
TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
Chapter 6
Translation and Transliteration of
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1Thereupon, at the order of King Darius, they searched the archives where the treasures were stored in Babylon.
be-E-da-YIN dor-YA-vesh mal-KA sam t'-EM u-va-KA-ru b'-veit sif-RA-yA di gin-za-YA m'-ha-cha-TEEN ta-MAH b'-va-VEL
אבֵּאדַ֛יִן דָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁ מַלְכָּ֖א שָׂ֣ם טְעֵ֑ם וּבַקַּ֣רוּ ׀ בְּבֵ֣ית סִפְרַיָּ֗א דִּ֧י גִנְזַיָּ֛א מְהַחֲתִ֥ין תַּמָּ֖ה בְּבָבֶֽל׃
2But it was in the citadel of Ecbatana, in the province of Media, that a scroll was found in which the following was written: “Memorandum:
v'-hisht'-KHAKH b'-akh-m'-TA b'-vi-r'-TA di b'-ma-DAI m'-diN-ta m'-gi-LAH kha-DAH v'-khen-k'-TIV b'-ga-VAH di-k'-ro-NAH.
בוְהִשְׁתְּכַ֣ח בְּאַחְמְתָ֗א בְּבִ֥ירְתָ֛א דִּ֛י בְּמָדַ֥י מְדִינְתָּ֖א מְגִלָּ֣ה חֲדָ֑ה וְכֵן־כְּתִ֥יב בְּגַוַּ֖הּ דִּכְרוֹנָֽהֿ׃
3In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued an order concerning the House of Hashem in Yerushalayim: ‘Let the house be rebuilt, a place for offering sacrifices, with a base built up high. Let it be sixty amot high and sixty amot wide,
bi-SHnat cha-DAH l'-ko-RESH mal-KA ko-RESH mal-KA sam t'-EM, beit e-la-HA bi-ru-sh'-LEM, ba-YE-ta yit-b'-NE, a-TAR di-da-v'-KHEEN di-v'-KHEEN v'-u-sho-HI m'-so-ve-LEEN, ru-MEH a-MEEN shi-TEEN p'-ta-YEH a-MEEN shi-TEEN.
גבִּשְׁנַ֨ת חֲדָ֜ה לְכ֣וֹרֶשׁ מַלְכָּ֗א כּ֣וֹרֶשׁ מַלְכָּא֮ שָׂ֣ם טְעֵם֒ בֵּית־אֱלָהָ֤א בִֽירוּשְׁלֶם֙ בַּיְתָ֣א יִתְבְּנֵ֔א אֲתַר֙ דִּֽי־דָבְחִ֣ין דִּבְחִ֔ין וְאֻשּׁ֖וֹהִי מְסֽוֹבְלִ֑ין רוּמֵהּ֙ אַמִּ֣ין שִׁתִּ֔ין פְּתָיֵ֖הּ אַמִּ֥ין שִׁתִּֽין׃
4with a course of unused timber for each three courses of hewn stone. The expenses shall be paid by the palace.
ni-d'-BA-khin di-e-VEN g'-LAL t'-LA-ta v'-ni-d'-BAKH di-a CHA-dat v'-ni-f'-K'-ta min-BAYT mal-KA tit-y'-HIV. (s)
דנִדְבָּכִ֞ין דִּי־אֶ֤בֶן גְּלָל֙ תְּלָתָ֔א וְנִדְבָּ֖ךְ דִּי־אָ֣ע חֲדַ֑ת וְנִ֨פְקְתָ֔א מִן־בֵּ֥ית מַלְכָּ֖א תִּתְיְהִֽב׃
5And the gold and silver vessels of the House of Hashem which Nebuchadnezzar had taken away from the temple in Yerushalayim and transported to Babylon shall be returned, and let each go back to the temple in Yerushalayim where it belongs; you shall deposit it in the House of Hashem.'
