20
But also thou shalt give (out) of the treasure (house) of the king, and of the common ark, either purse, (or coffer,) and of men other things, that be needful in the house of thy God, as much (as) ever as (it) is needful, that thou spend. (And for any other thing that be needed in the House of thy God, as much as it is needed that thou spend, thou shalt take it from the king's treasury.)
21
I, Artaxerxes, king, have ordained, and deemed, to all the keepers of the common ark, or hutch (or purse, or coffer), that be beyond the flood, that whatever thing Ezra, the priest, (the) writer of the law of (the) God of heaven, asketh of you, ye give it without tarrying, (And I, King Artaxerxes, command to all the treasurers who be in the province west of the Euphrates River, that whatever Ezra, the priest, the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, asketh of you, give ye it to him without any hesitation,)
22
unto an hundred talents of silver, and (un)to an hundred cors of wheat, and unto an hundred baths of wine, and unto an hundred baths of oil, and salt without measure.
23
All thing that pertaineth to the custom, either religion, of (the) God of heaven, be given diligently in the house of (the) God of heaven, lest peradventure he be wroth against the realm of the king, and of his sons. (Yea, let all the things that be demanded by the God of heaven, be diligently given for the House of the God of heaven, lest peradventure he be angry against the kingdom of the king, and of his sons.)
24
Also we make known to you of all the priests, and deacons, singers, and porters, and Nethinims, and ministers of the house of this God, that ye have not power to put on them toll, and tribute, and other costs for keeping of the land. (And we also make known to you, that ye have no power, or authority, to put tolls, or tribute, or any other kind of taxes, for the upkeep of the land, on any of the priests, or the Levites, or the singers, or the guards, or the doorkeepers, or the Temple workers, or the ministers in the House of God.)
25
But thou, Ezra, by the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, ordain judges and governors, that they deem [all] the people, that is beyond the flood, that is, to them that know the law of thy God, and the law of the king; but also teach ye freely unknowing men. (And thou, Ezra, by the wisdom of thy God, which thou hast been given, ordain judges and governors to judge all the people who be in the province west of the Euphrates River, that is, those who know the Law of thy God, and the law of the king; and also freely teach ye unknowing men.)
26
And each man, that doeth not diligently the law of thy God, and the law of the king, this doom shall be of him, either into death, either into exiling, either into losing of his chattel, either certainly into prison. (And any person, who obeyeth not the Law of thy God, and the law of the king, this sentence shall be for him, either death, or exile, or the loss of his chattel, or of his possessions, or imprisonment.)
27
And Ezra, the writer, said, Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, that gave this thing in the heart of the king (who put this counsel in the king's heart), that he should glorify the house of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem,
28
and that bowed his mercy into me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the mighty princes of the king. And I was comforted by the hand of the Lord my God, that was in me, and I gathered together (the) princes (out) of the sons of Israel, the which (then) went up with me to Jerusalem. (and who turned his mercy to me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the high officials of the king. And I was strengthened by the hand of the Lord my God, that was upon me, and I gathered together the leaders out of the Israelites, who then went up with me to Jerusalem.)