Nehemiah 4

1 And it came to pass that when Sanballat heard that we built the wall, he was angry and very indignant, and mocked the Jews.

But it happened that when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.

2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? shall they be permitted to go on? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, when they are burned?

And he spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, which are burned?"

3 And Tobijah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox went up, it would break down their stone wall. —

Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, "What they are building, if a fox climbed up it, he would break down their stone wall."

4 Hear, our God, for we are despised, and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in a land of captivity!

"Hear, our God; for we are despised; and turn back their insults on their own head, give them up for a spoil in a land of captivity;

5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee; for they have provoked the builders.

do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before you; for they have insulted the builders."

6 But we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to the half thereof; for the people had a mind to work.

So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to half its height: for the people had a mind to work.

7 And it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobijah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being repaired, that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,

But it happened that when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, and that the breaches began to be filled, then they were very angry;

8 and conspired all of them together to come to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.

and they conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion in it.

9 Then we prayed to our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.

But we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.

10 And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens faileth, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build at the wall.

Judah said, "The strength of the bearers of burdens is fading, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall."

11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come into the midst of them and kill them, and put an end to the work.

Our adversaries said, "They shall not know, neither see, until we come into their midst, and kill them, and cause the work to cease."

12 And it came to pass that when the Jews that dwelt by them came and told us so ten times, from all the places whence they returned to us,

It happened that when the Jews who lived by them came, they said to us ten times from all places, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us."

13 I set in the lower places behind the wall in exposed places, I even set the people, according to their families, with their swords, their spears and their bows.

Therefore set I in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places, I set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

14 And I looked, and rose up, and said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not afraid of them: remember the Lord who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses.

I looked, and rose up, and said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses."

15 And it came to pass that when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had defeated their counsel, we returned all of us to the wall, every one to his work.

It happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and God had brought their counsel to nothing, that we returned all of us to the wall, everyone to his work.

16 And from that time forth the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held the spears, and the shields, and the bows, and the corslets; and the captains were behind all the house of Judah.

It happened from that time forth that half of my servants would do the work and half of them held the spears, and the shields, and the bows, and the body armor; and the rulers stood behind the whole house of Judah

17 They that built on the wall, and they that bore burdens, with those that loaded, wrought in the work with one hand, and with the other they held a weapon.

who were building the wall. And those who carried loads held their load with one hand and with the other held a weapon;

18 And the builders had every one his sword girded by his side, and built. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.

and the builders, everyone wore his sword at his side, and so built. He who sounded the trumpet was by me.

19 And I said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and extended, and we are scattered upon the wall, one far from another:

I said to the nobles, and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, "The work is great and large, and we are separated on the wall, one far from another.

20 in what place ye hear the sound of the trumpet, thither shall ye assemble to us; our God will fight for us.

Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally there to us. Our God will fight for us."

21 And we laboured in the work; and half of them held the spears from the rising of the dawn till the stars appeared.

So we worked in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared.

22 Likewise at the same time I said to the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and [be for] labour in the day.

Likewise at the same time said I to the people, "Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labor in the day."

23 And neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard that followed me, none of us put off our garments: every one had his weapon on his right side.

So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes. Everyone took his weapon to the water.