35. If the sun can do this, it is certainly great. But truth is greater and stronger than all of these things.
36. Everyone on earth honours truth; heaven praises it; all creation trembles in awe before it.“There is not the slightest injustice in truth.
37. You will find injustice in wine, the emperor, women, all human beings, in all they do, and in everything else. There is no truth in them; they are unjust and they will perish.
38. But truth endures and is always strong; it will continue to live and reign for ever.
39. Truth shows no partiality or favouritism; it does what is right, rather than what is unjust or evil. Everyone approves what truth does;
40. its decisions are always fair. Truth is strong, royal, powerful, and majestic for ever. Let all things praise the God of truth!”
41. When Zerubbabel had finished speaking, all the people shouted, “Truth is great — there is nothing stronger!”
42. Then the emperor said to him, “You may ask anything you want, even more than what was agreed, and I will give it to you. You will be my adviser, and you will be granted the title ‘Relative of the Emperor.’ ”
43. Zerubbabel replied, “Your Majesty, permit me to remind you of the solemn vow you took on the day you became emperor. You promised to rebuild Jerusalem
44. and to send back all the treasures that had been taken from the city. Remember that when Cyrus made a vow to destroy Babylon, he set these things aside and solemnly promised to send them back to Jerusalem.
45. You also promised to rebuild the Temple, which the Edomites burnt down when the Babylonians devastated the land of Judah.
46. So, Your Majesty, because you are a man of generosity, I beg you to fulfil the promise you made to the King of Heaven.”
47. Then Darius the emperor stood up, kissed Zerubbabel, and wrote letters for him to all the treasurers, governors, and administrators in the provinces, ordering them to provide safe conduct for him and all those going with him to rebuild Jerusalem.
48. He also wrote letters to all the governors in Greater Syria and Phoenicia, with special instructions to those in Lebanon, to transport cedar logs to Jerusalem and help Zerubbabel rebuild the city.
49. The emperor also provided letters for all the Jews who wished to return to Jerusalem. These letters guaranteed their freedom and ordered all governors, treasurers, and other administrators not to interfere with them in any way.
50. All the land that they acquired was to be exempt from taxation, and the Edomites were to surrender the villages they had taken from the Jews.
51. Each year 680 kilogrammes of silver would be given for the construction of the Temple until it was finished.
52. In addition, 340 kilogrammes of silver would be given each year to provide for the seventeen burnt offerings to be offered in the Temple each day.
53. All the Jews who left Babylonia to build the city of Jerusalem would be granted their freedom, together with their children and the priests.