعْطَ لَهُمْ يَوْماً فَيَوْماً حَتَّى لاَ يَهْدَأُوا10عَنْ تَقْرِيبِ رَوَائِحِ سُرُورٍ لإِلَهِ السَّمَاءِ، وَالصَّلاَةِ لأَجْلِ حَيَاةِ الْمَلِكِ وَبَنِيهِ.11وَقَدْ صَدَرَ مِنِّي أَمْرٌ أَنَّ كُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ يُغَيِّرُ هَذَا الْكَلاَمَ تُسْحَبُ خَشَبَةٌ مِنْ بَيْتِهِ وَيُعَلَّقُ مَصْلُوباً عَلَيْهَا، وَيُجْعَلُ بَيْتُهُ مَزْبَلَةً مِنْ أَجْلِ هَذَا.12وَاللَّهُ الَّذِي أَسْكَنَ اسْمَهُ هُنَاكَ يُهْلِكُ كُلَّ مَلِكٍ وَشَعْبٍ يَمُدُّ يَدَهُ لِتَغْيِيرِ أَوْ لِهَدْمِ بَيْتِ اللَّهِ هَذَا الَّذِي فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ. أَنَا دَارِيُوسُ قَدْ أَمَرْتُ فَلْيُفْعَلْ عَاجِلاً.13حِينَئِذٍ تَتْنَايُ وَالِي عَبْرِ النَّهْرِ وَشَتَرْبُوزْنَايُ وَرُفَقَاؤُهُمَا عَمِلُوا عَاجِلاً حَسْبَمَا أَرْسَلَ دَارِيُوسُ الْمَلِكُ.14وَكَانَ شُيُوخُ الْيَهُودِ يَبْنُونَ وَيَنْجَحُونَ حَسَبَ نُبُوَّةِ حَجَّيِ النَّبِيِّ وَزَكَرِيَّا بْنِ عِدُّو. فَبَنُوا وَأَكْمَلُوا حَسَبَ أَمْرِ إِلَهِ إِسْرَائِيلَ وَأَمْرِ كُورَشَ وَدَارِيُوسَ وَأَرْتَحْشَسْتَا مَلِكِ فَارِسَ.15وَكَمُلَ هَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي الْيَوْمِ الثَّالِثِ مِنْ شَهْرِ أَذَارَ فِي السَّنَةِ السَّادِسَةِ مِنْ مُلْكِ دَارِيُوسَ الْمَلِكِ.16وَبَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ الْكَهَنَةُ وَاللاَّوِيُّونَ وَبَاقِي بَنِي السَّبْيِ دَشَّنُوا بَيْتَ اللَّهِ هَذَا بِفَرَحٍ.17وَقَرَّبُوا تَدْشِيناً لِبَيْتِ اللَّهِ هَذَا مِئَةَ ثَوْرٍ وَمِئَتَيْ كَبْشٍ وَأَرْبَعَ مِئَةِ خَرُوفٍ وَاثْنَيْ عَشَرَ تَيْسَ مِعْزىً ذَبِيحَةَ خَطِيَّةٍ عَنْ جَمِيعِ إِسْرَائِيلَ حَسَبَ عَدَدِ أَسْبَاطِ إِسْرَائِيلَ.18وَأَقَامُوا الْكَهَنَةَ فِي فِرَقِهِمْ وَاللاَّوِيِّينَ فِي أَقْسَامِهِمْ عَلَى خِدْمَةِ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ كَمَا هُوَ مَكْتُوبٌ فِي سِفْرِ مُوسَى.19وَعَمِلَ بَنُو السَّبْيِ الْفِصْحَ فِي الرَّابِعَ عَشَرَ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ الأَوَّلِ.20لأَنَّ الْكَهَنَةَ وَاللاَّوِيِّينَ تَطَهَّرُوا جَمِيعاً كَانُوا كُلُّهُمْ طَاهِرِينَ، وَذَبَحُوا الْفِصْحَ لِجَمِيعِ بَنِي السَّبْيِ وَلإِخْوَتِهِمِ الْكَهَنَةِ وَلأَنْفُسِهِمْ،21وَأَكَلَهُ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ الرَّاجِعُونَ مِنَ السَّبْيِ مَعَ جَمِيعِ الَّذِينَ انْفَصَلُوا إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ رَجَاسَةِ أُمَمِ الأَرْضِ. لِيَطْلُبُوا الرَّبَّ إِلَهَ إِسْرَائِيلَ،22وَعَمِلُوا عِيدَ الْفَطِيرِ سَبْعَةَ أَيَّامٍ بِفَرَحٍ. لأَنَّ الرَّبَّ فَرَّحَهُمْ وَحَوَّلَ قَلْبَ مَلِكِ أَشُّورَ نَحْوَهُمْ لِتَقْوِيَةِ أَيْدِيهِمْ فِي عَمَلِ بَيْتِ اللَّهِ إِلَهِ إِسْرَائِيلَ.
1Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.2And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:3In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;4With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:5And also let the golden 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 his place, and place them in the house of God.6Now therefore , Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:7Let 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 his place.8Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.9And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:10That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.11Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.12And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.13Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.14And the elders of the Jews builded, and they 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 commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.15And 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.16And 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,17And offered at the dedication of this house of God an 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.18And 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.19And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.20For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.21And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat,22And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and 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.