v'-af ma-NEI vayt e-la-HA di da-HA-va v'-khas-PA di ne-vu-khad-ne-TZAR ha-NE-fek min hekh-LA di-vi-ru-sh'-LEM v'-he-VEL l'-va-VEl ya-ha-tee-VUN v'-ya-HAKH l'-hekh-LA di-vi-ru-sh'-LEM l'-at-REH v'-ta-KHET b'-vayt e-la-HA. (Selah)
הוְ֠אַ֠ף מָאנֵ֣י בֵית־אֱלָהָא֮ דִּ֣י דַהֲבָ֣ה וְכַסְפָּא֒ דִּ֣י נְבֽוּכַדְנֶצַּ֗ר הַנְפֵּ֛ק מִן־הֵיכְלָ֥א דִי־בִירוּשְׁלֶ֖ם וְהֵיבֵ֣ל לְבָבֶ֑ל יַהֲתִיב֗וּן וִ֠יהָ֠ךְ לְהֵיכְלָ֤א דִי־בִירֽוּשְׁלֶם֙ לְאַתְרֵ֔הּ וְתַחֵ֖ת בְּבֵ֥ית אֱלָהָֽא׃
6“Now you, Tattenai, governor of the province of Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and colleagues, the officials of the province of Beyond the River, stay away from that place.
k'-a-AN ta-t'-NAI pa-KHAT a-var-na-HA sh'-TAR boz-NAI u-k'-na-va-t'-HON a-far-s'-kha-YE di ba-a-var na-HA ra-khi-KEEN ha-VO min-ta-MAH
וכְּעַ֡ן תַּ֠תְּנַ֠י פַּחַ֨ת עֲבַֽר־נַהֲרָ֜ה שְׁתַ֤ר בּוֹזְנַי֙ וּכְנָוָ֣תְה֔וֹן אֲפַ֨רְסְכָיֵ֔א דִּ֖י בַּעֲבַ֣ר נַהֲרָ֑ה רַחִיקִ֥ין הֲו֖וֹ מִן־תַּמָּֽה׃
7Allow the work of this House of Hashem to go on; let the governor of the Yehudim and the elders of the Yehudim rebuild this House of Hashem on its site.
sh'-BU-ku la-a-vee-DAT bayt e-la-HA dekh, pa-KHAT y'-hu-da-YA u-l'-sa-VEI y'-hu-da-YA, bayt e-la-HA dekh, yiv-NON al-a-t'-REH
זשְׁבֻ֕קוּ לַעֲבִידַ֖ת בֵּית־אֱלָהָ֣א דֵ֑ךְ פַּחַ֤ת יְהוּדָיֵא֙ וּלְשָׂבֵ֣י יְהוּדָיֵ֔א בֵּית־אֱלָהָ֥א דֵ֖ךְ יִבְנ֥וֹן עַל־אַתְרֵֽהּ׃
8And I hereby issue an order concerning what you must do to help these elders of the Yehudim rebuild this House of Hashem: the expenses are to be paid to these men with dispatch out of the resources of the king, derived from the taxes of the province of Beyond the River, so that the work not be stopped.
u-mi-NI sim t'-EM l'-MA di-ta-a-v'-DUN im-sa-VEI y'-hu-da-YA i-LEKH l'-miv-NE b'-it-a-la-HA d'-KH u-mi-NIKH-say mal-KA di mi-dat a-var na-ha-RAH a-s'-PAR-na ni-f'-K'-TA t'-HE-va mit-ya-ha-VA l'-guv-ra-YA i-LEKH di-la l'-vat-TA
חוּמִנִּי֮ שִׂ֣ים טְעֵם֒ לְמָ֣א דִֽי־תַֽעַבְד֗וּן עִם־שָׂבֵ֤י יְהוּדָיֵא֙ אִלֵּ֔ךְ לְמִבְנֵ֖א בֵּית־אֱלָהָ֣א דֵ֑ךְ וּמִנִּכְסֵ֣י מַלְכָּ֗א דִּ֚י מִדַּת֙ עֲבַ֣ר נַהֲרָ֔ה אׇסְפַּ֗רְנָא נִפְקְתָ֛א תֶּהֱוֵ֧א מִֽתְיַהֲבָ֛א לְגֻבְרַיָּ֥א אִלֵּ֖ךְ דִּי־לָ֥א לְבַטָּלָֽא׃
9They are to be given daily, without fail, whatever they need of young bulls, rams, or lambs as burnt offerings for the God of Heaven, and wheat, salt, wine, and oil, at the order of the Kohanim in Yerushalayim,
u-MAH khash-KHAN u-v'-NAY to-REEN v'-dikh-REEN v'-im-REEN la-a-LA-van l'-e-LAH sh'-ma-YA khin-TEEN m'-LAKH kha-MAR u-m'-SHAKH k'-m'-a-MAR ka-ha-NAI-a di-vi-ru-sh'-LEM l'-he-VE mit-y'-HEV l'-HOM yom b'-yom di-la sh'-LU
