Nehemiah 2
1 In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes' reign, when the wine was brought in for him, I picked it up and gave it to the king. I had never before appeared before him looking sad,
亞達薛西王二十年尼散月，在王面前擺酒，我拿起酒來奉給王。我素來在王面前沒有愁容。
2 so the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad, even though you don't seem to sick? You must be really upset.” I was absolutely terrified,
王對我說：「你既沒有病，為甚麼面帶愁容呢？這不是別的，必是你心中愁煩。」於是我甚懼怕。
3 but I replied to the king, “Long live the king live! How can I help being sad? The city where my forefathers are buried is in ruins, and its gates have been burned down.”
我對王說：「願王萬歲！我列祖墳墓所在的那城荒涼，城門被火焚燒，我豈能面無愁容嗎？」
4 “So what do you want?” the king asked me. I prayed to the God of heaven, and answered the king,
王問我說：「你要求甚麼？」於是我默禱天上的上帝。
5 “If it pleases Your Majesty, and if you are happy with me, I request you send me to Judah, to the city where my forefathers are buried, so I can rebuild it.”
我對王說：「僕人若在王眼前蒙恩，王若喜歡，求王差遣我往猶大，到我列祖墳墓所在的那城去，我好重新建造。」
6 The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you come back?” The king agreed to send me, and I told him how long I would be gone.
那時王后坐在王的旁邊。王問我說：「你去要多少日子？幾時回來？」我就定了日期。於是王喜歡差遣我去。
7 I also asked him, “If it pleases Your Majesty, let letters be provided to give to the governors west of the Euphrates, so that they will allow me to pass safely until I reach Judah.
我又對王說：「王若喜歡，求王賜我詔書，通知大河西的省長准我經過，直到猶大；
8 May I also have a letter for Asaph, warden of the king's forest, so he can give me timber to make beams for the gates of Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for the house I will live in.” Because my gracious God was upon me, the king gave me what I asked.
又賜詔書，通知管理王園林的亞薩，使他給我木料，做屬殿營樓之門的橫樑和城牆，與我自己房屋使用的。」王就允准我，因我上帝施恩的手幫助我。
9 Then I went to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king also sent a military escort of cavalry with me.
王派了軍長和馬兵護送我。我到了河西的省長那裏，將王的詔書交給他們。
10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were upset. For them this was a total disaster—that someone had arrived to help out the Israelites.
和倫人參巴拉，並為奴的亞捫人多比雅，聽見有人來為以色列人求好處，就甚惱怒。
11 I arrived in Jerusalem and rested for three days.
我到了耶路撒冷，在那裏住了三日。
12 Then I got up during the night and went out with just a few men. I didn't explain to anyone what my God had put in my head to do for Jerusalem. I only took one horse to ride.
我夜間起來，有幾個人也一同起來；但上帝使我心裏要為耶路撒冷做甚麼事，我並沒有告訴人。除了我騎的牲口以外，也沒有別的牲口在我那裏。
13 So I rode in the dark through the Valley Gate toward the Spring of the Serpent and the Refuse Gate, and I inspected Jerusalem's walls that had been knocked over and the gates that had been burned down.
當夜我出了谷門，往野狗井去，到了糞廠門，察看耶路撒冷的城牆，見城牆拆毀，城門被火焚燒。
14 Then I continued on to the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool, but we couldn't get through as there wasn't enough room to pass.
我又往前，到了泉門和王池，但所騎的牲口沒有地方過去。
15 So I went up along the valley in the dark and inspected the wall. Then I returned, going back through the Valley Gate.
於是夜間沿溪而上，察看城牆，又轉身進入谷門，就回來了。
16 Those in charge of the city had no idea where I had gone or what I was doing, because I hadn't yet told the Jews, priests, nobles, or officials or any others about the construction plans.
我往哪裏去，我做甚麼事，官長都不知道。我還沒有告訴猶大平民、祭司、貴冑、官長，和其餘做工的人。
17 Then I said to them, “Look at the trouble we're in! Jerusalem is a heap of rubble, and its gates have been burned down. Come on, let's rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we won't be so ashamed any more.”
以後，我對他們說：「我們所遭的難，耶路撒冷怎樣荒涼，城門被火焚燒，你們都看見了。來吧，我們重建耶路撒冷的城牆，免得再受凌辱！」
18 Then I explained to them how good God had been to me, and what the king had told me. “Let's get on with the rebuilding,” they replied, and they set to work enthusiastically.
我告訴他們我上帝施恩的手怎樣幫助我，並王對我所說的話。他們就說：「我們起來建造吧！」於是他們奮勇做這善工。
19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab got to hear about it, they mocked and taunted us, asking, “What are you up to? Are you rebelling against the king?”
但和倫人參巴拉，並為奴的亞捫人多比雅和阿拉伯人基善聽見就嗤笑我們，藐視我們，說：「你們做甚麼呢？要背叛王嗎？」
20 But I replied, telling them, “The God of heaven, he will make sure we're successful. We, his servants, will begin rebuilding, but Jerusalem doesn't belong to you, and you have no authority over it or claim to it.”
我回答他們說：「天上的上帝必使我們亨通。我們作他僕人的，要起來建造；你們卻在耶路撒冷無分、無權、無紀念。」
