Chapter 4

[] Oi de ecqroi tou Iouda kai Beniamin, akousanteV oti oi uioi thV aicmalwsiaV oikodomousi ton naon eiV Kurion ton Qeon tou Israhl,

hlqon proV ton Zorobabel kai proV touV archgouV twn patriwn kai eipon proV autouV, AV oikodomhswmen me saV× dioti kai hmeiV ekzhtoumen ton Qeon saV, kaqwV seiV, kai eiV auton qusiazomen apo twn hmerwn tou Esaraddwn basilewV thV Assour, ostiV anebibasen hmaV edw.

O Zorobabel omwV kai o IhsouV kai oi loipoi twn archgwn twn patriwn tou Israhl, eipon proV autouV, Ouden koinon eiV esaV kai eiV hmaV, wste na oikodomhshte oikon eiV ton Qeon hmwn× all' hmeiV autoi hnwmenoi qelomen oikodomhsei eiV Kurion ton Qeon tou Israhl, kaqwV prosetaxen eiV hmaV o basileuV KuroV, o basileuV thV PersiaV.

Tote o laoV thV ghV parelue taV ceiraV tou laou tou Iouda kai etaratten autouV en th oikodomh,

kai emisqonon sumboulouV enantion autwn, dia na mataionwsi thn boulhn autwn, pasaV taV hmeraV Kurou tou basilewV thV PersiaV kai ewV thV basileiaV Dareiou tou basilewV thV PersiaV.

[] Kai epi thV basileiaV Assouhrou, en arch thV basileiaV autou, egrayan kathgorian kata twn katoikwn thV IoudaiaV kai Ierousalhm.

Kai en taiV hmeraiV tou Artaxerxou egrayen o Bislam, o Miqredaq, o Tabehl kai oi loipoi sunetairoi autwn proV Artaxerxhn ton basilea thV PersiaV× kai h epistolh hto gegrammenh Suristi kai exhghmenh Suristi.

Reoum o eparcoV kai Samyai o grammateuV, egrayan epistolhn kata thV Ierousalhm proV Artaxerxhn ton basilea, kata touton ton tropon×

Reoum o eparcoV kai Samyai o grammateuV kai oi loipoi sunetairoi autwn, oi Deinaioi, oi Afarsacaioi, oi Tarfalaioi, oi Afarsaioi, oi Arcenaioi, oi Babulwnioi, oi Sousanacaioi, oi Deauaioi, oi Elamitai

kai oi loipoi ek twn eqnwn, ta opoia o megaV kai endoxoV Asenafar metekomise kai katwkisen eiV taV poleiV thV SamareiaV, kai oi loipoi oi peran tou potamou, kai ta loipa.

Touto einai to antigrafon thV epistolhV, thn opoian esteilan proV auton, proV Artaxerxhn ton basilea× Oi douloi sou, oi andreV oi peran tou potamou, kai ta loipa.

Gnwston estw eiV ton basilea, oti oi Ioudaioi oi anabanteV apo sou proV hmaV, elqonteV eiV Ierousalhm, oikodomousi thn polin, thn apostatida kai ponhran, kai egeirousi ton toicon kai sunaptousi ta qemelia.

Gnwston estw hdh eiV ton basilea, oti ean h poliV auth oikodomhqh kai oi toicoi egerqwsi, den qelousi plhrwsei foron, telwnion h diagwgion× kai qelei zhmiwqh to eisodhma twn basilewn.

Epeidh de trefomeqa apo tou palatiou, kai hto aprepeV dia hmaV na blepwmen thn atimian tou basilewV, dia touto esteilamen kai egnwstopoihsamen proV ton basilea,

dia na geinh ereuna en tw bibliw twn upomnhmatwn twn paterwn sou× kai qeleiV eurei en tw bibliw twn upomnhmatwn kai gnwrisei, oti h poliV auth einai poliV apostatiV kai oleqrioV eiV touV basileiV kai eiV taV eparciaV, kai oti ek palaiou cronou ekinoun epanastasin en tw mesw authV, dia thn opoian aitian h poliV auth kathrhmwqh.

Gnwstopoioumen proV ton basilea, eti ean h poliV auth anoikodomhqh kai oi toicoi authV anegerqwsi, den qeleiV ecei ouden meroV eiV to peran tou potamou.

[] O basileuV apekriqh proV ton Reoum ton eparcon kai Samyai ton grammatea kai touV loipouV sunetairouV autwn touV katoikountaV en Samareia, kai touV allouV touV peran tou potamou, Eirhnh, kai ta loipa.

H epistolh, thn opoian esteilate proV hmaV, anegnwsqh akribwV enwpion mou.

Kai exedoqh diatagh par' emou, kai hreunhsan kai eurhkan oti h poliV auth ek palaiou cronou epanastatei enantion twn basilewn, kai ginontai en auth staseiV kai sunwmosiai×

Uphrxan eti iscuroi basileiV epi Ierousalhm, despozonteV epi pantaV touV peran tou potamou× kai eplhroneto eiV autouV foroV, telwnion kai diagwgion.

Twra loipon prostaxate na pauswsi touV anqrwpouV ekeinouV, kai h poliV auth na mh oikodomhqh, ewsou ekdoqh diatagh par' emou.

Kai prosexate na mh amelhshte na kamhte touto× dia na mh auxhqh to kakon epi zhmia twn basilewn.

Ote de to antigrafon thV epistolhV tou basilewV Artaxerxou anegnwsqh enwpion tou Reoum kai Samyai tou grammatewV kai twn sunetairwn autwn, anebhsan meta spoudhV eiV Ierousalhm proV touV IoudaiouV, kai epausan autouV en bia kai meta dunamewV.

Kai epause to ergon tou oikou tou Qeou tou en Ierousalhm, kai emeine pepaumenon mecri tou deuterou etouV thV basileiaV Dareiou tou basilewV thV PersiaV.