Nehemiah 2

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, since I was in charge of the wine, I tookthe wine and offered it to the king. Now, he had never seen me looking depressed before.	1 In the month Nisan of the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when the wine was in my charge, I took some and offered it to the king. As I had never before been sad in his presence,
2 So the king said to me, 'Why are you looking depressed? You are not sick! This must be a sadness ofthe heart.' Thoroughly alarmed by this,	2 the king asked me, "Why do you look sad? If you are not sick, you must be sad at heart." Though I was seized with great fear,
3 I said to the king, 'May the king live for ever! How can I not look depressed when the city where thetombs of my ancestors are lies in ruins and its gates have been burnt down?'	3 I answered the king: "May the king live forever! How could I not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been eaten out by fire?"
4 The king then said to me, 'What would you like me to do?' Praying to the God of heaven,	4 The king asked me, "What is it, then, that you wish?" I prayed to the God of heaven
5 I said to the king, 'If the king approves and your servant enjoys your favour, send me to Judah, to thecity of the tombs of my ancestors, so that I can rebuild it.'	5 and then answered the king: "If it please the king, and if your servant is deserving of your favor, send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors' graves, to rebuild it."
6 The king -- with the queen sitting beside him-said, 'How long wil your journey take, and when wil youcome back?' Once I had given him a definite time, the king approved my mission.	6 Then the king, and the queen seated beside him, asked me how long my journey would take and when I would return. I set a date that was acceptable to him, and the king agreed that I might go.
7 I then said to the king, 'If the king approves, may I be given orders for the governors of Transeuphratesto let me pass through on my way to Judah?	7 I asked the king further: "If it please the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of West-of-Euphrates, that they may afford me safe-conduct till I arrive in Judah;
8 Also an order for Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, to supply me with timber for the beams of the gatesof the citadel of the Temple, for the city wal s and for the house which I am to occupy?' These the king grantedme because the kindly hand of my God was over me.	8 also a letter for Asaph, the keeper of the royal park, that he may give me wood for timbering the gates of the temple-citadel and for the city wall and the house that I shall occupy." The king granted my requests, for the favoring hand of my God was upon me.
9 When I reached the governors of Transeuphrates, I gave them the king's orders. The king had sent anescort of army officers and cavalry along with me.	9 Thus I proceeded to the governors of West-of-Euphrates and presented the king's letters to them. The king also sent with me army officers and cavalry.
10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the official of Ammon heard about this, they wereexceedingly displeased that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.	10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite slave had heard of this, they were very much displeased that someone had come to seek the welfare of the Israelites.
11 And so I reached Jerusalem. After I had been there three days,	11 When I had arrived in Jerusalem, I first rested there for three days.
12 I got up during the night with a few other men -- I had not told anyone what my God had inspired me todo for Jerusalem -- taking no animal with me other than my own mount.	12 Then I set out by night with only a few other men (for I had not told anyone what my God had inspired me to do for Jerusalem) and with no other animals but my own mount.
13 Under cover of dark I went out through the Val ey Gate towards the Dragon's Fountain as far as theDung Gate, and examined the wall of Jerusalem where it was broken down and its gates burnt out.	13 I rode out at night by the Valley Gate, passed by the Dragon Spring, and came to the Dung Gate, observing how the walls of Jerusalem lay in ruins and its gates had been eaten out by fire.
14 I then crossed to the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool, but it was impassable to my mount.	14 Then I passed over to the Spring Gate and to the King's Pool. Since there was no room here for my mount to pass with me astride,
15 So I went up the Val ey in the dark, examining the wal ; I then went in again through the Val ey Gate,coming back	15 I continued on foot up the wadi by night, inspecting the wall all the while till I once more reached the Valley Gate, by which I went back in.
16 without the officials knowing where I had gone or what I had been doing. So far I had said nothing tothe Jews: neither to the priests, the nobles, the officials nor any other persons involved in the undertaking.	16 The magistrates knew nothing of where I had gone or what I was doing, for as yet I had disclosed nothing to the Jews, neither to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the magistrates, nor to the others who would be concerned about the matter.
17 I then said to them, 'You see what a sorry state we are in: Jerusalem is in ruins and its gates havebeen burnt down. Come on, we must rebuild the wal s of Jerusalem and put an end to our humiliating position!'	17 Afterward I said to them: "You see the evil plight in which we stand: how Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been gutted by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer be an object of derision!"
18 And I told them how the kindly hand of my God had been over me, and the words which the king hadsaid to me. At this they said, 'Let us start building at once!' and they set their hands to the good work.	18 Then I explained to them how the favoring hand of my God had rested upon me, and what the king had said to me. They replied, "Let us be up and building!" And they undertook the good work with vigor.
19 When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the official of Ammon, and Geshem the Arab heard about this,they laughed at us and jeered. They said, 'What is this you are doing? Are you going to revolt against the king?'	19 On hearing of this, Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite slave, and Geshem the Arab mocked us and ridiculed us. "What is this that you are about?" they asked. "Are you rebelling against the king?"
20 But I gave them this answer, 'The God of heaven will grant us success and we, his servants, mean tostart building; as for you, you have neither share nor right nor memorial in Jerusalem.'	20 My answer to them was this: "It is the God of heaven who will grant us success. We, his servants, shall set about the rebuilding; but for you there is to be neither share nor claim nor memorial in Jerusalem."