Nehemiah 4
1 Now it happened that, when Sanballat had heard that we were building the wall, he was very angry. And having been moved exceedingly, he ridiculed the Jews.
Cuando Sanballat se enteró de que estábamos edificando las murallas, montó en cólera, y enfurecido en extremo hizo mofa de los judíos.
2 And he said, before his brothers and a crowd of the Samaritans: “What are the foolish Jews doing? Can it be that the Gentiles will allow them? Will they sacrifice and finish in one day? Do they have the ability to make stones out of piles of dust that have been burned up?”
En presencia de sus hermanos y del ejército de Samaria se expresó de esta manera: “¿Qué hacen esos miserables judíos? ¿Se les ha permitido esto? ¿Ofrecerán sacrificios? ¿Quieren acaso terminar en un día? ¿Podrán acaso resucitar de entre los montones de escombros las piedras consumidas por el fuego?”
3 Then too, Tobiah, an Ammonite, his assistant, said: “Let them build. When the fox climbs, he will leap over their stone wall.”
Tobías ammonita que estaba a su lado, dijo: “¡Déjalos edificar! Si una zorra se lanza al asalto, derribará su muralla de piedras.”
4 Listen, O our God, for we have become an object of contempt. Turn their reproach upon their own head, and grant that they may be despised in a land of captivity.
¡Escucha, oh Dios nuestro! porque somos despreciados. Haz recaer sus insultos sobre su misma cabeza, y entrégalos al saqueo en una tierra de cautiverio.
5 May you not conceal their iniquity, and may their sin not be wiped away, before your face, for they have ridiculed those who are building.
No encubras su maldad, y no se borre ante Ti su pecado; pues te han irritado a la vista de los que están edificando.
6 And so we built the wall, and we joined it together, even to the unfinished portion. And the heart of the people was stirred up for the work.
Nosotros, empero, seguimos edificando la muralla; y quedó restaurada la muralla hasta la mitad; porque el pueblo se entusiasmó para trabajar.
7 Now it happened that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabs, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites had heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been closed, and that the breaches had begun to be repaired, they were exceedingly angry.
Así que supieron Sanballat, Tobías, los árabes, los ammonitas y los asdoditas, que avanzaba la restauración de la muralla de Jerusalén y que comenzaban ya a cerrarse las brechas, se irritaron en gran manera;
8 And they all gathered together, so that they might go forth and fight against Jerusalem, and so that they might prepare ambushes.
y todos a una se coaligaron para venir a atacar a Jerusalén y causarle estorbos.
9 And we prayed to our God, and we stationed guards upon the wall, day and night, against them.
Pero nosotros oramos a nuestro Dios y pusimos contra ellos guardias que de día y de noche (nos defendiesen) de ellos.
10 Then Judah said: “The strength of those who carry has diminished, and the amount of material is very great, and so we will not be able to build the wall.”
Mas Judá decía: “Se debilita ya la fuerza de los cargadores, y quedan aún muchos escombros; no podremos seguir edificando la muralla.”
11 And our enemies said: “Let them neither know, nor realize, until we arrive in their midst, and kill them, and cause the work to cease.”
Y nuestros enemigos decían: “Nada sabrán, y nada verán, hasta que nosotros, penetrando en medio de ellos, los matemos y pongamos fin a la obra.”
12 Now it happened that, on ten occasions, some Jews arrived who were living near them, from all the places from which they came to us, and they told us this.
Venían también los judíos que moraban cerca de ellos, y nos decían esto hasta diez veces, de todos los lugares de donde llegaban a nosotros.
13 So I stationed the people in order, in places behind the wall, all around it, with their swords, and lances, and bows.
Por eso aposté en las partes bajas, detrás de la muralla, donde había claros, al pueblo por familias, con sus espadas, sus lanzas y sus arcos.
14 And I gazed around, and I rose up. And I said to the nobles, and to the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: “Do not be afraid before their face. Remember the great and terrible Lord, and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons and your daughters, and your wives and your households.”
Entonces miré, y levantándome dije a los nobles, a los magistrados y al resto del pueblo: “¡No los temáis! ¡Acordaos del Señor, grande y terrible, y luchad por vuestros hermanos, vuestros hijos y vuestras hijas, vuestras mujeres y vuestras casas!”
15 Then it happened that, when our enemies had heard that it had been reported to us, God defeated their counsel. And we all returned to the walls, each one to his own work.
Cuando supieron nuestros enemigos que estábamos advertidos y que Dios había desbaratado su propósito, volvimos todos a la muralla, cada cual a su trabajo.
16 And it happened that, from that day, half of their young men were doing the work, and half were prepared for war with lances, and shields, and bows, and armor. And the leaders were behind them in all the house of Judah.
Desde aquel día la mitad de mi gente trabajaba en la obra, y la otra mitad estaba sobre las armas, con las lanzas, los escudos, los arcos y las lorigas, y los jefes estaban detrás de toda la casa de Judá.
17 As for those building the wall, and carrying the burdens, and setting things in place: one of his hands was doing the work, and the other was holding a sword.
Los que edificaban la muralla, y los que llevaban cargas, así como quienes las cargaban, con una mano trabajaban en la obra, y con la otra empuñaban el arma.
18 For each one of the builders was girded with a sword at the waist. And they were building, and they were sounding a trumpet beside me.
Los que edificaban, tenían cada cual su espada ceñida a sus lomos, mientras edificaban; y el que tocaba la trompeta estaba a mi lado.
19 And I said to the nobles, and to the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: “The work is great and wide, and we are separated on the wall far from one another.
Dije entonces a los nobles, a los magistrados y al resto del pueblo: “La obra es grande y muy extensa, y nosotros estamos dispersos sobre la muralla, lejos unos de otros.
20 At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rush to that place for us. Our God will fight on our behalf.
Dondequiera, pues, que oyereis la voz de la trompeta, allí reuníos con nosotros; nuestro Dios combatirá por nosotros.”
21 And so let us accomplish the work. And let one half part of us hold spears, from the ascent of dawn until the stars come out.”
Así seguimos trabajando en la obra, mientras la mitad empuñaba la lanza, desde el despuntar de la aurora hasta la salida de las estrellas.
22 Also at that time, I said to the people: “Let each one with his servant remain in the midst of Jerusalem. And let us take turns, throughout the night and day, in doing the work.”
En este tiempo di al pueblo también esta orden: “Cada uno con su criado pase la noche en Jerusalén; así nos servirán de guardia por la noche, y de día (trabajarán) en la obra.”
23 But I and my brothers, and my servants, and the guards who were behind me, we did not take off our clothes; each one only removed his clothes to wash.
Ni yo, ni mis hermanos, ni mis criados, ni la gente de guardia que me seguía, nos quitábamos los vestidos; cada uno llevaba su arma (aun yendo al) agua.
