Post hæc autem verba in regno Artaxerxis regis Persarum, Esdras filius Saraiæ, filii Azariæ, filii Helciæ,

Now after these things in the reign of Artaxerxes king of the Persians, Esdras the son of Saraias, the son of Azarias, the son of Helcias,

Now turn we to the reign of Artaxerxes in Persia, and to Esdras. This Esdras was descended through Saraias, Helcias,

filii Sellum, filii Sadoc, filii Achitob,

The son of Sellum, the son of Sadoc, the son of Achitob,

Sellum, Sadoc, Achitob,

filii Amariæ, filii Azariæ, filii Maraioth,

The son of Amarias, the son of Azarias, the son of Maraioth,

Amarias, Azarias, Maraioth,

filii Zarahiæ, filii Ozi, filii Bocci,

The son of Zarahias, the son of Ozi, the son of Bocci,

Zarahias, Ozi, Bocci,

filii Abisue, filii Phinees, filii Eleazar, filii Aaron sacerdotis ab initio.

The son of Abisue, the son of Phinees, the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest from the beginning.

Abisue, Phinees and Eleazar from Aaron, that was the first priest of all.

Ipse Esdras ascendit de Babylone, et ipse scriba velox in lege Moysi, quam Dominus Deus dedit Israël: et dedit ei rex secundum manum Domini Dei ejus super eum, omnem petitionem ejus.

This Esdras went up from Babylon, and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God had given to Israel: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him.

He was a scribe, well versed in the law given to Israel by the Lord God through Moses; and now he came from Babylon armed, under God’s favour, with all the powers he had asked from the king.

Et ascenderunt de filiis Israël, et de filiis sacerdotum, et de filiis Levitarum, et de cantoribus, et de janitoribus, et de Nathinæis, in Jerusalem, anno septimo Artaxerxis regis.

And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the children of the priests, and of the children of the Levites, and of the singing men, and of the porters, and of the Nathinites to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

Some of the common folk made the journey to Jerusalem with him, as well as priests, Levites, singers, door-keepers and Nathinaeans. This was in the seventh year of king Artaxerxes;

Et venerunt in Jerusalem mense quinto, ipse est annus septimus regis.

And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, in the seventh year of the king.

they reached Jerusalem in the fifth month of this seventh year,

Quia in primo die mensis primi cœpit ascendere de Babylone, et in primo die mensis quinti venit in Jerusalem, juxta manum Dei sui bonam super se.

For upon 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.

on the first day of the month, after leaving Babylon on the first day of the first month, such was the favour God shewed him.

Esdras enim paravit cor suum, ut investigaret legem Domini, et faceret et doceret in Israël præceptum et judicium.

For Esdras had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do and to teach in Israel the commandments and judgment.

His was a heart given up to study of the Lord’s law, ready to hold fast by it and teach the men of Israel decree and award.

Hoc est autem exemplar epistolæ edicti, quod dedit rex Artaxerxes Esdræ sacerdoti, scribæ erudito in sermonibus et præceptis Domini, et cæremoniis ejus in Israël.

And this is the copy of the letter of the edict, which king Artaxerxes gave to Esdras the priest, the scribe instructed in the words and commandments of the Lord, and his ceremonies in Israel.

Here is a copy of the letter Artaxerxes sent with him, addressed to, The priest Esdras, a scribe well versed in the Lord’s utterances, all the commands and observances he enjoined upon Israel.

Artaxerxes rex regum Esdræ sacerdoti scribæ legis Dei cæli doctissimo, salutem.

Artaxerxes king of kings to Esdras the priest, the most learned scribe of the law of the God of heaven, greeting.

Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Esdras, a scribe most learned in the law of the God of heaven, health and greeting.

A me decretum est, ut cuicumque placuerit in regno meo de populo Israël, et de sacerdotibus ejus, et de Levitis, ire in Jerusalem, tecum vadat.

It is decreed by me, that all they of the people of Israel, and of the priests and of the Levites in my realm, that are minded to go into Jerusalem, should go with thee.

My will is, that any Israelite, priest or Levite who desires it should have leave to accompany thee to Jerusalem.

A facie enim regis, et septem consiliatorum ejus, missus es, ut visites Judæam et Jerusalem in lege Dei tui, quæ est in manu tua:

For thou art sent from before the king, and his seven counsellors, to visit Judea and Jerusalem according to the law of thy God, which is in thy hand.

Thou art commissioned by the king and his seven counsellors to visit Juda and Jerusalem in the name of that divine law thou carriest with thee,

et ut feras argentum et aurum quod rex, et consiliatores ejus, sponte obtulerunt Deo Israël, cujus in Jerusalem tabernaculum est.

And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose tabernacle is in Jerusalem.

and to convey thither such silver and gold as the king and his council are sending to the God who dwells there, the God of Israel, as their own free gift.

Et omne argentum et aurum quodcumque inveneris in universa provincia Babylonis, et populus offerre voluerit, et de sacerdotibus quæ sponte obtulerint domui Dei sui, quæ est in Jerusalem,

And all the silver and gold that thou shalt find in all the province of Babylon, and that the people is willing to offer, and that the priests shall offer of their own accord to the house of their God, which is in Jerusalem,

Whatever silver and gold in all Babylon is at thy disposal, all that is willingly offered by people and priests for the temple of their God at Jerusalem,

libere accipe, et studiose eme de hac pecunia vitulos, arietes, agnos, et sacrificia, et libamina eorum, et offer ea super altare templi Dei vestri, quod est in Jerusalem.

