[This is] the copyof the letterwhichTattenai,the governorof [the province] beyondthe River,and Shethar-bozenaiand his colleaguesthe officials,whowere beyondthe River,sentto Dariusthe king.
thisis the copyof the letterwhichthey sentto him: "To KingArtaxerxes:Your servants,the menin the regionbeyondthe River,and now
Thenas soonas the copyof KingArtaxerxes'documentwas readbeforeRehumand Shimshaithe scribeand their colleagues,they wentin hasteto Jerusalemto the Jewsand stoppedthem by forceof arms.
then[wrote] Rehumthe commanderand Shimshaithe scribeand the restof their colleagues,the judgesand the lessergovernors,the officials,the secretaries,the menof Erech,the Babylonians,the menof Susa,that is, the Elamites,
At that timeTattenai,the governorof [the province] beyondthe River,and Shethar-bozenaiand their colleaguescameto them and spoketo them thus,"Whoissuedyou a decreeto rebuildthistempleand to finishthisstructure?"
They senta reportto him in which it was writtenthus:"To Dariusthe king,allpeace.
"Now[therefore], Tattenai,governorof [the province] beyondthe River,Shethar-bozenaiand your colleagues,the officialsof [the provinces] beyondthe River,keepawayfrom there.
Then they deliveredthe king'sedictsto the king'ssatrapsand to the governors[in the provinces] beyondthe River,and they supportedthe peopleand the houseof God.
