Nehemija 4
1 Kad je Sanbalat čuo da gradimo zid, razljutio se. Bio je veoma srdit, ismijavao je Židove
When Sanballat found out that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious—really mad! He made fun of the Jews
2 i vikao je pred svojom braćom i samarijanskom vojskom: “Što poduzimaju ovi jadni Židovi? Kane li možda popraviti, žrtvovati i završiti sve u jedan dan? Zar će iz hrpe praha dozvati u život spaljeno kamenje?”
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 Tobija, Amonac, koji je bio uz njega, reče: “Neka samo grade! Ali popne li se lisica, srušit će im kamene zidove.”
Tobiah the Ammonite, standing beside him, commented, “Even a fox walking on what they're building would knock down their wall of stones!”
4 Čuj, o Bože naš, kako nas preziru! Navrni njihove poruge na njihovu glavu. Predaj ih kao plijen u zemlju ropstva.
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 Ne pokrivaj njihova bezakonja i grijeh njihov neka ne bude izbrisan pred licem tvojim jer su se rugali graditeljima.
Don't forgive their guilt or blot out their sins, for they have made you angry in front of the builders.”
6 Tako smo gradili zid, koji je uskoro bio završen do pola visine. Narod je imao oduševljenja za rad.
So we rebuilt the wall until it was all connected, reaching half its height, because the people were keen to work.
7 Kad su Sanbalat, Tobija, Arapi, Amonci i Ašdođani čuli da napreduje popravljanje jeruzalemskih zidova - jer su se počele zatvarati pukotine - veoma se ražestiše.
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 Zakleše se svi zajedno da će napasti Jeruzalem i da će nas smesti.
They all plotted together to come and attack Jerusalem and to throw everything into confusion.
9 Mi smo tada zazvali Boga našega i postavljali smo dnevnu i noćnu stražu da bismo zaštitili grad.
So we prayed to our God, and we had guards ready to defend against them day and night.
10 A Židovi govorahu: “Snage su nosačima klonule, a ruševina je mnogo: nećemo nikada stići sagraditi zida!”
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 A naši neprijatelji rekoše: “Uvući ćemo se među njih prije nego što doznaju i opaze nas: tada ćemo ih poubijati i tako osujetiti pothvat!”
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 A kad bi došli Židovi koji žive kraj njih, po deset bi nas puta upozoravali: “Idu protiv vas iz svih mjesta u kojima stanuju!”
The Jews who lived close by came and told us over and over again, “They're going to attack us from all directions!”
13 Postavili smo se u nizinama, iza zida i na goletima; rasporedio sam narod po rodovima, s mačevima, kopljima i lukovima.
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 Kad sam vidio kako se boje, ustao sam i objavio velikašima, odličnicima i ostalom narodu ovo: “Ne bojte se ovih ljudi! Mislite na Gospoda, velikoga i strašnoga, i borite se za svoju braću, za sinove i kćeri svoje, za žene i kuće svoje!”
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 Kad su naši neprijatelji čuli da smo obaviješteni i da je Bog osujetio njihovu osnovu, mogli smo se vratiti k zidu, svaki svome poslu.
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 Ali je od toga dana samo polovica mojih momaka obavljala posao, a ostali su držali koplja, štitove, lukove i oklope, a glavari stajali iza doma Judina,
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 koji je gradio zid. I nosači tereta držali su oružje: jednom je rukom svaki radio svoj posao, a u drugoj mu bilo oružje.
who were building the wall. Those carrying materials worked with one hand, holding a weapon in the other.
18 Svaki je od graditelja, dok je radio, nosio mač pripasan uz bok. Trubač je stajao kraj mene.
All the builders carried a sword strapped to their side, and the trumpeter stood beside me.
19 Rekao sam velikašima, odličnicima i ostalom narodu: “Posao je velik i zamašan, a mi se rasuli po zidu, daleko jedni od drugih:
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 skupite se oko nas na mjesto gdje čujete glas trube, a Bog naš borit će se za nas.”
Wherever you are and you hear the sound of the trumpet, run to join us there. Our God will fight for us!”
21 Tako smo obavljali posao od rane zore do prvih zvijezda. Polovica je bila naoružana kopljima.
We went on working, with half of the men holding spears from dawn until the stars came out.
22 U to sam vrijeme još rekao narodu: “Svaki sa svojim slugom neka noći u Jeruzalemu: po redu ćemo noću stražariti, a danju raditi.”
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 Ni ja, ni moja braća, ni moji momci, ni stražari koji su me pratili nismo skidali svojih haljina, svatko je držao pri ruci svoje oružje.
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.