Take freely, and buy diligently with this money, calves, rams, lambs, with the sacrifices and libations of them, and offer them upon the altar of the temple of your God, that is in Jerusalem.

thou art free to accept; and so with all thy diligence buy calf and ram and lamb and all the offerings and libations that go with them, gifts, when you reach Jerusalem, for the temple of your God.

Sed et si quid tibi et fratribus tuis placuerit de reliquo argento et auro ut faciatis, juxta voluntatem Dei vestri facite.

And if it seem good to thee, and to thy brethren to do any thing with the rest of the silver and gold, do it according to the will of your God.

Use what remains of the sum as thou and thy brethren, in obedience to the will of your God, shall see fit.

Vasa quoque, quæ dantur tibi in ministerium domus Dei tui, trade in conspectu Dei in Jerusalem.

The vessels also, that are given thee for the sacrifice of the house of thy God, deliver thou in the sight of God in Jerusalem.

There at Jerusalem, in the presence of thy God, consecrate those appurtenances of his worship thou hast with thee.

Sed et cetera, quibus opus fuerit in domum Dei tui, quantumcumque necesse est ut expendas, dabitur de thesauro, et de fisco regis,

And whatsoever more there shall be need of for the house of thy God, how much soever thou shalt have occasion to spend, it shall be given out of the treasury, and the king’s exchequer, and by me.

All else thou must needs spend upon thy God’s house shall be defrayed by the treasury and the royal purse, at my own cost.

et a me. Ego Artaxerxes rex, statui atque decrevi omnibus custodibus arcæ publicæ, qui sunt trans flumen, ut quodcumque petierit a vobis Esdras sacerdos, scriba legis Dei cæli, absque mora detis,

I Artaxerxes the king have ordered and decreed to all the keepers of the public chest, that are beyond the river, that whatsoever Esdras the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, you give it without delay,

King Artaxerxes to all that have charge of the royal revenues beyond Euphrates; My will and decree is, that if the priest Esdras, a scribe of the God of heaven, demands any payment of you, it should be made without more ado;

usque ad argenti talenta centum, et usque ad frumenti coros centum, et usque ad vini batos centum, et usque ad batos olei centum, sal vero absque mensura.

Unto a hundred talents of silver, and unto a hundred cores of wheat, and unto a hundred bates of wine, and unto a hundred bates of oil, and salt without measure.

so long as this payment does not exceed a hundred talents of silver, two hundred quarters of wheat, or six hundred and fifty gallons of oil; for salt, there is no limit prescribed.

Omne quod ad ritum Dei cæli pertinet, tribuatur diligenter in domo Dei cæli: ne forte irascatur contra regnum regis, et filiorum ejus.

All that belongeth to the rites of the God of heaven, let it be given diligently in the house of the God of heaven: lest his wrath should be enkindled against the realm of the king, and of his sons.

What the God of heaven needs for his temple worship, the God of heaven must receive; let there be no remissness, that may call down his vengeance on the king, and the king’s heirs.

Vobis quoque notum facimus de universis sacerdotibus, et Levitis, et cantoribus, et janitoribus, Nathinæis, et ministris domus Dei hujus, ut vectigal, et tributum, et annonas non habeatis potestatem imponendi super eos.

We give you also to understand concerning all the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nathinites, and ministers of the house of this God, that you have no authority to impose toll or tribute, or custom upon them.

We make it known to you further that priests, Levites, singers, door-keepers, Nathinaeans, and other persons ministering in the temple of this God, are exempt from all tax, toll and custom of your imposing.

Tu autem Esdra, secundum sapientiam Dei tui, quæ est in manu tua, constitue judices et præsides, ut judicent omni populo qui est trans flumen, his videlicet qui noverunt legem Dei tui: sed et imperitos docete libere.

And thou Esdras according to the wisdom of thy God, which is in thy hand, appoint judges and magistrates, that may judge all the people, that is beyond the river, that is, for them who know the law of thy God, yea and the ignorant teach ye freely.

It is for thee, Esdras, who dost carry with thee the wise precepts of thy God, to appoint judges and magistrates, that will try the causes of all such persons beyond the river as are acquainted with thy God’s law; and such as do not know it, you may instruct freely.

Et omnis qui non fecerit legem Dei tui, et legem regis, diligenter, judicium erit de eo sive in mortem, sive in exilium, sive in condemnationem substantiæ ejus, vel certe in carcerem.

And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king diligently, judgment shall be executed upon him, either unto death, or unto banishment, or to the confiscation of goods, or at least to prison.

If anyone neglects to observe that law, or the king’s law either, these judges shall have power to pronounce sentence on him of death, exile, confiscation of his goods, or imprisonment.

Benedictus Dominus Deus patrum nostrorum, qui dedit hoc in corde regis ut glorificaret domum Domini quæ est in Jerusalem,

Blessed be the Lord the God of our fathers, who hath put this in the king’s heart, to glorify the house of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem,

Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, that moved the king so to honour his temple at Jerusalem,

et in me inclinavit misericordiam suam coram rege et consiliatoribus ejus, et universis principibus regis potentibus: et ego confortatus manu Domini Dei mei, quæ erat in me, congregavi de Israël principes qui ascenderent mecum.

And hath inclined his mercy toward me before the king and his counsellors, and all the mighty princes of the king: and I being strengthened by the hand of the Lord my God, which was upon me, gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.

and deigned so to aid me when king and councillor and noble gave me audience! My task lightened by such favour shewn me, I set about finding men of name in Israel to bear me company.