< Nehemiah 1 >
1 The words of Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah. And it happened that, in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, I was in the capital city 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 And Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived, he and some men of Judah. And I questioned them about the Jews who had remained and were left behind from the captivity, and 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 said to me: “Those who have remained and have been left behind from the captivity, there in the province, are in great affliction and in disgrace. And the wall of Jerusalem has been broken apart, and its gates have been 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 And when I had heard this manner of words, I sat down, and I wept and mourned for many days. I fasted and prayed before the face of 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 And I said: “I beg you, O Lord, God of heaven, strong, great, and terrible, who keeps covenant and mercy with those who love you and who keep your 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 may your ears be attentive, and may your eyes be open, so that you may hear the prayer of your servant, which I am praying before you today, night and day, for the sons of Israel, your servants. And I am confessing the sins of the sons of Israel, which they have sinned against you. We have sinned, I and my father’s house.
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 been seduced by vanity. And we have not kept your commandments and ceremonies and judgments, which you have instructed to 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 the word which you commanded to your servant Moses, saying: ‘When you will have transgressed, I will disperse 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 will return to me, and keep my precepts, and do them, even if you will have been led away to the furthest reaches of the heavens, I will gather you from there, and I will lead you back to the place that I have chosen so that my name would dwell there.’
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 And these same are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great strength and by your powerful 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 I beg you, O Lord, may your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who are willing to fear your name. And so, guide your servant today, and grant to him mercy before this man.” For I was the cupbearer of 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。