By the exhortation of Aggeus, and Zacharias, the people proceed in building the temple. Which their enemies strive in vain to hinder.

 1 Now Aggeus the prophet, and Zacharias the son of Addo, prophesied to the Jews that were in Judea and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel.
Prophetaverunt autem Aggaeus propheta, et Zacharias filius Addo, prophetantes ad Judaeos, qui erant in Judaea et Jerusalem, in nomine Dei Israel.

 2 Then rose up Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, and Josue the son of Josedec, and began to build the temple of God in Jerusalem, and with them were the prophets of God helping them.
Tunc surrexerunt Zorobabel filius Salathiel, et Josue filius Josedec, et coeperunt aedificare templum Dei in Jerusalem, et cum eis prophetae Dei adjuvantes eos.

 3 And at the same time came to them Thathanai, who was governor beyond the river, and Stharbuzanai, and their counsellors: and said thus to them: Who hath given you counsel to build this house, and to repair the walls thereof?
In ipso autem tempore venit ad eos Thathanai, qui erat dux trans flumen, et Stharbuzanai, et consiliarii eorum : sicque dixerunt eis : Quis dedit vobis consilium ut domum hanc aedificaretis, et muros ejus instauraretis?

 4 In answer to which we gave them the names of the men who were the promoters of that building.
Ad quod respondimus eis, quae essent nomina hominum auctorum aedificationis illius.

 5 But the eye of their God was upon the ancients of the Jews, and they could not hinder them. And it was agreed that the matter should be referred to Darius, and then they should give satisfaction concerning that accusation.
Oculus autem Dei eorum factus est super senes Judaeorum, et non potuerunt inhibere eos. Placuique ut res ad Darium referretur, et tunc satisfacerent adversus accusationem illam.

 6 The copy of the letter that Thathanai governor of the country beyond the river, and Stharbuzanai, and his counsellors the Arphasachites, who dwelt beyond the river, sent to Darius the king.
Exemplar epistolae, quam misit Thathanai dux regionis trans flumen, et Stharbuzanai, et consiliatores ejus Arphasachaei, qui erant trans flumen, ad Darium regem.

 7 The letter which they sent him, was written thus: To Darius the king all peace.
Sermo, quem miserant ei, sic scriptus erat : Dario regi pax omnis.

 8 Be it known to the king, that we went to the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which they are building with unpolished stones, and timber is laid in the walls: and this work is carried on diligently, and advanceth in their hands.
Notum sit regi, isse nos ad Judaeam provinciam, ad domum Dei magni, quae aedificatur lapide impolito, et ligna ponuntur in parietibus : opusque illud diligenter exstruitur, et crescit in manibus eorum.

 9 And we asked those ancients, and said to them thus: Who hath given you authority to build this house, and to repair these walls?
Interrogavimus ergo senes illos, et ita diximus eis : Quis dedit vobis potestatem ut domum hanc aedificaretis, et muros hos instauraretis?

 10 We asked also of them their names, that we might give thee notice: and we have written the names of the men that are the chief among them.
Sed et nomina eorum quaesivimus ab eis, ut nuntiaremus tibi : scripsimusque nomina eorum virorum, qui sunt principes in eis.

 11 And they answered us in these words, saying: We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are building a temple that was built these many years ago, and which a great king of Israel built and set up.
Hujuscemodi autem sermonem responderunt nobis dicentes : Nos sumus servi Dei caeli et terrae, et aedificamus templum, quod erat exstructum ante hos annos multos, quodque rex Israel magnus aedificaverat, et exstruxerat.

 12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he delivered them into the hands of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon the Chaldean: and he destroyed this house, and carried away the people to Babylon.
Postquam autem ad iracundiam provocaverunt patres nostri Deum caeli, tradidit eos in manus Nabuchodonosor regis Babylonis Chaldaei, domum quoque hanc destruxit, et populum ejus transtulit in Babylonem.

 13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon, king Cyrus set forth a decree, that this house of God should be built.
Anno autem primo Cyri regis Babylonis, Cyrus rex proposuit edictum ut domus Dei haec aedificaretur.

 14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the temple of God, which Nabuchodonosor had taken out of the temple, that was in Jerusalem, and had brought them to the temple of Babylon, king Cyrus brought out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one Sassabasar, whom also he appointed governor,
Nam et vasa templi Dei aurea et argentea, quae Nabuchodonosor tulerat de templo, quod erat in Jerusalem, et asportaverat ea in templum Babylonis, protulit Cyrus rex de templo Babylonis, et data sunt Sassabasar vocabulo, quem et principem constituit,

 15 And said to him: Take these vessels, and go, and put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in its place.
dixitque ei : Haec vasa tolle, et vade, et pone ea in templo, quod est in Jerusalem, et domus Dei aedificetur in loco suo.

 16 Then came this same Sassabasar, and laid the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it is in building, and is not yet finished.
Tunc itaque Sassabasar ille venit et posuit fundamenta templi Dei in Jerusalem, et ex eo tempore usque nunc aedificatur, et necdum completum est.

 17 Now therefore if it seem good to the king, let him search in the king's library, which is in Babylon, whether it hath been decreed by Cyrus the king, that the house of God in Jerusalem should be built, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.
Nunc ergo, si videtur regi bonum recenseat in bibliotheca regis, quae est in Babylone, utrumnam a Cyro rege jussum fuerit ut aedificaretur domus Dei in Jerusalem, et voluntatem regis super hac re mittat ad nos.