Nehemiah 1

1 This is the account of Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah. In the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes' reign, I was in the fortress at Susa.

ハカリヤの子ネヘミヤの言詞／第二十年キスレウの月我シユシヤンの都にありける時

2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men. I asked them about the remnant of the Jewish exiles who had returned from captivity, and also about Jerusalem.

わが兄弟の一人なるハナニ數人の者とともにユダより來りしかば我俘虜人の遺餘なる夫の逃れかへりしユダヤ人の事およびヱルサレムの事を問たづねしに

3 They told me, “The remnant who are left from the exile are there in the province, but they are having a great deal of trouble and feel humiliated. Jerusalem's walls have been knocked over, and its gates burned down.”

彼ら我に言けるは俘虜人の遺餘なる夫の州内の民は大なる患難に遭ひ凌辱に遭ふ又ヱルサレムの石垣は打崩され其門は火に焚たりと

4 When I heard the news, I sat down, weeping and mourning for days, fasting and praying to the God of heaven.

我この言を聞坐りて泣き數日の間哀しみ斷食し天の神に祈りて言ふ

5 Then I prayed, “Please, Lord God of heaven—the great and awesome God who keeps his agreement of trustworthy love with those who love him and keep his commandments—

天の神ヱホバ大なる畏るべき神己を愛し己の誡命を守る者にむかひて契約を保ち恩惠を施こしたまふ者よ

6 please listen and focus your attention on the prayer of your servant that I am praying to you now, day and night, on behalf of your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against you, including my own sins and those of my family.

ねがはくは耳を傾むけ目を開きて僕の祈祷を聽いれたまへ我いま汝の僕なるイスラエルの子孫のために日夜なんぢの前に祈り我儕イスラエルの子孫が汝にむかひて犯せし罪を懺悔す誠に我も我父の家も罪を犯せり

7 We have done terrible things to offend you and we have not kept the commandments, laws, and regulations that you gave to your servant Moses.

我らは汝にむかひて大に惡き事を行ひ汝の僕モーセに汝の命じたまひし誡命をも法度をも例規をも守らざりき

8 Please remember what you told Moses when you said, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,

請ふ汝の僕モーセに命じたまひし言を憶ひたまへ其言に云く汝ら若罪を犯さば我汝らを國々に散さん

9 but if you come back to me and follow my commandments and obey them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will gather them together and bring them to the place I have chosen where I will be honored.

然れども汝らもし我にたちかへり我誡命を守りてこれを行なはば暇令逐れゆきて天の涯にをるとも我そこより汝等をあつめ我名を住はせんとて撰びし處にきたらしめんと

10 They are your servants and our people. You saved them by your great power and incredible ability.

そもそも是等の者は汝が大なる能力と強き手をもて贖ひたまひし汝の僕なんぢの民なり

11 Lord, please respond to my prayer and to the prayers of those who love to worship you. Please let me be successful today and make the king sympathetic to me.” I was the king's cupbearer.

主よ請ふ僕の祈祷および汝の名を畏むことを悦こぶ汝の僕等の祈祷に耳を傾けたまへ願くは今日僕を助けて此人の目の前に憐憫を得させたまへこの時我は王の酒人なりき