尼希米記 4
1 參巴拉聽見我們修造城牆就發怒，大大惱恨，嗤笑猶大人，
Now when Sanballat heard we were building the wall, it burned within him, and he was furiously angry, and he mocked the Jews.
2 對他弟兄和撒馬利亞的軍兵說：「這些軟弱的猶大人做甚麼呢？要保護自己嗎？要獻祭嗎？要一日成功嗎？要從土堆裏拿出火燒的石頭再立牆嗎？」
In the presence of his brothers and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore the city for themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish the work in a day? Will they bring to life the stones from the piles of rubble after they were burned?
3 亞捫人多比雅站在旁邊，說：「他們所修造的石牆，就是狐狸上去也必跐倒。」
Tobiah the Ammonite was with him, and he said, “If only a fox went up on what they are building, it would break down their stone wall!”
4 我們的上帝啊，求你垂聽，因為我們被藐視。求你使他們的毀謗歸於他們的頭上，使他們在擄到之地作為掠物。
Hear, our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunts on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are prisoners.
5 不要遮掩他們的罪孽，不要使他們的罪惡從你面前塗抹，因為他們在修造的人眼前惹動你的怒氣。
Do not cover over their iniquity and do not erase their sin from before you, for they have provoked the builders to anger.
6 這樣，我們修造城牆，城牆就都連絡，高至一半，因為百姓專心做工。
So we built the wall and all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a desire to work.
7 參巴拉、多比雅、阿拉伯人、亞捫人、亞實突人聽見修造耶路撒冷城牆，着手進行堵塞破裂的地方，就甚發怒。
But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the work of repairing the walls of Jerusalem was going forward, and that the broken places in the wall were being closed up, a great anger burned within them.
8 大家同謀要來攻擊耶路撒冷，使城內擾亂。
They all conspired together, and they came to fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.
9 然而，我們禱告我們的上帝，又因他們的緣故，就派人看守，晝夜防備。
But we prayed to our God and set a guard as protection against them day and night because of their threat.
10 猶大人說：「灰土尚多，扛抬的人力氣已經衰敗，所以我們不能建造城牆。」
Then the people of Judah said, “The strength of those who carry the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble, and we are not able to rebuild the wall.”
11 我們的敵人且說：「趁他們不知不見，我們進入他們中間，殺他們，使工作止住。」
Our enemies said, “They will not know or see until we come among them and kill them, and stop the work.”
12 那靠近敵人居住的猶大人十次從各處來見我們，說：「你們必要回到我們那裏。」
At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and spoke to us ten times, warning us about the schemes they were making against us.
13 所以我使百姓各按宗族拿刀、拿槍、拿弓站在城牆後邊低窪的空處。
So I positioned people in the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I positioned each family with their swords, spears, and bows.
14 我察看了，就起來對貴冑、官長，和其餘的人說：「不要怕他們！當記念主是大而可畏的。你們要為弟兄、兒女、妻子、家產爭戰。」
Then I looked, and stood up, and I said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Call to mind the Lord, who is great and awesome. Fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”
15 仇敵聽見我們知道他們的心意，見上帝也破壞他們的計謀，就不來了。我們都回到城牆那裏，各做各的工。
It came about when our enemies heard that their plans were known to us, and God had frustrated their plans, all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work.
16 從那日起，我的僕人一半做工，一半拿槍、拿盾牌、拿弓、穿鎧甲，官長都站在猶大眾人的後邊。
So from that time half of my servants worked only on rebuilding the wall, and half of them held spears, shields, bows, and wore armor, while the leaders stood behind all the people of Judah.
17 修造城牆的，扛抬材料的，都一手做工一手拿兵器。
The same workers who were building the wall and carrying loads were also guarding their positions. Everyone worked with one hand, and with the other hand he held his weapon.
18 修造的人都腰間佩刀修造，吹角的人在我旁邊。
Every builder wore his sword on his side and that is how he worked. The one who sounded the trumpet stayed beside me.
19 我對貴冑、官長，和其餘的人說：「這工程浩大，我們在城牆上相離甚遠；
I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another.
20 你們聽見角聲在哪裏，就聚集到我們那裏去。我們的上帝必為我們爭戰。」
You must rush to the place where you hear the trumpet sound and assemble there. Our God will fight for us.”
21 於是，我們做工，一半拿兵器，從天亮直到星宿出現的時候。
So we were doing the work. Half of them were holding spears from the rising of the dawn until the coming out of the stars.
22 那時，我又對百姓說：「各人和他的僕人當在耶路撒冷住宿，好在夜間保守我們，白晝做工。」
I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant spend the night in the middle of Jerusalem, so they may be for us a guard during the night and a worker in the day.”
23 這樣，我和弟兄僕人，並跟從我的護兵都不脫衣服，出去打水也帶兵器。
So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us changed our clothes, and each of us carried his weapon, even if he went for water.
