Nehemiah 1

1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the palace,

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 Hanani, one of my brothers, came, he and certain men out of Judah; and I asked them about the Jews who had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning 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 remnant who are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”

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 these words, I sat down and wept, and mourned several days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of 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 and said, “I beg you, LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments,

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 let your ear now be attentive and your eyes open, that you may listen to the prayer of your servant which I pray before you at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel your servants, while I confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against you. Yes, I and my father’s house have sinned.

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 dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances, which you commanded your servant Moses.

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 “Remember, I beg you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you trespass, I will scatter you among the peoples;

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 keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there.’

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 “Now these are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand.

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 Lord, I beg you, let your ear be attentive now to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name; and please prosper your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cup bearer to the king.

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。