Perhaps the Elephantine Jews didn't know about the rule, or perhaps distance from Jerusalem made them indifferent to it,
也許是笨拙的猶太人壓根就不曉得規矩,抑或是離耶路撒冷的遙遠使他們變得漠不關心,
because they built their own temple, here in the heart of this alien land.
因為他們在這陌生的土地上建立自己的神廟。
They boasted about its antiquity, how it was older than the rebuilt Jerusalem temple,
他們吹噓子自己的古代輝煌,如何比耶路撒冷重建圣殿年代更為久遠,
with five monumental gateways, a holy of holies inside, with bronze hinges to the doors, a cedar roof, and gold and silver vessels.
有五個宏偉的石門,最里則是最神圣的場所,有著銅鉸鏈門,雪松的屋頂,金銀的器皿。
More outrageously, animals were, indeed, sacrificed to Elephantine along with offerings of grain and fruit.
更肆無忌憚是, 事實上是用于祭祀的牲畜們,還有谷物和水果。
There was much curling of smoke and sprinkling of blood.
這里曾經煙霧繚繞并且鮮血撒滿地。
But circumstances were about to deal the proud Elephantine Jews a cruel blow.
但現實環境是與這種驕傲粗笨的猶太人打交道通常對人是殘酷的打擊。
Their temple stood right next to the Egyptian temple of Khnum, the ram's-headed god who presided over the annual life-giving flood of the Nile.
他們的寺廟位于埃及Khnum寺廟旁邊,這里的公羊神明掌管尼羅河一年一度的洪水。
The Egyptians held rams sacred, but the Jews sacrificed them to a God they proclaimed as the one and only.
埃及人認為公羊是神圣的動物,但猶太人則用它們祭祀自己宣稱是唯一的神明。
Not tactful.
這種做法一點也不明智。
The priests of Khnum bribed the commander of the local Persian garrison to attack and destroy the Jewish temple.
Khnum的祭司賄賂當地波斯駐軍的指揮官發動襲擊并摧毀了猶太圣殿。