< Nehemiah 6 >
1 Now it came to pass, when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah, and to Geshem the Arabian, and to the rest of our enemies, that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it, (though even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates),
當桑巴拉特、托彼雅、阿剌伯人革笙和我們其他的仇敵,一聽說我重修了城牆,已沒有破口的地方,──雖然到那時,我還沒有在門上按裝門扇,──
2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
桑巴拉特和革笙,便派人到我這裏說:「請來,我們在敖諾平原的一個村鎮中會晤。」其實他們是企圖謀害我。
3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it, and come down to you?
我遂派使者去答覆他們說:「我作的工程浩大,不能前去。我怎能離開工作,到你們那裡去,而使工程停頓呢﹖」
4 And they sent to me four times after this sort, and I answered them after the same manner.
他們如此連續四次,遣使者到我這裏,我也同樣答覆了他們。
5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand
隨後,桑巴拉特第五次,又同樣打發他的臣僕來,手中拿著一封未封的信,
6 in which was written, It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel, for which cause thou are building the wall. And thou would be their king according to these words.
信上寫著說:「在各民族中傳說,而且革笙也證實此說:你和猶太人圖謀造反,為此你纔重修城牆;據說你還要為王。
7 And thou have also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah. And now it shall be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.
並且你派定了先知,在耶路撒冷為你宣傳說:猶大有了王! 現今這些話勢必傳到君王那裏,所以請你來,我們互相商議商議。」
8 Then I sent to him, saying, There are no such things done as thou say, but thou imagine them out of thine own heart.
我遂派遣使者向他說:「決沒有像你所說的那些事,是你心中虛構的。」
9 For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work that it not be done. But now, O God, strengthen thou my hands.
其實,他們是企圖恐嚇我們,心想:「如此他們必放棄那工程,不在工作下去。」但我的力量更堅強了。
10 And I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut up, and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple. For they will come to kill thee, yea, they will come to kill thee in the night.
有一天,我來到默塔貝耳的孫子,德拉雅的兒子舍瑪雅的家裏,他正閉門在家,對我說:「我們上天主的殿,到聖所裏去會晤,關好聖所的門戶,因為他們要來殺你,且今夜要來殺你。」
11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? And who is there, that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
我答說:「像我這樣的人,能逃避到聖所中,保全生命嗎﹖我決不進去! 」
12 And I discerned, and, lo, God had not sent him, but he pronounced this prophecy against me, and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
我覺察出來,不是天主打發他向我講這預言,而是托彼雅和桑巴拉特賄賂了他,
13 For this cause he was hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
要他恐嚇我,使我那樣去作犯罪的事,如此給他們留下一種壞名譽,好藉以辱罵我。
14 Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, who would have put me in fear.
我的天主! 請你按照托彼雅和桑巴拉特之所行,記憶他們! 也不要忘卻諾阿狄雅女先知和其餘的先知,因為他們企圖使我恐懼。
15 So the wall was finished in the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.
「厄路耳」月二十五日,城垣完成,共計為時五十二日。
16 And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard of it, that all the nations that were around us feared, and were much cast down in their own eyes, for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
我們所有的仇敵一聽說這事,我們四周的人民一看見這事,都十分驚異,並承認這工程,是賴我們的天主而完成的。
17 Moreover in those days the ranking men of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them.
在此期間,猶大有些有權勢的人,給托彼雅寄了許多函件,托彼雅也有覆函寄回。
18 For there were many in Judah sworn to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah to wife.
因為猶大有許多人,與他宣示為盟,因他原是阿辣黑的兒子,舍加尼亞的女婿,他的兒子約哈南,又取了貝勒革雅的兒子默叔藍的女而為妻。
19 Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
他們常在我面前稱道他的善行,也將我的事向他報告,托彼雅遂來信恐嚇我。