טוּמָ֣ה חַשְׁחָ֡ן וּבְנֵ֣י תוֹרִ֣ין וְדִכְרִ֣ין וְאִמְּרִ֣ין ׀ לַעֲלָוָ֣ן ׀ לֶאֱלָ֪הּ שְׁמַיָּ֟א חִנְטִ֞ין מְלַ֣ח ׀ חֲמַ֣ר וּמְשַׁ֗ח כְּמֵאמַ֨ר כָּהֲנַיָּ֤א דִי־בִירֽוּשְׁלֶם֙ לֶהֱוֵ֨א מִתְיְהֵ֥ב לְהֹ֛ם י֥וֹם ׀ בְּי֖וֹם דִּי־לָ֥א שָׁלֽוּ׃
10so that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of Heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
di-le-he-VON me-ha-k'-re-VEEN ni-KHO-kh'-IN le-e-LAH sh'-ma-YA u-m'-tsa-LA-yin l'-kha-YAY mal-KA u-ve-no-HEE
ידִּֽי־לֶהֱוֺ֧ן מְהַקְרְבִ֛ין נִיחוֹחִ֖ין לֶאֱלָ֣הּ שְׁמַיָּ֑א וּמְצַלַּ֕יִן לְחַיֵּ֥י מַלְכָּ֖א וּבְנֽוֹהִי׃
11I also issue an order that whoever alters this decree shall have a beam removed from his house, and he shall be impaled on it and his house confiscated.
u-mi-NEE sim t'-EM di kol a-NASH di y'-ha-sh'-NE p'-t'-ga-MA d'-NAH yit-n'-SAKH a-A min ba-y'-TEH u-z'-KIF yit-m'-KHE-a a-lo-HEE u-ba-y'-TEH n'-va-LOO yit-a-a-VED al d'-NAH
יאוּמִנִּי֮ שִׂ֣ים טְעֵם֒ דִּ֣י כׇל־אֱנָ֗שׁ דִּ֤י יְהַשְׁנֵא֙ פִּתְגָמָ֣א דְנָ֔ה יִתְנְסַ֥ח אָע֙ מִן־בַּיְתֵ֔הּ וּזְקִ֖יף יִתְמְחֵ֣א עֲלֹ֑הִי וּבַיְתֵ֛הּ נְוָל֥וּ יִתְעֲבֵ֖ד עַל־דְּנָֽה׃
12And may the God who established His name there cause the downfall of any king or nation that undertakes to alter or damage that House of Hashem in Yerushalayim. I, Darius, have issued the decree; let it be carried out with dispatch.”
v'-e-la-HA di sha-KIN sh'-MEH ta-MAH y'-ma-GAR kol me-LEKH v'-AM di yish-LAKH y'-DEH l'-ha-sh'-NA-ya l'-kha-BA-la b'-EYT e-la-HA dekh di vi-ru-sh'-LEM a-NA da-ri-YAVESH sa-MET t'-EM a-s'-PAR-na yit-a-VID
יבוֵֽאלָהָ֞א דִּ֣י שַׁכִּ֧ן שְׁמֵ֣הּ תַּמָּ֗ה יְמַגַּ֞ר כׇּל־מֶ֤לֶךְ וְעַם֙ דִּ֣י ׀ יִשְׁלַ֣ח יְדֵ֗הּ לְהַשְׁנָיָ֛ה לְחַבָּלָ֛ה בֵּית־אֱלָהָ֥א דֵ֖ךְ דִּ֣י בִירוּשְׁלֶ֑ם אֲנָ֤ה דָרְיָ֙וֶשׁ֙ שָׂ֣מֶת טְעֵ֔ם אׇסְפַּ֖רְנָא יִתְעֲבִֽד׃
13Then Tattenai, governor of the province of Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues carried out with dispatch what King Darius had written.
e-DAY-yin tat-NAI pa-KHAT a-var-NA-ha sh'-TAR boz-NAI u-k'-na-va-te-HON lo-ko-VAYL di-sh'-LAKH dar-YA-vesh mal-KA k'-ne-MA as-par-NA av-a-DOU
יגאֱ֠דַ֠יִן תַּתְּנַ֞י פַּחַ֧ת עֲבַֽר־נַהֲרָ֛ה שְׁתַ֥ר בּוֹזְנַ֖י וּכְנָוָתְה֑וֹן לׇקֳבֵ֗ל דִּֽי־שְׁלַ֞ח דָּרְיָ֧וֶשׁ מַלְכָּ֛א כְּנֵ֖מָא אׇסְפַּ֥רְנָא עֲבַֽדוּ׃
14So the elders of the Yehudim progressed in the building, urged on by the prophesying of Chagai the Navi and Zecharya son of Ido, and they brought the building to completion under the aegis of the God of Yisrael and by the order of Cyrus and Darius and King Artaxerxes of Persia.
