Neemia 4

LA SACRA BIBBIA	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Ma quando Sanballàt, Tobia, gli Arabi, gli Ammoniti e gli Asdoditi vennero a sapere che la riparazione delle mura di Gerusalemme avanzava e che le brecce cominciavano a chiudersi, andarono in grande collera.	1 And it came to pass, that when Sanaballat heard that we were building the wall he was angry: and being moved exceedingly he scoffed at the Jews.
2 E tutti insieme congiurarono di venire ad attaccare Gerusalemme e crearvi tumulti.	2 And said before his brethren, and the multitude of the Samaritans: What are the silly Jews doing? Will the Gentiles let them alone? will they sacrifice and make an end in a day? are they able to raise stones out of the heaps of the rubbish, which are burnt?
3 Ma noi invocammo il nostro Dio e ponemmo sentinelle contro di essi giorno e notte, a difesa dai loro attacchi.	3 Tobias also the Ammonite who was by him said : Let them build: if a fox go up, he will leap over their stone wall.
4 Giuda però cominciò a dire: "La forza del manovale viene meno, ed enormi sono le macerie: non saremo in grado di rialzare le mura!".	4 Hear thou our God, for we are despised: turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them to be despised in a land of captivity.
5 I nostri nemici proclamavano: "Non s'accorgeranno di nulla né nulla vedranno fino a che noi piomberemo in mezzo a loro e li massacreremo; così metteremo fine all'impresa!".	5 Cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thy face, because they have mocked thy builders.
6 Per dieci volte ci vennero a dire i Giudei che abitavano in mezzo ad essi: "Salgono contro di noi da tutti i luoghi dove abitano!".	6 So we built the wall, and joined it all together unto the half thereof: and the heart of the people was excited to work.
7 Allora, nelle parti più basse del terreno, dietro le mura, io stabilii degli spiazzi e vi disposi il popolo per famiglie, con le loro spade, le lance e gli archi.	7 And it came to pass, when Sanaballat, and Tobias, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Azotians heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and the breaches began to be closed, that they were exceedingly angry.
8 E come ebbi ispezionato bene mi alzai e dissi ai notabili, ai magistrati e al resto del popolo: "Non temeteli! Ricordatevi del Signore grande e terribile. Combattete per i vostri fratelli, i vostri figli e le vostre figlie, per le vostre mogli e le vostre case!".	8 And they all assembled themselves together, to come, and to fight against Jerusalem, and to prepare ambushes.
9 Quando i nostri nemici si accorsero che noi eravamo stati informati, Dio annientò il loro piano e noi tornammo tutti alle mura, ciascuno al suo compito.	9 And we prayed to our God, and set watchmen upon the wall day and night against them.
10 Da quel giorno metà dei miei uomini s'occupava dei lavori e l'altra metà, muniti di lance, scudi, archi e corazze, assieme ai capi, stavano dietro a tutta la gente di Giuda.	10 And Juda said: The strength of the bearer of burdens is decayed, and the rubbish is very much, and we shall not be able to build the wall.
11 Coloro che costruivano le mura, coloro che portavano, che caricavano, con una mano si occupavano dei lavori e con l'altra impugnavano l'arma.	11 And our enemies said: Let them not know, nor understand, till we come in the midst of them, and kill them, and cause the work to cease.
12 I costruttori, mentre lavoravano, portavano ciascuno la spada cinta ai fianchi. Accanto a me stava il suonatore di tromba.	12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews that dwelt by them came and told us ten times, out of all the places from whence they came to us,
13 Io dissi ai notabili, ai magistrati e al resto del popolo: "I lavori sono importanti ed estesi, mentre noi siamo dispersi lungo le mura, lontani uno dall'altro.	13 I set the people in the place behind the wall round about in order, with their swords, and spears, and bows.
14 Orbene, da qualsiasi parte udrete il suono della tromba, radunatevi attorno a noi. Il nostro Dio combatterà per noi!".	14 And I looked and rose up: and I said to the chief men and the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: be not afraid of them. Remember the Lord who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, and your wives, and your houses.
15 Così portavano avanti il lavoro, mentre una metà dei miei impugnava le lance dallo spuntare dell'aurora fino all'apparire delle stelle.	15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that the thing had been told us, that God defeated their counsel. And we returned all of us to the walls, every man to his work.
16 In quella stessa occasione dissi pure al popolo: "Ciascuno passerà la notte dentro Gerusalemme, assieme ai suoi uomini; così saranno essi di guardia per noi durante la notte e di giorno al lavoro".	16 And it came to pass from that day forward, that half of their young men did the work, and half were ready for to fight, with spears, and shields, and bows, and coats of mail, and the rulers were behind them in all the house of Juda.
17 D'altra parte, né io né i miei fratelli né i miei uomini né la gente di guardia che mi seguiva ci toglievamo i nostri vestiti. Ciascuno teneva nella destra la sua spada.	17 Of them that built on the wall and that carried burdens, and that laded: with one of his hands he did the work, and with the other he held a sword.
	18 For every one of the builders was girded with a sword about his reins. And they built, and sounded with a trumpet by me.
	19 And I said to the nobles, and to the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: The work is great and wide, and we are separated on the wall one far from another:
	20 In what place soever you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, run all thither unto us: our God will fight for us.
	21 And let us do the work: and let one half of us hold our spears from the rising of the morning, till the stars appear.
	22 At that time also I said to the people: Let every one with his servant stay in the midst of Jerusalem, and let us take our turns in the night, and by day, to work.
	23 Now I and my brethren, and my servants, and the watchmen that followed me, did not put off our clothes: only every man stripped himself when he was to be washed.