2 Chronicles 6

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Then Solomon said: Yahweh has chosen to dwel in thick cloud,	1 Then Solomon said: “The Lord has promised that he would dwell in a cloud.
2 and I have built you a princely dwel ing, a residence for you for ever.	2 But I have built a house to his name, so that he may dwell there forever.”
3 Then the king turned round and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while the whole assembly ofIsrael stood.	3 And the king turned his face, and he blessed the entire multitude of Israel, (for the whole crowd was standing and attentive) and he said:
4 He said, 'Blessed be Yahweh, God of Israel, who has carried out by his hand what he promisedverbally to my father David, when he said,	4 “Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, who has completed the work that he spoke to David my father, saying:
5 "From the day I brought my people out of Egypt I chose no city, in any of the tribes of Israel, to have atemple built where my name should be, nor did I choose anyone to be prince of my people Israel;	5 ‘From the day when I led my people away from the land of Egypt, I did not choose a city from all the tribes of Israel, so that a house would be built in it to my name. And I did not choose any other man, so that he would be the ruler of my people Israel.
6 but I did choose Jerusalem for my name to be there, and I did choose David to rule my people Israel."	6 But I chose Jerusalem, so that my name would be in it. And I chose David, so that I might appoint him over my people Israel.’
7 My father David had set his heart on building a temple for the name of Yahweh, God of Israel,	7 And though David, my father, had decided that he would build a house to the name of the Lord God of Israel,
8 but Yahweh said to my father David, "You have set your heart on building a temple for my name, and inthis you have done wel ;	8 the Lord said to him: ‘In so far as it was your will that you build a house to my name, certainly you have done well in having such a will.
9 and yet, you are not the man to build the temple; but your son, yet to be born to you, wil be the one tobuild the temple for my name."	9 But you shall not build the house. Truly, your son, who will go forth from your loins, shall build a house to my name.’
10 Yahweh has kept the promise which he made: I have succeeded my father David and am seated onthe throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised; I have built the temple for the name of Yahweh, God of Israel,	10 Therefore, the Lord has accomplished his word, which he had spoken. And I have risen up in place of my father David, and I sit upon the throne of Israel, just as the Lord spoke. And I have built a house to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
11 and I have placed in it the ark containing the covenant of Yahweh, which he made with the Israelites.'	11 And I have placed in it the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he formed with the sons of Israel.”
12 Then in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, he stood facing the altar of Yahweh andstretched out his hands-	12 Then he stood before the altar of the Lord, facing the entire multitude of Israel, and he extended his hands.
13 for Solomon had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and five cubits high, whichhe had placed in the middle of the court and on which he was standing; he knelt down in front of the wholeassembly of Israel, stretched out his hands to heaven-	13 For indeed, Solomon had made a bronze base, and he had positioned it in the midst of the hall; it held five cubits in length, and five cubits in width, and three cubits in height. And he stood upon it. And next, kneeling down while facing the entire multitude of Israel, and lifting up his palms towards heaven,
14 and said, 'Yahweh, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth, you who are loyal tothe covenant and show faithful love to your servants as long as they walk wholeheartedly in your way.	14 he said: “O Lord God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth. You preserve covenant and mercy with your servants, who walk before you with all their hearts.
15 You have kept it with your servant, my father David, as you promised him you would. What youpromised verbally today you have carried out by your hand.	15 You fulfilled for your servant David, my father, whatsoever you had said to him. And you carried out the deed that you promised with your mouth, just as the present time proves.
16 And now, Yahweh, God of Israel, keep the promise which you made to your servant David when yousaid, "You wil never lack for a man to sit in my presence before me on the throne of Israel, provided that yoursons are careful how they behave, fol owing my law as you yourself have done."	16 Now then, O Lord God of Israel, fulfill for your servant David, my father, whatsoever you said to him, saying: ‘There shall not fail to be a man from you before me, who will sit upon the throne of Israel, yet only if your sons will guard their ways, and will walk in my law, just as you also have walked before me.’
17 So now, God of Israel, let the words come true which you spoke to your servant, my father David.	17 And now, O Lord God of Israel, let your word be confirmed that you spoke to your servant David.
18 Yet wil God real y live with the people on earth? Why, the heavens and the heavens of the heavenscannot contain you! How much less this temple built by me!	18 How then is it to be believe that God would dwell with men upon the earth? If heaven and the heavens of the heavens do not contain you, how much less this house that I have built?
19 Even so, listen favourably to the prayer and entreaty of your servant, Yahweh my God; listen to the cryand to the prayer which your servant makes to you:	19 But it has been done for this only, so that you may look with favor upon the prayer of your servant, and on his supplication, O Lord my God, and so that you may hear the prayers which your servant pours out before you,
20 Day and night, may your eyes watch over this temple, over this place in which you have promised toput your name. Listen to the prayer which your servant offers in this place.	20 and so that you may open your eyes over this house, day and night, over the place where you promised that your name would be invoked,
21 'Listen to the entreaties of your servant and of your people Israel; whenever they pray in this place,listen from the place where you reside in heaven; and when you hear, forgive.	21 and so that you may heed the prayer which your servant is praying within it, and so that you may heed the prayers of your servant and of your people Israel. Whoever will pray in this place, listen from your habitation, that is, from heaven, and forgive.
22 'If someone has wronged his neighbour and a curse is laid on him to make him swear here beforeyour altar in this Temple,	22 If anyone will have sinned against his neighbor, and he arrives to swear against him, and to bind himself with a curse before the altar in this house,
23 then listen from heaven and do justice between your servants, paying back the guilty one by makinghim suffer for his conduct, and acquitting the upright by rewarding him as his uprightness deserves.	23 you will hear him from heaven, and you will execute justice for your servants, so that you return, to the iniquitous man, his own way upon his own head, and so that you vindicate the just man, repaying him according to his own justice.
