4. son of Zeraḥyah, son of Uzzi, son of Buqqi,
5. son of Aḇishua, son of Phineḥas, son of El‛azar, son of Aharon the chief priest –
6. this Ezra came up from Baḇel. And he was a scribe, skilled in the Torah of Mosheh, which יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl had given. And the sovereign gave him all he asked, according to the hand of יהוה his Elohim upon him.
7. And some of the children of Yisra’ĕl, and the priests, 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 day 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 יהוה, 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 priest, the scribe, a scribe in the words of the commands of יהוה, and of His laws to Yisra’ĕl:
12. Artaḥshashta, sovereign of sovereigns, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe of the law of the Elah of heaven. And now,
13. I make a decree that all those of the people of Yisra’ĕl and the priests 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 Yehuḏah 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 priests, 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.