尼希米記 6

1 參巴拉、多比雅、阿拉伯人基善和我們其餘的仇敵聽見我已經修完了城牆，其中沒有破裂之處（那時我還沒有安門扇）的，

Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that there were no longer any sections left broken open, although I had not yet set up the doors in the gates,

2 參巴拉和基善就打發人來見我，說：「請你來，我們在阿挪平原的一個村莊相會。」他們卻想害我。

Sanballat and Geshem sent to me saying, “Come, let us meet together somewhere in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do harm to me.

3 於是我差遣人去見他們，說：「我現在辦理大工，不能下去。焉能停工下去見你們呢？」

I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”

4 他們這樣四次打發人來見我，我都如此回答他們。

They sent me the same message four times, and I answered them the same way each time.

5 參巴拉第五次打發僕人來見我，手裏拿着未封的信，

Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand.

6 信上寫着說：「外邦人中有風聲，迦施慕也說，你和猶大人謀反，修造城牆，你要作他們的王；

In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel, for that is why you are rebuilding the wall. From what these reports say, you are about to become their king.

7 你又派先知在耶路撒冷指着你宣講，說在猶大有王。現在這話必傳與王知；所以請你來，與我們彼此商議。」

You have also appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem, saying, 'There is a king in Judah!' You can be sure the king will hear these reports. Therefore come, let us speak with one another.”

8 我就差遣人去見他，說：「你所說的這事，一概沒有，是你心裏捏造的。」

Then I sent word to him saying, “No such things have occurred as you say, for within your heart you invented them.”

9 他們都要使我們懼怕，意思說，他們的手必軟弱，以致工作不能成就。上帝啊，求你堅固我的手。

For they all wanted to make us afraid, thinking, “They will drop their hands from doing the work, and it will not be done.” But now, God, please strengthen my hands.

10 我到了米希大別的孫子、第來雅的兒子示瑪雅家裏；那時，他閉門不出。他說：「我們不如在上帝的殿裏會面，將殿門關鎖；因為他們要來殺你，就是夜裏來殺你。」

I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah son of Mehetabel, who was confined in his home. He said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. At night they are coming to kill you.”

11 我說：「像我這樣的人豈要逃跑呢？像我這樣的人豈能進入殿裏保全生命呢？我不進去！」

I replied, “Would a man like me run away? Would a man like me go into the temple just so he could save his own life? I will not go in!”

12 我看明上帝沒有差遣他，是他自己說這話攻擊我，是多比雅和參巴拉賄買了他。

I realized that it was not God who sent him, but that he had prophesied against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13 賄買他的緣故，是要叫我懼怕，依從他犯罪，他們好傳揚惡言毀謗我。

They hired him to make me afraid, so that I might do what he said and sin, so they could give me a bad name in order to humiliate me.

14 我的上帝啊，多比雅、參巴拉、女先知挪亞底，和其餘的先知要叫我懼怕，求你記念他們所行的這些事。

Call to mind Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, and all that they did. Also call to mind the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who tried to make me be afraid.

15 以祿月二十五日，城牆修完了，共修了五十二天。

So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul, after fifty-two days.

16 我們一切仇敵、四圍的外邦人聽見了便懼怕，愁眉不展；因為見這工作完成是出乎我們的上帝。

When all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us, they became afraid and they fell greatly in their own eyes. For they knew the work was done with the help of our God.

17 在那些日子，猶大的貴冑屢次寄信與多比雅，多比雅也來信與他們。

At this time the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them.

18 在猶大有許多人與多比雅結盟；因他是亞拉的兒子，示迦尼的女婿，並且他的兒子約哈難娶了比利迦兒子米書蘭的女兒為妻。

For there were many in Judah who were bound by an oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah. His son Jehohanan had taken as his wife the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.

19 他們常在我面前說多比雅的善行，也將我的話傳與他。多比雅又常寄信來，要叫我懼怕。

They also spoke to me about his good deeds and reported my words back to him. Letters were sent to me from Tobiah to frighten me.