Ezra 7

7 ¹After all dis tins wey happen, for di time wey Artaxerxes be king of Persia, Ezra pikin of Seraiah, Seraiah be pikin of Azariah, Azariah be pikin of Hilkiah, ²Hilkiah be pikin of Shallum, Shallum be pikin of Zadok, Zadok be pikin of Ahitub, ³Ahitub be pikin of Amariah, Amariah be pikin of Azariah, Azariah be pikin of Meraioth, ⁴Meraioth be pikin of Zerahiah, Zerahiah be pikin of Uzzi, Uzzi be pikin of Bukki, ⁵Bukki be pikin of Abishua, Abishua be pikin of Phinehas, Phinehas be pikin of Eleazar, Eleazar be pikin of Aaron di chief priest. ⁶Na dis Ezra come up from Babylon, e be scribe wey sabi well-well di Law of Moses wey our Papa, di God of Israel, don give. Di king gi am everyting wey e ask for, becos im Papa hand dey on am. ⁷Some pipol of Israel, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants go up go Jerusalem for di seventh year of Artaxerxes di king. ⁸Ezra reach Jerusalem for di fifth month, for di seventh year of di king. ⁹For di first day of di first month e comot from Babylon; e reach Jerusalem for di first day of di fifth month, becos im Papa good hand dey on am. ¹⁰Becos Ezra don set im mind to study our Papa Law, to obey am, and to teach im statutes and rules for Israel.

Di Letter Wey di King Write Give Ezra

¹¹Na dis be di copy of di letter wey King Artaxerxes gi Ezra di priest and scribe, wey sabi our Papa commandments and statutes for Israel well-well:

¹²Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra di priest, scribe of di Law of di God of heaven: I greet you. And now,

¹³I don talk am say: any Israelite for my kingdom, wit priests and Levites, wey ready to go Jerusalem fit go wit you. ¹⁴Becos di king and im seven counselors send you go find out about Judah and Jerusalem by di Law of your God, wey dey your hand, ¹⁵and to carry di silver and gold wey di king and im counselors freely give to di God of Israel, wey im house dey for Jerusalem, ¹⁶together wit all di silver and gold wey you go find for di whole province of Babylon, plus di offerings wey di pipol and priests give wit dia free mind, wey dem give for di house of dia God for Jerusalem. ¹⁷Wit dis money, quick-quick buy bulls, rams, and lambs, wit dia grain and drink offerings, and offer dem for di altar of di house of your God for Jerusalem. ¹⁸Do wetin you and your brothers see say e correct pass wit di silver and gold wey remain, as e go please your God. ¹⁹Carry come before di God of Jerusalem di vessels wey dem give you for di service of di house of your God. ²⁰Anyting wey di house of your God still need wey fall for your hand to provide, take am from di king treasury.

²¹Me, King Artaxerxes, I don talk give every treasurer for di province wey dey Cross di River: carry out well-well anyting wey Ezra di priest, scribe of di Law of di God of heaven, ask you. ²²Reach about 7,500 pounds of silver, 600 bushels of wheat, 600 gallons of wine, 600 gallons of oil, and salt wey no get limit. ²³Anyting wey di God of heaven command, do am fully for im house, so dat no vex go come on di king kingdom and im sons. ²⁴We dey tell you again: dem no fit put tribute, custom, or toll on any priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, or workers of dis house of God.

²⁵Ezra, by di wisdom of your God wey dey your hand, appoint magistrates and judges wey go govern all di pipol for di province wey dey Cross di River—all wey sabi di laws of your God. And teach dem wey no sabi. ²⁶Anybody wey refuse di law of your God and di law of di king, dem must punish am well-well—death, drive comot, take im goods, or put am for prison.

²⁷Make dem praise our Papa, God of our ancestors, wey put am for di king heart to make di house of our Papa for Jerusalem fine, ²⁸and wey show me love wey no dey change before di king, im counselors, and all di king powerful officials. So I take courage, becos my Papa hand dey on me, and I gada leaders from Israel to go up wit me.