24 'If your people Israel are defeated by the enemy because they have sinned against you, but thenreturn to you and acknowledge your name, and pray and seek your favour in this temple,	24 If your people Israel will have been overwhelmed by their enemies, (for they will sin against you) and having been converted will do penance, and if they will have beseeched your name, and will have prayed in this place,
25 then listen from heaven; forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the countrywhich you gave to them and their ancestors.	25 you will heed them from heaven, and you will forgive the sin of your people Israel, and you will lead them back into the land that you gave to them and to their fathers.
26 'When the heavens are shut and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray inthis place and praise your name and, having been humbled by you, desist from their sin,	26 If the heavens have been closed, so that rain does not fall, because of the sin of the people, and if they will petition you in this place, and confess to your name, and be converted from their sins when you will afflict them,
27 then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servant and of your people Israel -- for you areconstantly showing them the good way which they must fol ow -- and send rain on your country, which you havegiven to your people as their heritage.	27 heed them from heaven, O Lord, and forgive the sins of your servants and of your people Israel, and teach them the good way, by which they may advance, and give rain to the land that you gave to your people as a possession.
28 'Should there be famine in the country, or pestilence, wind-blast or mildew, locust or caterpil ar; shouldtheir enemy lay siege to their territory; should there be any plague or any disease;	28 If a famine will have risen up in the land, or pestilence, or fungus, or mildew, or locusts, or beetles, or if enemies will have laid waste to the countryside and will have besieged the gates of the cities, or whatever scourge or infirmity will have pressed upon them,
29 whatever be the prayer or entreaty of any individual, or of al your people Israel, each being aware ofhis own affliction and pain; when he stretches out his hands towards this Temple,	29 if anyone from your people Israel, knowing his own scourge and infirmity, will have made supplication and will have extended his hands in this house,
30 then listen from heaven where you reside; forgive and, since you know what is in his heart, deal witheach as his conduct deserves -- for you alone know what is in the human heart-	30 you will heed him from heaven, indeed from your sublime habitation, and you will forgive, and you will repay each one according to his ways, which you know him to hold in his heart. For you alone know the hearts of the sons of men.
31 so that they may revere you by following your directions, which you gave to our ancestors, throughouttheir lives on earth.	31 So may they fear you, and so may they walk in your ways, during all the days that they live upon the face of the land, which you gave to our fathers.
32 'Even the foreigner, not belonging to your people Israel but coming from a distant country, attracted byyour great name, your mighty hand and outstretched arm, if he comes and prays in this Temple,	32 Also, if the outsider, who is not from your people Israel, will have arrived from a far away land, because of your great name, and because of your robust hand and your outstretched arm, and if he will adore in this place,
33 then listen from heaven where you reside, and grant al that the foreigner asks of you, so that al thepeoples of the earth may acknowledge your name and, like your people Israel, revere you, and know that thisTemple, which I have built, bears your name.	33 you will heed him from heaven, your most firm habitation, and you will accomplish all the things about which this sojourner will have called out to you, so that all the people of the earth may know your name, and may fear you, just as your people Israel do, and so that they may know that your name is invoked over this house, which I have built.
34 'If your people go out to war against their enemies, on whatever mission you send them, and they prayto you, turning towards this city which you have chosen and towards the Temple which I have built for yourname,	34 If, having gone out to war against their adversaries along the way that you will send them, your people adore you facing in the direction of this city, which you have chosen, and of this house, which I have built to your name,
35 then listen from heaven to their prayer and their entreaty, and uphold their cause.	35 you will heed their prayers from heaven, and their supplications, and you will vindicate them.
36 'When they sin against you -- for there is no one who does not sin -- and you are angry with them andabandon them to the enemy, and their captors carry them off to a country be it far away or near,	36 But if they will have sinned against you (for there is no man who does not sin) and you will have become angry against them, and if you will have delivered them to their enemies, and so they lead them away as captives to a far away land, or even to one that is near,
37 if they come to their senses in the country to which they have been taken as captives and pray to youonce again in the country of their captivity, saying, "We have sinned, we have acted wrongly and wickedly,"	37 and if, having been converted in their heart in the land to which they had been led as captives, they will do penance, and beseech you in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have acted unjustly,’
38 and turn back to you with al their heart and soul in the country of their captivity to which they havebeen carried away as captives, and pray, turning towards the country which you gave to their ancestors, towardsthe city you have chosen, and towards the Temple which I have built for your name,	38 and if they will have returned to you, with their whole heart and with their whole soul, in the land of their captivity to which they were led away, and if they will adore you in the direction of their own land, which you gave to their fathers, and of the city, which you have chosen, and of the house, which I have built to your name,
39 then listen from heaven where you reside, hear their prayer and entreaties, uphold their cause andforgive your people for having sinned against you.	39 from heaven, that is, from your firm habitation, you will heed their prayers, and you will accomplish judgment, and you will forgive your people, even though they are sinners.
40 'Now, O my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to prayer offered in this place.	40 For you are my God. Let your eyes be open, I beg you, and let your ears be attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.
41 And now Yahweh God, go up to your resting-place, you and your fortress, the Ark! Let your priests,Yahweh God, be robed in salvation, let your faithful rejoice in what is good!	41 Now therefore, rise up, O Lord God, to your resting place, you and the ark of your strength. Let your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let your holy ones rejoice in what is good.
42 Yahweh God, do not rebuff your Anointed -- remember the faithful love of your servant David!'	42 O Lord God, may you not turn away from the face of your Christ. Remember the mercies of your servant, David.”