نَحَمْيَا 1

١ 1 كَلَامُ نَحَمْيَا بْنِ حَكَلْيَا: حَدَثَ فِي شَهْرِ كَسْلُو فِي ٱلسَّنَةِ ٱلْعِشْرِينَ، بَيْنَمَا كُنْتُ فِي شُوشَنَ ٱلْقَصْرِ،

The story of Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah, —and it came to pass, in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, when, I, was in Shusan the fortress,

٢ 2 أَنَّهُ جَاءَ حَنَانِي، وَاحِدٌ مِنْ إِخْوَتِي، هُوَ وَرِجَالٌ مِنْ يَهُوذَا، فَسَأَلْتُهُمْ عَنِ ٱلْيَهُودِ ٱلَّذِينَ نَجَوْا، ٱلَّذِينَ بَقُوا مِنَ ٱلسَّبْيِ، وَعَنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ.

that Hanani one of my brethren came, he and certain men out of Judah, —so I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

٣ 3 فَقَالُوا لِي: «إِنَّ ٱلْبَاقِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ بَقُوا مِنَ ٱلسَّبْيِ هُنَاكَ فِي ٱلْبِلَادِ، هُمْ فِي شَرٍّ عَظِيمٍ وَعَارٍ. وَسُورُ أُورُشَلِيمَ مُنْهَدِمٌ، وَأَبْوَابُهَا مَحْرُوقَةٌ بِٱلنَّارِ».

And they said unto me, The remnant who are left of the captivity, there in the province, are in great misfortune and reproach, the wall of Jerusalem, is broken down, and, the gates thereof, are burned with fire.

٤ 4 فَلَمَّا سَمِعْتُ هَذَا ٱلْكَلَامَ جَلَسْتُ وَبَكَيْتُ وَنُحْتُ أَيَّامًا، وَصُمْتُ وَصَلَّيْتُ أَمَامَ إِلَهِ ٱلسَّمَاءِ،

And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and I mourned certain days, —and continued fasting and praying, before the God of the heavens;

٥ 5 وَقُلْتُ: «أَيُّهَا ٱلرَّبُّ إِلَهُ ٱلسَّمَاءِ، ٱلْإِلَهُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ٱلْمَخُوفُ، ٱلْحَافِظُ ٱلْعَهْدَ وَٱلرَّحْمَةَ لِمُحِبِّيهِ وَحَافِظِي وَصَايَاهُ،

and said, I beseech thee, O Yahweh God of the heavens, the great and fearful GOD, —keeping the covenant and lovingkindness for them who love him and keep his commandments:

٦ 6 لِتَكُنْ أُذْنُكَ مُصْغِيَةً وَعَيْنَاكَ مَفْتُوحَتَيْنِ لِتَسْمَعَ صَلَاةَ عَبْدِكَ ٱلَّذِي يُصَلِّي إِلَيْكَ ٱلْآنَ نَهَارًا وَلَيْلًا لِأَجْلِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَبِيدِكَ، وَيَعْتَرِفُ بِخَطَايَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ ٱلَّتِي أَخْطَأْنَا بِهَا إِلَيْكَ. فَإِنِّي أَنَا وَبَيْتُ أَبِي قَدْ أَخْطَأْنَا.

Let, I pray thee, thine ears be attentive and thine eyes open—to hearken unto the prayer of thy servant—which, I, am praying before thee now, day and night, for the sons of Israel, thy servants, —and making confession concerning the sins of the sons of Israel, which we have committed against thee, both I and the house of my father, have sinned.

٧ 7 لَقَدْ أَفْسَدْنَا أَمَامَكَ، وَلَمْ نَحْفَظِ ٱلْوَصَايَا وَٱلْفَرَائِضَ وَٱلْأَحْكَامَ ٱلَّتِي أَمَرْتَ بِهَا مُوسَى عَبْدَكَ.

We have dealt, very corruptly, against thee, —and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes nor the regulations, which thou didst command Moses thy servant.

٨ 8 ٱذْكُرِ ٱلْكَلَامَ ٱلَّذِي أَمَرْتَ بِهِ مُوسَى عَبْدَكَ قَائِلًا: إِنْ خُنْتُمْ فَإِنِّي أُفَرِّقُكُمْ فِي ٱلشُّعُوبِ،

Remember, I pray thee, the word, which thou didst command Moses thy servant, saying, —If, ye, are unfaithful, I, will scatter you among the peoples:

٩ 9 وَإِنْ رَجَعْتُمْ إِلَيَّ وَحَفِظْتُمْ وَصَايَايَ وَعَمِلْتُمُوهَا، إِنْ كَانَ ٱلْمَنْفِيُّونَ مِنْكُمْ فِي أَقْصَاءِ ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ، فَمِنْ هُنَاكَ أَجْمَعُهُمْ وَآتِي بِهِمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَكَانِ ٱلَّذِي ٱخْتَرْتُ لِإِسْكَانِ ٱسْمِي فِيهِ.

When ye return unto me and keep my commandments and do them, though it should be that ye have been driven out unto the uttermost part of the heavens, from thence, will I gather them, and bring them into the place that I have chosen to make a habitation for my Name there.

١٠ 10 فَهُمْ عَبِيدُكَ وَشَعْبُكَ ٱلَّذِي ٱفْتَدَيْتَ بِقُوَّتِكَ ٱلْعَظِيمَةِ وَيَدِكَ ٱلشَّدِيدَةِ.

They, therefore, are thy servants, and thy people, —whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy firm hand.

١١ 11 يَا سَيِّدُ، لِتَكُنْ أُذْنُكَ مُصْغِيَةً إِلَى صَلَاةِ عَبْدِكَ وَصَلَاةِ عَبِيدِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ مَخَافَةَ ٱسْمِكَ. وَأَعْطِ ٱلنَّجَاحَ ٱلْيَوْمَ لِعَبْدِكَ وَٱمْنَحْهُ رَحْمَةً أَمَامَ هَذَا ٱلرَّجُلِ». لِأَنِّي كُنْتُ سَاقِيًا لِلْمَلِكِ.

I beseech thee O My Lord, let—I pray thee—thine ear be attentive unto the prayer of thy servant, and unto the prayer of thy servants who delight to revere thy Name, and oh prosper, I pray thee, thy servant to-day, and grant him compassion before this man. Now, I, was cup-bearer unto the king.