Nehemiah 4
1 Now it happened that, when Sanballat had heard that we were building the wall, he was very angry. And having been moved exceedingly, he ridiculed the Jews.
參巴拉聽見我們修造城牆就發怒，大大惱恨，嗤笑猶大人，
2 And he said, before his brothers and a crowd of the Samaritans: “What are the foolish Jews doing? Can it be that the Gentiles will allow them? Will they sacrifice and finish in one day? Do they have the ability to make stones out of piles of dust that have been burned up?”
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？」
3 Then too, Tobiah, an Ammonite, his assistant, said: “Let them build. When the fox climbs, he will leap over their stone wall.”
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。」
4 Listen, O our God, for we have become an object of contempt. Turn their reproach upon their own head, and grant that they may be despised in a land of captivity.
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。
5 May you not conceal their iniquity, and may their sin not be wiped away, before your face, for they have ridiculed those who are building.
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。
6 And so we built the wall, and we joined it together, even to the unfinished portion. And the heart of the people was stirred up for the work.
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。
7 Now it happened that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabs, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites had heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been closed, and that the breaches had begun to be repaired, they were exceedingly angry.
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。
8 And they all gathered together, so that they might go forth and fight against Jerusalem, and so that they might prepare ambushes.
大家同謀要來攻擊耶路撒冷，使城內擾亂。
9 And we prayed to our God, and we stationed guards upon the wall, day and night, against them.
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。
10 Then Judah said: “The strength of those who carry has diminished, and the amount of material is very great, and so we will not be able to build the wall.”
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。」
11 And our enemies said: “Let them neither know, nor realize, until we arrive in their midst, and kill them, and cause the work to cease.”
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。」
12 Now it happened that, on ten occasions, some Jews arrived who were living near them, from all the places from which they came to us, and they told us this.
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。」
13 So I stationed the people in order, in places behind the wall, all around it, with their swords, and lances, and bows.
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。
14 And I gazed around, and I rose up. And I said to the nobles, and to the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: “Do not be afraid before their face. Remember the great and terrible Lord, and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons and your daughters, and your wives and your households.”
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。」
15 Then it happened that, when our enemies had heard that it had been reported to us, God defeated their counsel. And we all returned to the walls, each one to his own work.
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。
16 And it happened that, from that day, half of their young men were doing the work, and half were prepared for war with lances, and shields, and bows, and armor. And the leaders were behind them in all the house of Judah.
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。
17 As for those building the wall, and carrying the burdens, and setting things in place: one of his hands was doing the work, and the other was holding a sword.
修造城牆的，扛抬材料的，都一手做工一手拿兵器。
18 For each one of the builders was girded with a sword at the waist. And they were building, and they were sounding a trumpet beside me.
修造的人都腰間佩刀修造，吹角的人在我旁邊。
19 And I said to the nobles, and to the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: “The work is great and wide, and we are separated on the wall far from one another.
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；
20 At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rush to that place for us. Our God will fight on our behalf.
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。」
21 And so let us accomplish the work. And let one half part of us hold spears, from the ascent of dawn until the stars come out.”
於是，我們做工，一半拿兵器，從天亮直到星宿出現的時候。
22 Also at that time, I said to the people: “Let each one with his servant remain in the midst of Jerusalem. And let us take turns, throughout the night and day, in doing the work.”
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。」
23 But I and my brothers, and my servants, and the guards who were behind me, we did not take off our clothes; each one only removed his clothes to wash.
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。
