Nehemiah 1

1 These are the words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,

哈加里亞的兒子乃赫米雅的言行錄：在第二十年「基斯婁」月，我在穌撒禁城時，

2 Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah. So I questioned them about the remnant of the Jews who had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.

有我的一個兄弟哈納尼，和幾個人由猶大上來，我問及他們，關於那些由充軍回國的猶太遺民，和耶路撒冷的情形；

3 And they told me, “The remnant who survived the exile are there in the province, in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”

他們回答我說：「充軍回國的那些遺民，在省裏遭大難，受污辱；耶路撒冷城垣坍塌，城門為火焚毀。」

4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

我一聽說這些事，就坐下涕哭，悲痛了幾天，同時也在上主天主前，禁食祈禱，

5 Then I said: “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion with those who love Him and keep His commandments,

說：「唉! 上主，天上的天主! 偉大可畏的天主! 那對愛你和守你誡命的人，履行信約，施行慈愛的，

6 let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear the prayer that I, Your servant, now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned.

求你側耳，求你睜眼，俯聽你僕人的祈禱即我，現今在你面前，日夜為你的僕人以色列子民所行的祈禱。我承認以色列子民對你所犯的罪過，因為我和我父家都犯了罪。

7 We have behaved corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that You gave Your servant Moses.

我們的確作惡得罪了你，沒有遵守你吩咐你的僕人梅瑟，所立定的誡命、律令和典章。

8 Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses when You said, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,

求你記憶你向你的僕人梅瑟所吩咐的話說：如果你們不忠實，我要將你們分散在萬民之中；

9 but if you return to Me and keep and practice My commandments, then even if your exiles have been banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.’

但如果你們又回心歸向我，遵守履行我的誡命，即便你們分散到天涯地角，我也要從那裏，將你們聚集起來，領你們到我所選，為作我名居所的地方去。──

10 They are Your servants and Your people. You redeemed them by Your great power and mighty hand.

他們都是你的僕人，你的人民，是你用強力和大能的手，所拯救出來的。

11 O Lord, may Your ear be attentive to my prayer and to the prayers of Your servants who delight to revere Your name. Give Your servant success this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” (At that time I was the cupbearer to the king.)

我主，求你側耳俯聽你僕人的祈禱，傾聽這些喜愛敬畏你名的僕人的祈禱! 求你今天使你的僕人順利，使他在那人前獲得寵遇。」我當時是君王的酒政。