Nehemiah 4

1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry, and felt great indignation, and mocked the Jews.

But when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry, and was very indignant, and mocked the Jews.

2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they finish in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?

He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, since they are burnt?”

3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox should go up, he would even break down their stone wall.

Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, “What they are building, if a fox climbed up it, he would break down their stone wall.”

4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a spoil in the land of captivity:

“Hear, our God, for we are despised. Turn back their reproach on their own head. Give them up for a plunder in a land of captivity.

5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.

Don’t cover their iniquity. Don’t let their sin be blotted out from before you; for they have insulted the builders.”

6 So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to the half of it: for the people had a mind to work.

So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

7 But it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were set up, and that the breaches began to be closed, then they were very angry,

But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, and that the breaches began to be filled, they were very angry;

8 And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.

and they all conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion amongst us.

9 Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.

But we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night because of them.

10 And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is failing, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.

Judah said, “The strength of the bearers of burdens is fading and there is much rubble, so that we are not able to build the wall.”

11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.

Our adversaries said, “They will not know or see, until we come in amongst them and kill them, and cause the work to cease.”

12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews who dwelt by them came, they said to us ten times, From all places where ye shall return to us they will be upon you.

When the Jews who lived by them came, they said to us ten times from all places, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

13 Therefore I set in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people according to their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

Therefore I set guards in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places. I set the people by family groups with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

14 And I looked, and arose, and said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be ye not afraid of them: remember the Lord, who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

I looked, and rose up, and said to the nobles, to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them! Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one to his work.

When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and God had brought their counsel to nothing, all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work.

16 And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.

From that time forth, half of my servants did the work, and half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.

17 They who built on the wall, and they that bore burdens, burdened themselves, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.

Those who built the wall, and those who bore burdens loaded themselves; everyone with one of his hands did the work, and with the other held his weapon.

18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so built. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.

Amongst the builders, everyone wore his sword at his side, and so built. He who sounded the trumpet was by me.

19 And I said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.

I said to the nobles, and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread out, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another.

20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye there to us: our God shall fight for us.

Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally there to us. Our God will fight for us.”

21 So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.

So we did the work. Half of the people held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared.

22 Likewise at the same time said I to the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour in the day.

Likewise at the same time I said to the people, “Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labour in the day.”

23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us put off our clothes, except that every one put them off for washing.

So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me took off our clothes. Everyone took his weapon to the water.