Nehemiah 1

1 The words of Neemias the son of Chelcia. And it came to pass in the month Chaseleu, of the twentieth year, that I was in Susan the palace.

The words of Nehemiah the sonne of Hachaliah. In ye moneth Chisleu, in the twentieth yeere, as I was in the palace of Shushan,

2 And Anani, one of my brethren, came, he and [some] men of Juda; and I asked them concerning those that had escaped, who had been left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

Came Hanam, one of my brethren, he and the men of Iudah, and I asked them concerning the Iewes that were deliuered, which were of the residue of the captiuitie, and concerning Ierusalem.

3 And they said to me, The remnant, [even] those that are left of the captivity, [are] there in the land, in great distress and reproach: and the walls of Jerusalem [are] thrown down, and its gates are burnt with fire.

And they sayde vnto me, The residue that are left of the captiuitie there in the prouince, are in great affliction and in reproche, and the wall of Ierusalem is broken downe, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire.

4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, [that] I sat down and wept, and mourned for [several] days, and continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

And when I heard these wordes, I sate downe and wept, and mourned certeine dayes, and I fasted and prayed before the God of heauen,

5 And I said, Nay, I pray you, O Lord God of heaven, the mighty, the great and terrible, keeping your covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to those that keep his commandments:

And sayde, O Lord God of heauen, the great and terrible God, that keepeth couenant and mercy for them that loue him, and obserue his commandements,

6 let now your ear be attentive, and your eyes open, that you may hear the prayer of your servant, which I pray before you at this time, this day [both] day and night, for the children of Israel your servants, and make confession for the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against you: both I and the house of my father have sinned.

I pray thee, let thine eares be attet, and thine eies open, to heare the praier of thy seruat, which I pray before thee dayly, day and night for ye childre of Israel thy seruats, and confesse the sinnes of the children of Israel, which we haue sinned against thee, both I and my fathers house haue sinned:

7 We have altogether broken [covenant] with you, and we have not kept the commandments, and the ordinances, and the judgments, which you did command your servant Moses.

We haue grieuously sinned against thee, and haue not kept the commandements, nor the statutes, nor the iudgements, which thou commandedst thy seruant Moses.

8 Remember, I pray you, the word wherewith you did charge your servant Moses, saying, If you break covenant [with me], I will disperse you among the nations.

I beseeche thee, remember the worde that thou commandedst thy seruant Moses, saying, Ye wil transgresse, and I will scatter you abroade among the people.

9 But if you turn again to me, and keep my commandments, and do them; if you should be scattered under the utmost [bound] of heaven, thence will I gather them, and I will bring them into the place which I have chosen to cause my name to dwell there.

But if ye turne vnto me, and keepe my commandements, and doe them, though your scattering were to the vttermost part of the heauen, yet will I gather you from thence, and will bring you vnto the place that I haue chosen to place my Name there.

10 Now they [are] your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed with your great power, and with your strong hand.

Now these are thy seruants and thy people, whome thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy mightie hand.

11 [Turn] not [away], I pray you, O Lord, but let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who desire to fear your name: and prosper, I pray you, your servant this day, and cause him to find mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was the king's cupbearer.

O Lord, I beseech thee, let thine eare now hearken to the prayer of thy seruant, and to the prayer of thy seruants, who desire to feare thy Name, and I pray thee, cause thy seruant to prosper this day, and giue him fauour in the presence of this man: for I was the Kings butler.