1 And after these events, in the reign of Artaḥshashta sovereign of Paras, Ezra son of Serayah, son of Azaryahu, son of Ḥilqiyahu,
2 son of Shallum, son of Tsaḏoq, son of Aḥituḇ,
3 son of Amaryah, son of Azaryahu, son of Merayoth,
4 son of Zeraḥyah, son of Uzzi, son of Buqqi,
5 son of Aḇishua, son of Pineḥas, son of El’azar, son of Aharon the chief kohĕn –
6 this Ezra came up from Baḇel. And he was a scribe, skilled in the Torah of Mosheh, which 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim of Yisra’ĕl had given. And the sovereign gave him all he asked, according to the hand of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 his Elohim upon him.
7 And some of the children of Yisra’ĕl, and the kohenim, and the Lĕwites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim came up to Yerushalayim in the seventh year of Sovereign Artaḥshashta.
8 And he came to Yerushalayim in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the sovereign.
9 For on the first of the first month he began to go up from Baḇel, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Yerushalayim, according to the good hand of his Elohim upon him.
10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Torah of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and to do it, and to teach Laws and Right-Rulings in Yisra’ĕl.
11 And this is the copy of the letter that Sovereign Artaḥshashta gave Ezra the kohĕn, the scribe, a scribe in the Words of the Commands of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and of His Laws to Yisra’ĕl:
12 Artaḥshashta, sovereign of sovereigns, to Ezra the kohĕn, a perfect scribe of the Law of the Elah of shamayim. And now,
13 I make a decree that all those of the people of Yisra’ĕl and the kohenim and Lĕwites in my reign, who volunteer to go up to Yerushalayim, go with you.
14 Since you are being sent by the sovereign and his seven counsellors to inquire about Yahuḏah and Yerushalayim, with regard to the Law of your Elah which is in your hand;
15 and to bring the silver and gold which the sovereign and his counsellors have voluntarily given to the Elah of Yisra’ĕl, whose dwelling is in Yerushalayim,
16 and all the silver and gold that you find in all the province of Baḇel, along with the gift of the people and the kohenim, voluntarily given for the House of their Elah in Yerushalayim,
17 therefore, with this silver promptly buy bulls, rams, lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the House of your Elah in Yerushalayim.
18 And whatever seems good to you and your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do it according to the desire of your Elah.
19 And the utensils that are given to you for the service of the House of your Elah, put back before the Elah of Yerushalayim.
20 And the rest of the needs for the House of your Elah, which falls to you to give, give from the sovereign’s treasure-house.
21 And I, I Artaḥshashta the sovereign, do make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the kohĕn, the scribe of the Law of the Elah of shamayim, asks of you, let it be done promptly,
22 up to one hundred kiḵars of silver, and up to one hundred kors of wheat, and up to one hundred baths of wine, and up to one hundred baths of oil, and salt without reckoning.
23 Whatever is commanded by the Elah of shamayim, let it be diligently done for the House of the Elah of shamayim. For why should there be wrath against the reign of the sovereign and his sons?
24 We further inform you that there is no authority to impose tax, excise, or toll on any of the kohenim and Lĕwites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, and servants of this House of Elah.
25 And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your Elah that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people who are beyond the River, all such as know the Laws of your Elah. And teach those who do not know them.
26 And whoever does not do the Law of your Elah and the law of the sovereign, let judgment be promptly executed on him, whether it be death, or banishment, or confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.
27 Baruḵ be 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim of our fathers, who has put this in the sovereign’s heart, to embellish the House of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 which is in Yerushalayim,
28 and has extended kindness to me before the sovereign and his counsellors, and before all the sovereign’s mighty princes. So I was strengthened, as the hand of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 my Elohim was upon me. And I gathered heads from Yisra’ĕl to go up with me.