Nehemiah 1

1 Words of Nehemiah son of Hachaliah. And it comes to pass, in the month of Chisleu, the twentieth year, and I have been in Shushan the palace,

The story of Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah, —and it came to pass, in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, when, I, was in Shusan the fortress,

2 and Hanani, one of my brothers, he and men of Judah come in, and I ask them concerning the Jews, the escaped part that have been left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem;

that Hanani one of my brethren came, he and certain men out of Judah, —so I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

3 and they say to me, “Those left, who have been left of the captivity there in the province, [are] in great evil, and in reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”

And they said unto me, The remnant who are left of the captivity, there in the province, are in great misfortune and reproach, the wall of Jerusalem, is broken down, and, the gates thereof, are burned with fire.

4 And it comes to pass, at my hearing these words, I have sat down, and I weep and mourn [for] days, and I am fasting and praying before the God of the heavens.

And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and I mourned certain days, —and continued fasting and praying, before the God of the heavens;

5 And I say, “Ah, now, O YHWH, God of the heavens, God, the great and the fearful, keeping the covenant and kindness for those loving Him, and for those keeping His commands,

and said, I beseech thee, O Yahweh God of the heavens, the great and fearful GOD, —keeping the covenant and lovingkindness for them who love him and keep his commandments:

6 please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, to listen to the prayer of Your servant, that I am praying before You today, by day and by night, concerning the sons of Israel, Your servants, and confessing concerning the sins of the sons of Israel, that we have sinned against You; indeed, I and the house of my father have sinned;

Let, I pray thee, thine ears be attentive and thine eyes open—to hearken unto the prayer of thy servant—which, I, am praying before thee now, day and night, for the sons of Israel, thy servants, —and making confession concerning the sins of the sons of Israel, which we have committed against thee, both I and the house of my father, have sinned.

7 we have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commands, and the statutes, and the judgments, that You commanded Your servant Moses.

We have dealt, very corruptly, against thee, —and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes nor the regulations, which thou didst command Moses thy servant.

8 Please remember the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, You trespass—I scatter you among peoples;

Remember, I pray thee, the word, which thou didst command Moses thy servant, saying, —If, ye, are unfaithful, I, will scatter you among the peoples:

9 and you have turned back to Me, and kept My commands, and done them—if your outcast is in the end of the heavens, there I gather them, and have brought them to the place that I have chosen to cause My Name to dwell there.

When ye return unto me and keep my commandments and do them, though it should be that ye have been driven out unto the uttermost part of the heavens, from thence, will I gather them, and bring them into the place that I have chosen to make a habitation for my Name there.

10 And they [are] Your servants, and Your people, whom You have ransomed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand.

They, therefore, are thy servants, and thy people, —whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy firm hand.

11 Ah, now, O Lord, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants, those delighting to fear Your Name; and please give prosperity to Your servant today, and give him for mercies before this man”; and I have been butler to the king.

I beseech thee O My Lord, let—I pray thee—thine ear be attentive unto the prayer of thy servant, and unto the prayer of thy servants who delight to revere thy Name, and oh prosper, I pray thee, thy servant to-day, and grant him compassion before this man. Now, I, was cup-bearer unto the king.