Nehemiæ 1

1 Verba Nehemiæ filii Helchiæ. Et factum est in mense Casleu, anno vigesimo, et ego eram in Susis castro.

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,

2 Et venit Hanani unus de fratribus meis, ipse et viri ex Iuda: et interrogavi eos de Iudæis, qui remanserant, et supererant de captivitate, et Ierusalem.

That Hanani, one of my brothers, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

3 Et dixerunt mihi: Qui remanserunt, et relicti sunt de captivitate ibi in provincia, in afflictione magna sunt, et in opprobrio: et murus Ierusalem dissipatus est, et portæ eius combustæ sunt igni.

And they said to me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

4 Cumque audissem verba huiuscemodi, sedi, et flevi, et luxi diebus multis: ieiunabam, et orabam ante faciem Dei cæli.

And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

5 Et dixi: Quæso Domine Deus cæli fortis, magne atque terribilis, qui custodis pactum et misericordiam cum his qui te diligunt, et custodiunt mandata tua:

And said, I beseech you, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keeps covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:

6 fiant aures tuæ auscultantes, et oculi tui aperti ut audias orationem servi tui, quam ego oro coram te hodie nocte et die pro filiis Israel servis tuis: et confiteor pro peccatis filiorum Israel, quibus peccaverunt tibi: ego, et domus patris mei peccavimus,

Let your ear now be attentive, and your eyes open, that you may hear the prayer of your servant, which I pray before you now, day and night, for the children of Israel your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against you: both I and my father’s house have sinned.

7 vanitate seducti sumus, et non custodivimus mandatum tuum, et ceremonias, et iudicia quæ præcepisti Moysi famulo tuo.

We have dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which you commanded your servant Moses.

8 Memento verbi, quod mandasti Moysi servo tuo, dicens: Cum transgressi fueritis, ego dispergam vos in populos:

Remember, I beseech you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, If you transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:

9 et si revertamini ad me, et custodiatis præcepta mea, et faciatis ea; etiamsi abducti fueritis ad extrema cæli, inde congregabo vos, et reducam in locum, quem elegi ut habitaret nomen meum ibi.

But if you turn to me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out to the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen to set my name there.

10 Et ipsi servi tui, et populus tuus: quos redemisti in fortitudine tua magna, et in manu tua valida.

Now these are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power, and by your strong hand.

11 Obsecro Domine, sit auris tua attendens ad orationem servi tui, et ad orationem servorum tuorum, qui volunt timere nomen tuum: et dirige servum tuum hodie, et da ei misericordiam ante virum hunc. Ego enim eram pincerna regis.

O LORD, I beseech you, let now your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who desire to fear your name: and prosper, I pray you, your servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.