Nehemiæ 1
1 Verba Nehemiae filii Helchiae. Et factum est in mense Casleu, anno vigesimo, et ego eram in Susis castro.
The words of Neemias the son of Chelcia. And it came to pass in the month Chaseleu, of the twentieth year, that I was in Susan the palace.
2 Et venit Hanani unus de fratribus meis, ipse et viri Iuda: et interrogavi eos de Iudaeis, qui remanserant, et supererant de captivitate, et Ierusalem.
And Anani, one of my brethren, came, he and [some] men of Juda; and I asked them concerning those that had escaped, who had been left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
3 Et dixerunt mihi: Qui remanserunt, et relicti sunt de captivitate ibi in provincia, in afflictione magna sunt, et in opprobrio: et murus Ierusalem dissipatus est, et portae eius combustae sunt igni.
And they said to me, The remnant, [even] those that are left of the captivity, [are] there in the land, in great distress and reproach: and the walls of Jerusalem [are] thrown down, and its gates are burnt with fire.
4 Cumque audissem verba huiuscemodi, sedi, et flevi, et luxi diebus multis: ieiunabam, et orabam ante faciem Dei caeli.
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, [that] I sat down and wept, and mourned for [several] days, and continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
5 Et dixi: Quaeso Domine Deus caeli fortis, magne atque terribilis, qui custodis pactum et misericordiam cum his qui te diligunt, et custodiunt mandata tua:
And I said, Nay, I pray thee, O Lord God of heaven, the mighty, the great and terrible, keeping thy covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to those that keep his commandments:
6 fiant aures tuae auscultantes, et oculi tui aperti ut audias orationem servi tui, quam ego oro coram te hodie nocte et die pro filiis Israel servis tuis: et confiteor pro peccatis filiorum Israel, quibus peccaverunt tibi: ego, et domus patris mei peccavimus,
let now thine ear be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee at this time, this day [both] day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and make confession for the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and the house of my father have sinned.
7 vanitate seducti sumus, et non custodivimus mandatum tuum, et ceremonias, et iudicia quae praecepisti Moysi famulo tuo.
We have altogether broken [covenant] with thee, and we have not kept the commandments, and the ordinances, and the judgments, which thou didst command thy servant Moses.
8 Memento verbi, quod mandasti Moysi servo tuo, dicens: Cum transgressi fueritis, ego dispergam vos in populos:
Remember, I pray thee, the word wherewith thou didst charge thy servant Moses, saying, If ye break covenant [with me], I will disperse you among the nations.
9 et si revertamini ad me, et custodiatis praecepta mea, et faciatis ea; etiamsi abducti fueritis ad extrema caeli, inde congregabo vos, et reducam in locum, quem elegi ut habitaret nomen meum ibi.
But if ye turn again to me, and keep my commandments, and do them; if ye should be scattered under the utmost [bound] of heaven, thence will I gather them, and I will bring them into the place which I have chosen to cause my name to dwell there.
10 Et ipsi servi tui, et populus tuus: quos redemisti in fortitudine tua magna, et in manu tua valida.
Now they [are] thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy great power, and with thy strong hand.
11 Obsecro Domine, sit auris tua attendens ad orationem servi tui, et ad orationem servorum tuorum, qui volunt timere nomen tuum: et dirige servum tuum hodie, et da ei misericordiam ante virum hunc. ego enim eram pincerna regis.
[Turn] not [away], I pray thee, O Lord, but let thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and cause him to find mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was the king's cup-bearer.
