Ezra 5

¹ That time two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo, start to dey speak in the name of the God of Israel to the Jews wey dey live for Judah and Jerusalem.

² When Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jehozadak hear their message, dem start to dey rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, and the two prophets help them.

³ Immediately Tattenai, governor of West Euphrates, Shethar Bozenai, and their fellow-officials come to Jerusalem and ask say: "Who give una order say make una build this Temple and equip am?"

⁴ Dem also ask for the names of the men wey dey help build the Temple.

⁵ But God dey watch over the leaders of Jews, and the Persian officials decide say dem no go take action until dem don write to Darius and receive a reply.

⁶ Na the report wey dem send to the emperor be this:

⁷ "To Emperor Darius, na with peace you go rule.

⁸ Your Majesty suppose know say we go to the province of Judah and find out say dem dey rebuild the Temple of the great God with large stone blocks and with wooden beams wey dem set in the wall. Na great care dem take do the work and e dey move steadily.

⁹ "We con ask the leaders of the people say make dem tell us who don give them authority to rebuild the Temple and to equip am.

¹⁰ We don also ask them for their names so that we fit tell you who the leaders of this work be.

¹¹ "Dem answer say, "We be servants of God of heaven and earth, and we dey rebuild the Temple wey powerful king of Israel don build and equip for plenty years ago.

¹² But because our ancestors don make God vex, he allow make king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia, a king of the Chaldean royal family defeat them. He destroy the Temple and he take the people go foreign land for Babylonia.

¹³ Then in the first year of the time wey King Cyrus reign as emperor of Babylonia, Cyrus issue order say make we rebuild the Temple.

¹⁴ He con give us back the gold and silver temple tools wey Nebuchadnezzar don take from the Temple in Jerusalem and wey he don put for the temple in Babylon. Cyrus give these tools to a man wey him name na Sheshbazzar, wey he choose as governor of Judah.

¹⁵ The emperor tell him make he take them and return them to the Temple in Jerusalem, and make he rebuild the Temple for where e dey stand before.

¹⁶ Naso Sheshbazzar come and lay the foundation; construction don continue from then until now, but dem never finish the Temple."

¹⁷ "Now, if Your Majesty dey happy with am, make dem find out for the royal records for Babylon to dey sure if Cyrus don give orders make we rebuild this Temple in Jerusalem or if no be so, and make you tell us wetin your decision be for this matter."