< 尼希米记 4 >

1 参巴拉听见我们修造城墙就发怒,大大恼恨,嗤笑犹大人,
When Sanballat found out that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious—really mad! He made fun of the Jews
2 对他弟兄和撒马利亚的军兵说:“这些软弱的犹大人做什么呢?要保护自己吗?要献祭吗?要一日成功吗?要从土堆里拿出火烧的石头再立墙吗?”
in front of his colleagues and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these useless Jews trying to achieve? Do they think they can rebuild the wall? Are they going to offer sacrifices? Are they going to finish it in a day? Do they think they can re-use stones from piles of rubble and dirt, especially since they've all been burned?”
3 亚扪人多比雅站在旁边,说:“他们所修造的石墙,就是狐狸上去也必跐倒。”
Tobiah the Ammonite, standing beside him, commented, “Even a fox walking on what they're building would knock down their wall of stones!”
4 我们的 神啊,求你垂听,因为我们被藐视。求你使他们的毁谤归于他们的头上,使他们在掳到之地作为掠物。
I prayed, “Lord, please listen to us, because we are being treated with contempt. Rain down their insults on their own heads! Let them be taken away like plunder, prisoners in a foreign land!
5 不要遮掩他们的罪孽,不要使他们的罪恶从你面前涂抹,因为他们在修造的人眼前惹动你的怒气。
Don't forgive their guilt or blot out their sins, for they have made you angry in front of the builders.”
6 这样,我们修造城墙,城墙就都连络,高至一半,因为百姓专心做工。
So we rebuilt the wall until it was all connected, reaching half its height, because the people were keen to work.
7 参巴拉、多比雅、阿拉伯人、亚扪人、亚实突人听见修造耶路撒冷城墙,着手进行堵塞破裂的地方,就甚发怒。
When Sanballat and Tobiah, and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being filled in, they were furious.
8 大家同谋要来攻击耶路撒冷,使城内扰乱。
They all plotted together to come and attack Jerusalem and to throw everything into confusion.
9 然而,我们祷告我们的 神,又因他们的缘故,就派人看守,昼夜防备。
So we prayed to our God, and we had guards ready to defend against them day and night.
10 犹大人说:“灰土尚多,扛抬的人力气已经衰败,所以我们不能建造城墙。”
Then people of Judah started grumbling, saying, “The workmen are exhausted. There's just too much rubble to clear. We'll never be able to finish the wall.”
11 我们的敌人且说:“趁他们不知不见,我们进入他们中间,杀他们,使工作止住。”
Our enemies were saying to themselves, “Before they know it, before they're aware of anything, we'll appear right in among them, kill them, and put a stop to what they're doing.”
12 那靠近敌人居住的犹大人十次从各处来见我们,说:“你们必要回到我们那里。”
The Jews who lived close by came and told us over and over again, “They're going to attack us from all directions!”
13 所以我使百姓各按宗族拿刀、拿枪、拿弓站在城墙后边低洼的空处。
So I positioned defenders behind the lowest, most vulnerable sections, of the wall. I had them take their positions by families, armed with their swords, spears, and bows.
14 我察看了,就起来对贵胄、官长,和其余的人说:“不要怕他们!当记念主是大而可畏的。你们要为弟兄、儿女、妻子、家产争战。”
After inspecting our defenses, I stood up and addressed the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, saying, “Don't be afraid of them! Remember the Lord, who is powerful and formidable! Fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes!”
15 仇敌听见我们知道他们的心意,见 神也破坏他们的计谋,就不来了。我们都回到城墙那里,各做各的工。
When our enemies discovered that we knew about their plan, and that God had foiled it, we all went back to our work on the wall.
16 从那日起,我的仆人一半做工,一半拿枪、拿盾牌、拿弓、穿铠甲,官长都站在犹大众人的后边。
From then on, half of my men were doing the work while the other half were ready to fight, holding their spears, shields, bows, and armor. The leaders stood behind all the people of Judah
17 修造城墙的,扛抬材料的,都一手做工一手拿兵器。
who were building the wall. Those carrying materials worked with one hand, holding a weapon in the other.
18 修造的人都腰间佩刀修造,吹角的人在我旁边。
All the builders carried a sword strapped to their side, and the trumpeter stood beside me.
19 我对贵胄、官长,和其余的人说:“这工程浩大,我们在城墙上相离甚远;
Then I told the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “We have a lot to do everywhere, so we're very spread out along the wall.
20 你们听见角声在哪里,就聚集到我们那里去。我们的 神必为我们争战。”
Wherever you are and you hear the sound of the trumpet, run to join us there. Our God will fight for us!”
21 于是,我们做工,一半拿兵器,从天亮直到星宿出现的时候。
We went on working, with half of the men holding spears from dawn until the stars came out.
22 那时,我又对百姓说:“各人和他的仆人当在耶路撒冷住宿,好在夜间保守我们,白昼做工。”
I also told the people, “Everyone including servants must spend the night inside Jerusalem, so they can be on guard duty at night and work during the day.”
23 这样,我和弟兄仆人,并跟从我的护兵都不脱衣服,出去打水也带兵器。
During that time none of us changed our clothes—not me or my brothers or my men or the guards with me. Everyone carried their weapons at all times, even to go for water.

< 尼希米记 4 >