以斯拉記（吉茲語／衣索比亞版） 第 7 章

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

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

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

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

the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest, from among their forefathers.

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

And some of the children 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 Artaxerxes the king.

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

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

For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of Jehovah, and to do it, and to teach in Israel its statutes and ordinances.

Now this is the copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a scribe of the words of the commandments of Jehovah and of His statutes which He gave to Israel:

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

I make a decree, that all of the children of Israel and their priests and Levites in my kingdom who freely offer themselves to go to Jerusalem with you, may go.

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

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

and also all the silver and gold that you shall find in the whole province of Babylon, with the freewill offerings of the people and the priests who offer willingly for the house of God which is in Jerusalem;

And all this I command in this letter: with the money you shall diligently buy bullocks, rams, and lambs, with their meal offerings and drink offerings, and you shall offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

And whatever shall seem good to you and to your brethren to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do according to the will of your God.

And the vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver before the God of Jerusalem.

And whatever else is needed for the house of your God, which you have occasion to provide, you may provide out of the king's treasure-house.

And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, let it be done with all diligence,

up to a hundred talents of silver, up to a hundred cors of wheat, up to a hundred baths of wine, up to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done diligently for the house of the God of heaven; and take heed lest you neglect the house of the God of heaven, lest wrath come upon the kingdom of the king and his sons.

And we also inform you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, the singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, and all who do the work of this house of God, you have no authority to impose tribute, tax, or toll upon them.

And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint scribes and judges, who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, even all such as know the law of your God; and teach those who do not know it.

And whoever will not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him without delay, whether it be to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

And Ezra said, Blessed be Jehovah the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to glorify His house which is in Jerusalem,

and has extended His mercy to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the mighty princes of the king. And I was strengthened by the hand of Jehovah my God which was blessed upon me, and I gathered out of Israel leading men to go up with me.