Nehemiah 2
1 And it came to pass, in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that, wine, was before him, —so I took up the wine, and gave unto the king, and I had never been sad before him.
And it came to pass in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king: that wine was before him, and I took up the wine, and gave it to the king: and I was as one languishing away before his face.
2 Then said the king unto me, Wherefore is thy countenance sad, seeing that, thou, art not sick? this is nothing else, but sadness of heart. Then feared I exceedingly,
And the king said to me: Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou dost not appear to be sick? this is not without cause, but some evil, I know not what, is in thy heart. And I was seized with an exceeding great fear:
3 and said unto the king—Let the, king, unto times age-abiding, live! Wherefore should my countenance, not be sad, when, the city—the place of the sepulchres of my fathers, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?
And I said to the king: O king, live for ever: why should not my countenance be sorrowful, seeing the city of the place of the sepulchres of my fathers is desolate, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire?
4 Then the king said to me, Concerning what, is it, thou, wouldst make request? So I prayed unto the God of the heavens,
Then the king said to me: For what dost thou make request? And I prayed to the God of heaven,
5 and then said unto the king, If, unto the king, it seemeth good, and if thy servant might find favour before thee, That thou wouldst send me unto Judah, unto the city of the sepulchres of my fathers, that I might build it.
And I said to the king: If it seem good to the king, and if thy servant hath found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldst send me into Judea to the city of the sepulchre of my father, and I will build it.
6 And the king said unto me, the queen, also sitting beside him, For how long would be thy journey? and when wouldst thou return? So it seemed good before the king to send me, and I set him a time.
And the king said to me, and the queen that sat by him: For how long shall thy journey be, and when wilt thou return? And it pleased the king, and he sent me: and I fixed him a time.
7 Then said I unto the king, If, unto the king, it seemeth good, may, letters, be given me, unto the pashas Beyond the River, —that they may convey me over, until I come into Judah;
And I said to the king: If it seem good to the king, let him give me letters to the governors of the country beyond the river, that they convey me over, till I come into Judea:
8 also a letter unto Asaph, keeper of the park that belongeth unto the king, that he may give me timber to build up the gates of the fortress which pertaineth to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house whereinto I shall enter. And the king gave me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
And a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, to give me timber that I may cover the gates of the tower of the house, and the walls of the city, and the house that I shall enter into. And the king gave me according to the good hand of my God with me.
9 Then came I unto the pashas Beyond the River, and gave them the letters of the king, —now the king, had sent with me, captains of the army, and horsemen.
And I came to the governors of the country beyond the river, and gave them the king’s letters. And the king had sent with me captains of soldiers, and horsemen.
10 And, when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant the Ammonite, heard of it, it vexed them, with a great vexation, —that there had come a man, to seek welfare, for the sons of Israel.
And Sanaballat the Horonite, and Tobias the servant, the Ammonite, heard it, and it grieved them exceedingly, that a man was come, who sought the prosperity of the children of Israel.
11 So I entered Jerusalem, —and was there three days.
And I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.
12 Then rose I by night, I, and a few men with me, I having told no man, what, my God, had been putting in my heart, to do for Jerusalem, —and, beast, was there none with me, save the beast on which, I myself, was riding.
And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me, and I told not any man what God had put in my heart to do in Jerusalem, and there was no beast with me, but the beast that I rode upon.
13 So I went forth through the valley-gate by night, even unto the front of the snake-fountain, and into the dung-gate, —and I viewed the walls of Jerusalem, how, they, were broken down, and, the gates thereof, consumed with fire.
And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, and before the dragon fountain, and to the dung gate, and I viewed the wall of Jerusalem which was broken down, and the gates thereof which were consumed with fire.
14 Then passed I over unto the fountain-gate, and unto the pool of the king, —but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.
And I passed to the gate of the fountain, and to the king’s aqueduct, and there was no place for the beast on which I rode to pass.
15 Then went I up in the torrent-bed, by night, and viewed the wall, —and turned back, and entered by the valley-gate, and so returned.
And I went up in the night by the torrent, and viewed the wall, and going back I came to the gate of the valley, and returned.
16 Now, the deputies, knew not whither I had gone, nor what I was doing, —not even to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the deputies, nor to the rest who were doing the work, had I as yet told it.
But the magistrates knew not whither I went, or what I did: neither had I as yet told any thing to the Jews, or to the priests, or to the nobles, or to the magistrates, or to the rest that did the work.
17 So I said unto them, Ye, can see the misfortune that, we, are in, how that, Jerusalem, lieth waste, and, the gates thereof, are burned with fire: Come, and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may remain, no longer, a reproach.
Then I said to them: You know the affliction wherein we are, because Jerusalem is desolate, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire: come, and let us build up the walls of Jerusalem, and let us be no longer a reproach.
18 Then told I them, of the hand of my God, that, it, had been good upon me, as also of the words of the king, which he had spoken unto me, —so they said, We will arise and build! and they strengthened their hands right well.
And I shewed them how the hand of my God was good with me, and the king’s words, which he had spoken to me, and I said: Let us rise up, and build. And their hands were strengthened in good.
19 But, when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed at us, and poured contempt upon us, —and said, What is this thing which ye would do? against the king, would ye rebel?
But Sanaballat the Horonite, and Tobias the servant, the Ammonite, and Gossem the Arabian heard of it, and they scoffed at us, and despised us, and said: What is this thing that you do? are you going to rebel against the king?
20 Then answered I them, and said to them—The God of the heavens—he, will prosper us, therefore, we his servants, will arise and build, —But, to you, pertaineth no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
And I answered them, and said to them: The God of heaven he helpeth us, and we are his servants: let us rise up and build: but you have no part, nor justice, nor remembrance in Jerusalem.
