1重建聖殿的工作受攔阻猶大和便雅憫的敵人聽見被擄回來的人為耶和華以色列的 神重建聖殿，
1Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to Yahweh, the God of Israel;
2就前來見所羅巴伯和眾族長，對他們說：“請讓我們與你們一起建造吧！因為我們也像你們那樣尋求你們的 神。自從亞述王以撒哈頓把我們帶上這裡的日子以來，我們一直向他獻祭。”
2then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, “Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as you do; and we sacrifice to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”
3但所羅巴伯、耶書亞和以色列其餘的族長對他們說：“你們不能與我們一同建築 神的殿，因為波斯王古列王吩咐我們自己為耶和華以色列的 神建殿。”
3But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel, said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to Yahweh, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”
4於是那地方的居民使猶大人的手發軟，驚擾他們的建築工程。
4Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
5又在波斯王古列的日子，直到波斯王大利烏在位的時候，常常賄買參謀，來敵對猶大人，要破壞他們的建殿計劃。
5and hired counselors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6敵人上奏控告猶大人亞哈隨魯在位的初期，他們寫了訴狀，控告猶大和耶路撒冷的居民。
6In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7在亞達薛西年間，比施蘭、米特利達、他別和其餘的同僚，也上書給波斯王亞達薛西，反對耶路撒冷人，奏文是用亞蘭文寫成，也用亞蘭語譯出。
7In the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Syrian, and set forth in the Syrian language.
8省長利宏和祕書伸帥寫奏本給亞達薛西王，控告耶路撒冷。奏文如下：
8Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
9省長利宏、祕書伸帥和他們其餘的同僚：法官、欽差、議員、官長（“法官、欽差、議員、官長”或譯：“底拿人、亞法薩提迦人、他毗拉人、亞法撒人”），亞基衛人、巴比倫人、書珊人，就是以攔人，
9then Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,
10還有偉大尊貴的亞斯那巴擄來，安置在撒瑪利亞城和河西那邊其餘地方的居民，呈上奏文。
10and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over, and set in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River, and so forth, wrote.
11這就是他們呈給亞達薛西王的奏文副本：“你的臣僕，就是河西那邊的人，上奏亞達薛西王：
11This is the copy of the letter that they sent to Artaxerxes the king: Your servants the men beyond the River, and so forth.
12奏知大王：從你那裡上到我們這裡來的猶大人，已經到了耶路撒冷這座叛逆和邪惡的城；他們進行建造，並且已經修好根基，開始建造城牆。
12Be it known to the king, that the Jews who came up from you have come to us to Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and have finished the walls, and repaired the foundations.
13現在奏知大王：如果這城建成，牆垣築好，他們就不再繳稅、進貢和納糧，王的國庫收入必定受損。
13Be it known now to the king that if this city is built, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings.
14現在我們既食王家的鹽，不該見王受剝奪，因此上奏稟告王，
14Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not appropriate for us to see the king’s dishonor, therefore have we sent and informed the king;
15請王查考先王的記錄，從記錄中查知這城是叛逆的城，對列王和各省都有損害，自古以來，城中常有造反的事，因此這城被拆毀。
15that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers: so you shall find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time; for which cause was this city laid waste.
16我們告知王，如果這城建成，牆垣築好，河西那邊的地方就不再是王的了。”
16We inform the king that, if this city be built, and the walls finished, by this means you shall have no portion beyond the River.
17王降旨下令停工王把諭旨送交省長利宏、祕書伸帥，以及其餘住在撒瑪利亞和河西的同僚，說：“願你們平安。
17Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River: Peace, and so forth.
18你們呈給我們的奏本已經在我面前清楚誦讀了。
18The letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me.
19我下令考查，發現這城自古以來反叛列王，城中常有造反叛亂的事。
19I decreed, and search has been made, and it is found that this city of old time has made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.
20從前大能的君王統治耶路撒冷，治理河西那邊的全地，接受他們繳稅、進貢和納糧。
20There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them.
21現在你們要下令叫這些人停工，不得重建這城，等候我的諭令。
21Make a decree now to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built, until a decree shall be made by me.
22你們要留心，不可疏忽這事，使王的虧損增加。”
22Take heed that you not be slack herein: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
23當亞達薛西王諭旨的副本在利宏和祕書伸帥，以及他們的同僚面前宣讀出來以後，他們就急忙去耶路撒冷到猶大人那裡，用武力強迫他們停工。
23Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
24所以，在耶路撒冷的 神殿的工程就停止了，直到波斯王大利烏在位的第二年。
24Then ceased the work of God’s house which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.