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:
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.
And when the seventh new moon came, the children of Yisra’ĕl were in their cities. And all the people gathered together as one man in the open space that was in front of the Water Gate. And they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Torah of Mosheh, which יהוה had commanded Yisra’ĕl.
And Neḥemyah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest, the scribe, and the Lĕwites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is set-apart to יהוה your Elohim. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the Torah.