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 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. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.
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,
Why the king said to me, Why is your countenance sad, seeing you are not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,
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 said to the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchers, lies waste, and the gates thereof are consumed 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 do you make request? So 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 please the king, and if your servant have found favor in your sight, that you would send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ sepulchers, that I may 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, (the queen also sitting by him, ) For how long shall your journey be? and when will you return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set 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;
Moreover I said to the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;
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, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God on 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.
Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.
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.
When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
11 So I entered Jerusalem, —and was there three days.
So 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; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode on.
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, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof 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.
Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king’s pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me 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.
Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so 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.
And the rulers knew not where I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor 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 said I to them, You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more 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.
Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good on me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken to me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
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 when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that you do? will you 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.
Then answered I them, and said to them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
