< 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.
As palavras de Nehemias, filho de Hacalias. E sucedeu no mês de chisleu, no ano vigésimo, estando eu em Susan, a fortaleza,
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.
Que veio Hanani, um de meus irmãos, ele e alguns de Judá; e perguntei-lhes pelos judeus que escaparam, e que restaram do cativeiro, e acerca de Jerusalém.
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.”
E disseram-me: Os restantes, que restaram do cativeiro, lá na província estão em grande miséria e desprezo: e o muro de Jerusalém fendido, e as suas portas queimadas a fogo.
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.
E sucedeu que, ouvindo eu estas palavras, assentei-me e chorei, e lamentei por alguns dias: e estive jejuando e orando perante o Deus dos céus.
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:
E disse: Ah Senhor, Deus dos céus, Deus grande e terrível! que guarda o concerto e a benignidade para com aqueles que o amam e guardam os seus mandamentos;
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.
Estejam pois atentos os teus ouvidos, e os teus olhos abertos, para ouvires a oração do teu servo, que eu hoje oro perante ti, de dia e de noite, pelos filhos de Israel, teus servos: e faço confissão pelos pecados dos filhos de Israel, que pecamos contra ti; também eu e a casa de meu pai pecamos.
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.
De todo nos corrompemos contra ti, e não guardamos os mandamentos, nem os estatutos, nem os juízos, que ordenaste a Moisés teu servo.
8 Remember the word which you commanded to your servant Moses, saying: ‘When you will have transgressed, I will disperse you among the nations.
Lembra-te pois da palavra que ordenaste a Moisés, teu servo, dizendo: Vós transgredireis, e eu vos espalharei entre os povos.
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.’
E vós vos convertereis a mim, e guardareis os meus mandamentos, e os fareis: então, ainda que os vossos rejeitados estiverem no cabo do céu, de lá os ajuntarei e os trarei ao lugar que tenho escolhido para ali fazer habitar o meu nome.
10 And these same are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great strength and by your powerful hand.
Ainda são teus servos e o teu povo que resgataste com a tua grande força e com a tua forte mão.
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.
Ah, Senhor, estejam pois atentos os teus ouvidos à oração do teu servo, e à oração dos teus servos que desejam temer o teu nome; e faze prosperar hoje o teu servo, e dá-lhe graça perante este homem. Então era eu copeiro do rei.