נחמיה 1

1 דִּבְרֵי נְחֶמְיָה בֶּן־חֲכַלְיָה וַיְהִי בְחֹֽדֶשׁ־כִּסְלֵו שְׁנַת עֶשְׂרִים וַאֲנִי הָיִיתִי בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָֽה׃

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 וַיָּבֹא חֲנָנִי אֶחָד מֵאַחַי הוּא וַאֲנָשִׁים מִֽיהוּדָה וָאֶשְׁאָלֵם עַל־הַיְּהוּדִים הַפְּלֵיטָה אֲשֶֽׁר־נִשְׁאֲרוּ מִן־הַשֶּׁבִי וְעַל־יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

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 וַיֹּאמְרוּ לִי הַֽנִּשְׁאָרִים אֲשֶֽׁר־נִשְׁאֲרוּ מִן־הַשְּׁבִי שָׁם בַּמְּדִינָה בְּרָעָה גְדֹלָה וּבְחֶרְפָּה וְחוֹמַת יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם מְפֹרָצֶת וּשְׁעָרֶיהָ נִצְּתוּ בָאֵֽשׁ׃

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 וַיְהִי כְּשׇׁמְעִי ׀ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה יָשַׁבְתִּי וָֽאֶבְכֶּה וָאֶתְאַבְּלָה יָמִים וָֽאֱהִי צָם וּמִתְפַּלֵּל לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

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 וָאֹמַר אָֽנָּא יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא שֹׁמֵר הַבְּרִית וָחֶסֶד לְאֹהֲבָיו וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְוֺתָֽיו׃

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 תְּהִי נָא אׇזְנְךָֽ־קַשֶּׁבֶת וְֽעֵינֶיךָ פְתוּחוֹת לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל־תְּפִלַּת עַבְדְּךָ אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ הַיּוֹם יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה עַל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדֶיךָ וּמִתְוַדֶּה עַל־חַטֹּאות בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר חָטָאנוּ לָךְ וַאֲנִי וּבֵית־אָבִי חָטָֽאנוּ׃

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 חֲבֹל חָבַלְנוּ לָךְ וְלֹא־שָׁמַרְנוּ אֶת־הַמִּצְוֺת וְאֶת־הַֽחֻקִּים וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתָ אֶת־מֹשֶׁה עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃

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 זְכׇר־נָא אֶת־הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתָ אֶת־מֹשֶׁה עַבְדְּךָ לֵאמֹר אַתֶּם תִּמְעָלוּ אֲנִי אָפִיץ אֶתְכֶם בָּעַמִּֽים׃

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 וְשַׁבְתֶּם אֵלַי וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם מִצְוֺתַי וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם אִם־יִהְיֶה נִֽדַּחֲכֶם בִּקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם מִשָּׁם אֲקַבְּצֵם (והבואתים) [וַהֲבִֽיאוֹתִים] אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי לְשַׁכֵּן אֶת־שְׁמִי שָֽׁם׃

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 וְהֵם עֲבָדֶיךָ וְעַמֶּךָ אֲשֶׁר פָּדִיתָ בְּכֹחֲךָ הַגָּדוֹל וּבְיָדְךָ הַחֲזָקָֽה׃

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

11 אָנָּא אֲדֹנָי תְּהִי נָא אׇזְנְךָֽ־קַשֶּׁבֶת אֶל־תְּפִלַּת עַבְדְּךָ וְאֶל־תְּפִלַּת עֲבָדֶיךָ הַֽחֲפֵצִים לְיִרְאָה אֶת־שְׁמֶךָ וְהַצְלִֽיחָה־נָּא לְעַבְדְּךָ הַיּוֹם וּתְנֵהוּ לְרַחֲמִים לִפְנֵי הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה וַאֲנִי הָיִיתִי מַשְׁקֶה לַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

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.