Nehemiah 1
1 [I am] Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah. [I am writing] this account [of what I did when I returned to Jerusalem. After King Artaxerxes had been ruling the Persian Empire] for almost 20 years, near the end of that year, I was in Susa, the capital [of Persia].
哈加里亞的兒子乃赫米雅的言行錄：在第二十年「基斯婁」月，我在穌撒禁城時，
2 My brother Hanani came to visit me. He and some other men had just returned from Judah. I queried them about the Jews who were living there, whose [parents] had been (exiled/taken forcefully) [to Babylonia many years previously]. I also asked them about [what was happening in] Jerusalem.
有我的一個兄弟哈納尼，和幾個人由猶大上來，我問及他們，關於那些由充軍回國的猶太遺民，和耶路撒冷的情形；
3 They said to me, “The Jews in Jerusalem who returned there from Babylonia are living in a very difficult situation. The walls of the city have been broken down, and even the city gates have been burned down.”
他們回答我說：「充軍回國的那些遺民，在省裏遭大難，受污辱；耶路撒冷城垣坍塌，城門為火焚毀。」
4 When I heard that, I sat down and cried. For several days I mourned, and I (fasted/abstained from eating food), and I prayed to our God, [who is/rules] in heaven.
我一聽說這些事，就坐下涕哭，悲痛了幾天，同時也在上主天主前，禁食祈禱，
5 I said, “Yahweh, [you who are/rule] in heaven, you are a wonderful and awesome God. You keep your promise to faithfully love those who love you and who obey your commands.
說：「唉! 上主，天上的天主! 偉大可畏的天主! 那對愛你和守你誡命的人，履行信約，施行慈愛的，
6 Now please look down and listen to what I am praying. I pray during the day and at night for your Israeli people. I confess that we Israeli people have sinned. Even my family and I have sinned against you.
求你側耳，求你睜眼，俯聽你僕人的祈禱即我，現今在你面前，日夜為你的僕人以色列子民所行的祈禱。我承認以色列子民對你所犯的罪過，因為我和我父家都犯了罪。
7 We have acted very wickedly. [Many years ago] your servant Moses gave us your laws and all the things you commanded us to do [DOU], but we have not obeyed/done them.
我們的確作惡得罪了你，沒有遵守你吩咐你的僕人梅瑟，所立定的誡命、律令和典章。
8 “But please remember what you told your servant Moses. You said, ‘If you sin, I will scatter you among the ([heathen nations/nations that do not believe in me]).
求你記憶你向你的僕人梅瑟所吩咐的話說：如果你們不忠實，我要將你們分散在萬民之中；
9 But if you return to me and obey my commands, even if you have been exiled to very remote/distant places on the earth, I will bring you back here [to Israel], the land that I [MTY] have chosen to be honored in.’
但如果你們又回心歸向我，遵守履行我的誡命，即便你們分散到天涯地角，我也要從那裏，將你們聚集起來，領你們到我所選，為作我名居所的地方去。──
10 “We are your servants. We are the people whom you brought here by your very great power [MTY, DOU]
他們都是你的僕人，你的人民，是你用強力和大能的手，所拯救出來的。
11 Yahweh, please hear this prayer of mine, and the prayers of all your people who are delighted to revere you [MTY]. Today I will go to the king, to request that he do me a great favor. Please motivate him to act kindly toward me, in order that I will be successful [in obtaining what I want].” At that time, I was the one whose work was to taste all the food and drink before it was served to the king, [to be sure that no one had put poison in it].
我主，求你側耳俯聽你僕人的祈禱，傾聽這些喜愛敬畏你名的僕人的祈禱! 求你今天使你的僕人順利，使他在那人前獲得寵遇。」我當時是君王的酒政。
