Nehemiah 1

1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Chachalyah. And it came to pass in the month Kislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan, the capital,

These are the words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,

2 That there came Chanani, one of my brethren, himself with certain men of Judah: and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah. So I questioned them about the remnant of the Jews who had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.

3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great misery and in disgrace; and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and her gates are burnt with fire.

And they told me, “The remnant who survived the exile are there in the province, in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”

4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned some days, and I was fasting, and praying before the God of heaven.

When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

5 And I said, I beseech thee, O Lord the God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth the covenant and kindness for those that love him and for those that keep his commandments:

Then I said: “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion with those who love Him and keep His commandments,

6 Let thy ear now be attentive, and thy eyes be open, I entreat thee, to hearken unto the prayer of thy servant, which I am praying this day before thee, by day and by night, in behalf of the children of Israel thy servants, and [as] I confess for the sins of the children of Israel, [with] which we have sinned against thee: yea, I also and my father's house have sinned.

let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear the prayer that I, Your servant, now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned.

7 We have dealt very corruptly toward thee: and we have not kept the commandments, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which thou didst command Moses thy servant.

We have behaved corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that You gave Your servant Moses.

8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word with which thou didst charge Moses thy servant, saying, If ye become truly unfaithful, I will indeed scatter you among the nations.

Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses when You said, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,

9 But if ye return unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them: [then] though your outcasts should be at the utmost parts of heaven, from there will I gather them, and I will bring them unto the place which I have chosen to let my name dwell there.

but if you return to Me and keep and practice My commandments, then even if your exiles have been banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.’

10 And they are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.

They are Your servants and Your people. You redeemed them by Your great power and mighty hand.

11 I beseech thee, O Lord, do let thy ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who are desirous to fear thy name; and grant success, I pray thee, to thy servant this day, and let him find mercy in the sight of this man —But I was butler by the king.

O Lord, may Your ear be attentive to my prayer and to the prayers of Your servants who delight to revere Your name. Give Your servant success this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” (At that time I was the cupbearer to the king.)