Nehemiah 4

1 But when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, then was he wroth and sore grieued, and mocked the Iewes,

And it came to pass, when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, that it displeased him, and he became very angry, and he mocked at the Jews.

2 And sayde before his brethren and the armie of Samaria, thus he sayde, What doe these weake Iewes? wil they fortifie them selues? wil they sacrifice? will they finish it in a day? will they make the stones whole againe out of the heapes of dust, seeing they are burnt?

And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? will people suffer them [to build]? will they sacrifice? will they complete it in one day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish, seeing that they have been burnt?

3 And Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and said, Although they buylde, yet if a foxe goe vp, he shall euen breake downe their stonie wall.

And Tobiyah the 'Ammonite was near him, and he said, Even what they are building, if a fox were to run up, he would readily break through their stone wall.

4 Heare, O our God (for we are despised) and turne their shame vpon their owne head, and giue them vnto a pray in the lande of their captiuitie,

Hear, O our God! how we are become a scorn; and bring their reproach back upon their own head, and give them up for prey in the land of captivity.

5 And couer not their iniquitie, neither let their sinne be put out in thy presence: for they haue prouoked vs before the builders.

And cover not up their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee; for they have taunted [us] in the presence of the builders.

6 So we built the wall, and all the wall was ioyned vnto the halfe thereof, and the heart of the people was to worke.

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

7 But when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodims heard that the walles of Ierusalem were repayred, (for the breaches began to be stopped) then they were very wroth,

And it came to pass, when Sanballat and Tobiyah, and the Arabians, and the 'Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were restored, and that the breaches began to be closed up, that it displeased them greatly.

8 And conspired all together to come and to fight against Ierusalem, and to hinder them.

And they conspired all of them together to come to fight against Jerusalem, and to do it an injury.

9 The we prayed vnto our God, and set watchmen by them, day and night, because of them.

But we prayed unto our God, and set a watch over them day and night, because of the others.

10 And Iudah said, The strength of the bearers is weakened, and there is much earth, so that we are not able to build the wall.

And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of the burden is failing, and there is much rubbish; and we are not able to build on the wall.

11 Also our aduersaries had sayde, They shall not knowe, neither see, till we come into the middes of them and slay them, and cause the worke to cease.

And our adversaries said, “They shall not know, nor see until we come in the midst of them, and slay them, and so stop the work.”

12 But when the Iewes (which dwelt beside them) came, they told vs ten times, From all places whence ye shall returne, they wil be vpon vs.

And it came to pass, when the Jews who dwelt near them came, that they said unto us ten times, “From all places whence ye may return home [they intend to come] over us.”

13 Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall vpon the toppes of the stones, and placed the people by their families, with their swordes, their speares and their bowes.

I placed therefore on the lower parts of the place on the naked rocks behind the wall—there I placed the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

14 Then I behelde, and rose vp, and said vnto the Princes, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not afrayde of them: remember the great Lord, and fearefull, and fight for your brethren, your sonnes, and your daughters, your wiues, and your houses.

And I looked [about], and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not afraid of them: think on the Lord, the great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

15 And when our enemies heard that it was knowen vnto vs, then God brought their counsell to nought, and we turned all againe to the wall, euery one vnto his worke.

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

16 And from that day, halfe of the yong men did the labour, and the other halfe part of them helde the speares, and shieldes, and bowes, and habergins: and the rulers stoode behinde all the house of Iudah.

And it came to pass from that day forth, that the half of my young men wrought at the work, while the other half of them were holding the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the coats of mail; and the princes stood behind all the house of Judah.

17 They that buylded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, and they that laded, did the worke with one hand, and with the other helde the sworde.

Those that built on the wall, and those that bore burdens, with those that loaded, —every one with one of his hands wrought on the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.

18 For euery one of the buylders had his sworde girded on his loynes, and so buylded: and he that blewe the trumpet, was beside me.

And the builders had every one his sword fastened around his loins while they were building; and he that blew the cornet stood alongside of me.

19 Then saide I vnto the Princes, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The worke is great and large, and we are separated vpon the wall, one farre from another.

And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and extensive, and we are separated upon the wall, distant one from another.

20 In what place therefore ye heare the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither vnto vs: our God shall fight for vs.

In what place [then] ye hear the sound of the cornet, thither must ye assemble unto us: our God will fight for us.

21 So we laboured in the worke, and halfe of them helde the speares, from the appearing of the morning, till the starres came foorth.

So we labored at the work, while the half of them were holding the spears from the rising of the morning-dawn till the stars appeared.

22 And at the same time said I vnto the people, Let euery one with his seruant lodge within Ierusalem, that they may be a watch for vs in the night, and labour in the day.

Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his young man lodge within Jerusalem, so that they may be in the night a guard to us, and during the day for the labor.

23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my seruants, nor the men of the warde, (which followed me) none of vs did put off our clothes, saue euery one put them off for washing.

And neither I, nor my brothers, nor my young men, nor the men of the guard who followed me—none of us took off our clothes, no one leaving them off even for washing himself.