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,
factum est autem in mense nisan anno vicesimo Artarxersis regis et vinum erat ante eum et levavi vinum et dedi regi et non eram quasi languidus ante faciem eius
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,
dixitque mihi rex quare vultus tuus tristis cum te aegrotum non videam non est hoc frustra sed malum nescio quid in corde tuo est et timui valde ac nimis
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.”
et dixi regi rex in aeternum vive quare non maereat vultus meus quia civitas domus sepulchrorum patris mei deserta est et portae eius conbustae sunt igni
4 “So what do you want?” the king asked me. I prayed to the God of heaven, and answered the king,
et ait mihi rex pro qua re postulas et oravi Deum caeli
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.”
et dixi ad regem si videtur regi bonum et si placet servus tuus ante faciem tuam ut mittas me in Iudaeam ad civitatem sepulchri patris mei et aedificabo eam
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.
dixitque mihi rex et regina quae sedebat iuxta eum usque ad quod tempus erit iter tuum et quando reverteris et placuit ante vultum regis et misit me et constitui ei tempus
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.
et dixi regi si regi videtur bonum epistulas det mihi ad duces regionis trans Flumen ut transducant me donec veniam in Iudaeam
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.
et epistulam ad Asaph custodem saltus regis ut det mihi ligna et tegere possim portas turris domus et muri civitatis et domum quam ingressus fuero et dedit mihi rex iuxta manum Dei mei bonam mecum
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.
et veni ad duces regionis trans Flumen dedique eis epistulas regis miserat autem mecum rex principes militum et equites
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.
et audierunt Sanaballat Horonites et Tobias servus ammanites et contristati sunt adflictione magna quod venisset homo qui quaereret prosperitatem filiorum Israhel
11 I arrived in Jerusalem and rested for three days.
et veni Hierusalem et eram ibi diebus tribus
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.
et surrexi nocte ego et viri pauci mecum et non indicavi cuiquam quid Deus dedisset in corde meo ut facerem in Hierusalem et iumentum non erat mecum nisi animal cui sedebam
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.
et egressus sum per portam Vallis nocte et ante fontem Draconis et ad portam Stercoris et considerabam murum Hierusalem dissipatum et portas eius consumptas igni
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.
et transivi ad portam Fontis et ad aquaeductum Regis et non erat locus iumento cui sedebam ut transiret
15 So I went up along the valley in the dark and inspected the wall. Then I returned, going back through the Valley Gate.
et ascendi per torrentem nocte et considerabam murum et reversus veni ad portam Vallis et redii
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.
magistratus autem nesciebant quo abissem aut quid ego facerem sed et Iudaeis et sacerdotibus et optimatibus et magistratibus et reliquis qui faciebant opus usque ad id locorum nihil indicaveram
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.”
et dixi eis vos nostis adflictionem in qua sumus quia Hierusalem deserta est et portae eius consumptae sunt igni venite et aedificemus muros Hierusalem et non simus ultra obprobrium
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.
et indicavi eis manum Dei mei quod esset bona mecum et verba regis quae locutus est mihi et aio surgamus et aedificemus et confortatae sunt manus eorum in bono
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?”
audierunt autem Sanaballat Horonites et Tobias servus ammanites et Gosem Arabs et subsannaverunt nos et despexerunt dixeruntque quae est haec res quam facitis numquid contra regem vos rebellatis
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.”
et reddidi eis sermonem dixique ad eos Deus caeli ipse nos iuvat et nos servi eius sumus surgamus et aedificemus vobis autem non est pars et iustitia et memoria in Hierusalem