v'-sha-VAY y'-hu-da-YAY ba-NA-yin u-matz-l'-KHEEN bin-vu-AT kha-GAI n'-vi-YAH uz-khar-YAH bar i-DO uv-NO v'-shakh-LI-lu min TA-am e-LAH yis-ra-AYL u-mi-t'-AYM KO-resh v'-dar-YA-vesh v'-ar-takh-SHAS-t' ME-lekh pa-RAS
ידוְשָׂבֵ֤י יְהוּדָיֵא֙ בָּנַ֣יִן וּמַצְלְחִ֔ין בִּנְבוּאַת֙ חַגַּ֣י (נביאה) [נְבִיָּ֔א] וּזְכַרְיָ֖ה בַּר־עִדּ֑וֹא וּבְנ֣וֹ וְשַׁכְלִ֗לוּ מִן־טַ֙עַם֙ אֱלָ֣הּ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמִטְּעֵם֙ כּ֣וֹרֶשׁ וְדָרְיָ֔וֶשׁ וְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֖שְׂתְּא מֶ֥לֶךְ פָּרָֽס׃
6:14 By the order of Cyrus and Darius and King Artaxerxes

The Balfour Declaration
The autonomy of the Jewish people has often been subject to the blessings or restraints of foreigners. Cyrus’s edict to allow the People of Israel to return to the Land of Israel and rebuild the Beit Hamikdash was a ray of hope in a bleak time. Persian approval of Jewish authority constituted a remarkable turning of the tide for the exiled Jews. Though construction of the Temple was temporarily halted, it was eventually completed in the sixth year of the reign of Darius, with his permission. The British Government’s 1917 Balfour Declaration possessed similar promise when it declared: “His Majesty’s government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object.” In fact, Harry Truman said of his May 1948 recognition of the State of Israel as president of the United States: “I am Cyrus.” In all these cases, it was non-Jews serving as God’s agents who facilitated the return of the Jewish people to Eretz Yisrael.
15The house was finished on the third of the month of Adar in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
v'-shee-TZI-a ba-y'-TAH d'-NAH ad YOM t'-LA-tah li-RACH a-DAHR dee-HEE sh'-nat SHE-t l'-mal-KHUT dar-YA-v'-sh mal-KA
טווְשֵׁיצִיא֙ בַּיְתָ֣ה דְנָ֔ה עַ֛ד י֥וֹם תְּלָתָ֖ה לִירַ֣ח אֲדָ֑ר דִּי־הִ֣יא שְׁנַת־שֵׁ֔ת לְמַלְכ֖וּת דָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁ מַלְכָּֽא׃
16The Israelites, the Kohanim, and the Leviim, and all the other exiles celebrated the dedication of the House of Hashem with joy.
va-a-va-DOO v'-nay yis-ra-AYL ka-ha-NAI-a v'-le-va-YA-a u-she-aR b'-nay ga-loo-TA kha-nu-KAT bayt e-la-HA d'-NAH b'-khe-d'-VAH
טזוַעֲבַ֣דוּ בְנֵֽי־יִ֠שְׂרָאֵ֠ל כָּהֲנַיָּ֨א וְלֵוָיֵ֜א וּשְׁאָ֣ר בְּנֵי־גָלוּתָ֗א חֲנֻכַּ֛ת בֵּית־אֱלָהָ֥א דְנָ֖ה בְּחֶדְוָֽה׃
17And they sacrificed for the dedication of this House of Hashem one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and twelve goats as a purification offering for all of Yisrael, according to the number of the tribes of Yisrael.
