Nehemiah 1

New Jerusalem Bible	Douai-Rheims
¹ The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. It happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year,while I was in the citadel of Susa,	¹ The words of Nehemias the son of Helchias. And it came to pass in the month of Casleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in the castle of Susa,
² that Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with some men from Judah. I asked them about the Jews --those who had escaped and those who survived from the captivity -- and about Jerusalem.	² That Hanani one of my brethren came, he and some men of Juda; and I asked them concerning the Jews, that remained and were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
³ They replied, 'The survivors remaining there in the province since the captivity are in a very bad anddemoralised condition: the wal s of Jerusalem are in ruins and its gates have been burnt down.'	³ And they said to me: They that have remained, and are left of the captivity there in the province, are in great affliction, and reproach: and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire.
⁴ On hearing this I sat down and wept; for some days I mourned, fasting and praying before the God ofheaven.	⁴ And when I had heard these words, I sat down, and wept, and mourned for many days: and I fasted, and prayed before the face of the God of heaven.
⁵ I said, 'Yahweh, God of heaven -- the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps a covenant of faithfullove with those who love him and obey his commandments-	⁵ And I said: WI beseech thee, 0 Lord God of heaven, strong, great, and terrible, who keepest covenant and mercy with those that love thee, and keep thy commandments :
⁶ let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to listen to your servant's prayer, which I now offer to youday and night on behalf of your servants the Israelites. I admit the sins of the Israelites, which we havecommitted against you. Both I and my father's House have sinned;	⁶ Let thy ears be attentive, and thy eyes open, to hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, night and day, for the children of Israel thy servants: and I confess the sins of the children of Israel, by which they have sinned against thee: I and my father's house have sinned.
⁷ we have acted very wickedly towards you by not keeping the commandments, laws and rulings whichyou enjoined on your servant Moses.	⁷ We have been seduced by vanity, and have not kept thy commandments, and ceremonies and judgments, which thou hast commanded thy servant Moses.
⁸ Remember, I beg you, the promise which you solemnly made to your servant Moses, "If you areunfaithful, I shal scatter you among the peoples;	⁸ Remember the word that thou commandedst to Moses thy servant, saying: If you shall transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
⁹ but if you come back to me and keep my commandments and practise them, even though those whohave been banished are at the very sky's end, I shal gather them from there and bring them back to the placewhich I have chosen as a dwel ing-place for my name."	⁹ But if you return to me, and keep my commandments, and do them, though you should be led away to the uttermost parts of the world, I will gather you from thence, and bring you back to the place which I have chosen for my name to dwell there.
¹⁰ Since they are your servants, your people, whom you have redeemed with your mighty power andstrong hand,	¹⁰ And these are thy servants, and thy people : whom thou hast redeemed by thy great strength, and by thy mighty hand.
¹¹ O Lord, let your ear now be attentive to your servant's prayer and to the prayer of your servants whowant to revere your name. I beg you let your servant be successful today and win this man's compassion.' At thetime I was cupbearer to the king.	¹¹ I beseech thee, O Lord, let thy ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants who desire to fear thy name: and direct thy servant this day, and give him mercy before this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.