v'-ha-k'-ri-VU la-cha-NU-kat bayt e-la-HA d'-NAH to-REEN me-AH dik-REEN ma-ta-YIN i-m'-REEN ar-BA ma-AH u-tz'-fi-RAY ee-ZEEN (l'-kha-TA-a) [l'-kha-ta-AH] al-KOL yis-ra-AYL t'-RAY-a-SAR l'-min-YAN shiv-TAY yis-ra-AYL
יזוְהַקְרִ֗בוּ לַחֲנֻכַּת֮ בֵּית־אֱלָהָ֣א דְנָה֒ תּוֹרִ֣ין מְאָ֔ה דִּכְרִ֣ין מָאתַ֔יִן אִמְּרִ֖ין אַרְבַּ֣ע מְאָ֑ה וּצְפִירֵ֨י עִזִּ֜ין (לחטיא) [לְחַטָּאָ֤ה] עַל־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ תְּרֵֽי־עֲשַׂ֔ר לְמִנְיָ֖ן שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
18They appointed the Kohanim in their courses and the Leviim in their divisions for the service of Hashem in Yerushalayim, according to the prescription in the Book of Moshe.
va-ha-ki-MU kha-ha-na-YA bi-f'-lu-ga-t'-HON v'-le-va-YA b'-ma-kh'-l'-ka-t'-HON al a-vi-DAT e-la-HA di bi-ru-sh'-LEM ki-kh'-TAV s'-far mo-SHEH.
יחוַהֲקִ֨ימוּ כָהֲנַיָּ֜א בִּפְלֻגָּתְה֗וֹן וְלֵוָיֵא֙ בְּמַחְלְקָ֣תְה֔וֹן עַל־עֲבִידַ֥ת אֱלָהָ֖א דִּ֣י בִירוּשְׁלֶ֑ם כִּכְתָ֖ב סְפַ֥ר מֹשֶֽׁה׃
19The returned exiles celebrated the Pesach on the fourteenth day of the first month,
vai-ya-a-SU v'-nay ha-go-LAH et ha-pa-SAKH b'-ar-ba-AH a-SAHR la-KHO-desh ha-ree-SHON
יטוַיַּעֲשׂ֥וּ בְנֵי־הַגּוֹלָ֖ה אֶת־הַפָּ֑סַח בְּאַרְבָּעָ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר לַחֹ֥דֶשׁ הָרִאשֽׁוֹן׃
20for the Kohanim and Leviim had purified themselves to a man; they were all pure. They slaughtered the Pesach offering for all the returned exiles, and for their brother Kohanim and for themselves.
ki hi-ta-ha-ru ha-ko-ha-NEEM v'-hal-vi-YEEM k'-e-chaD ku-LAM t'-ho-RIM va-yish-cha-TU ha-pe-SACH l'-kol b'-NAY ha-go-LAH v'-la-a-che-HEM ha-ko-ha-NEEM v'-la-HEM
ככִּ֣י הִֽטַּהֲר֞וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֧ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֛ם כְּאֶחָ֖ד כֻּלָּ֣ם טְהוֹרִ֑ים וַיִּשְׁחֲט֤וּ הַפֶּ֙סַח֙ לְכׇל־בְּנֵ֣י הַגּוֹלָ֔ה וְלַאֲחֵיהֶ֥ם הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים וְלָהֶֽם׃
21The children of Yisrael who had returned from the exile, together with all who joined them in separating themselves from the uncleanliness of the nations of the lands to worship God of Yisrael, ate of it.
vai-YO-kh'-LU v'-nay yis-ra-AYL ha-SHA-veem me-ha-go-LAH v'-KOL ha-niv-DAL mi-tu-ma-at go-YAY ha-A-retz a-LE-hem lid-ROSH la-a-do-NAI e-lo-HAY yis-ra-AYL
כאוַיֹּאכְל֣וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הַשָּׁבִים֙ מֵֽהַגּוֹלָ֔ה וְכֹ֗ל הַנִּבְדָּ֛ל מִטֻּמְאַ֥ת גּוֹיֵֽ־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם לִדְרֹ֕שׁ לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
22They joyfully celebrated the festival of Pesach for seven days, for Hashem had given them cause for joy by inclining the heart of the Assyrian king toward them so as to give them support in the work of the House of Hashem, the God of Yisrael.
כבוַיַּֽעֲשׂ֧וּ חַג־מַצּ֛וֹת שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים בְּשִׂמְחָ֑ה כִּ֣י ׀ שִׂמְּחָ֣ם יְהֹוָ֗ה וְֽהֵסֵ֞ב לֵ֤ב מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר֙ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם לְחַזֵּ֣ק יְדֵיהֶ֔ם בִּמְלֶ֥אכֶת בֵּית־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