Nehemiah 6

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 When Sanbal at, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and our other enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wal andthat not a single gap was left -- though at that time I had not fixed the doors to the gates-	1 And it came to pass, when Sanaballat, and Tobias, and Gossem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it, (though at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates,)
2 Sanbal at and Geshem sent me this message, 'Come and meet us at Ha-Chephirim in the Vale of Ono.'But they had evil designs on me.	2 Sanaballat and Gossem Rent to me, saying: Come, and let us make a league together in the villages, in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
3 So I sent messengers to them to say, 'I am engaged in a great undertaking, so I cannot come down.Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?'	3 And I sent messengers to them, saying: I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down, lest it be neglected whilst I come, and go down to you.
4 Four times they sent me the same invitation and I made them the same reply.	4 And they sent to me according to this word, four times: and I answered them after the same manner.
5 The fifth time, with the same purpose in mind, Sanballat sent me his servant bearing an open letter.	5 And Sanaballat sent his servant to me the fifth time according to the former word, and he had a letter in his hand written in this manner:
6 It ran, 'There is a rumour among the nations -- and Gashmu confirms it -- that you and the Jews arethinking of rebel ing, which is why you are rebuilding the wal , and you intend to become their king;	6 It is reported amongst the Gentiles, and Gossem hath said it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel, and therefore thou buildest the wall, and hast a mind to set thyself king over them : for which end
7 and that you have even briefed prophets to acclaim you in Jerusalem with the cry, "There is a king inJudah!" Now, these rumours are going to reach the king; so you had better come and discuss them with us.'	7 Thou hast also set up prophets, to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying: There is a king in Judea. The king will hear of these things: therefore come now, that we may take counsel together.
8 To this I sent him the fol owing reply, 'As regards what you say, nothing of the sort has occurred; it is afigment of your own imagination.'	8 And I sent to them, saying: There is no such thing done as thou sayest: but thou feignest these things out of thy own heart.
9 For they were all trying to terrorise us, thinking, 'They wil become demoralised over the work and it wilnot get finished.' But my morale rose even higher.	9 For all these men thought to frighten us, thinking that our hands would cease from the work, and that we would leave off. Wherefore I strengthened my hands the more:
10 Then, when I went to visit Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, since he was prevented fromcoming to me, he said: We must gather at the Temple of God, inside the sanctuary itself; we must shut thesanctuary doors, for they are coming to kil you, they are coming to kil you tonight!	10 And I went into the house of Samaia the son of Delaia, the son of Metabeel privately. And he said: Let us consult together in the house of God in the midst of the temple: and let us shut the doors of the temple, for they will come to kill thee, and in the night they will come to slay thee.
11 But I retorted, 'Should a man like me run away? Would a man like me go into the Temple to save hislife? I shal not go in!'	11 And I said: Should such a man as I Bee? and who is there that being as I am, would go into the temple, to save his life? I will not go in.
12 I realised that God had not sent him to say this, but that he had produced this prophecy for mebecause Tobiah was paying him	12 And I understood that God had not sent him, but that he had spoken to me as if he had been prophesying, and Tobias, and Sanaballat had hired him.
13 to terrorise me into doing as he said and committing a sin, so that they would have grounds forblackening my reputation and blaming me.	13 For he had taken money, that I being afraid should do this thing, and sin, and they might have some evil to upbraid me withal.
14 Remember Tobiah, my God, for what he did; and Noadiah the prophetess, and the other prophetswho tried to terrorise me.	14 Remember me, O Lord, for Tobias and Sanaballat, according to their works of this kind: and Noadias the prophet, and the rest of the prophets that would have put me in fear.
15 The wall was finished within fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth of Elul.	15 But the wall was finished the five and twentieth day of the month of Elul, in two and fifty days.
16 When al our enemies heard about it and al the surrounding nations saw it, they thought it a wonderful thing, because they realised that this work had been accomplished by the power of our God.	16 And it came to pass when all our enemies heard of it, that all nations which were round about us, were afraid, and were cast down within themselves, for they perceived that this work was the work of God.
17 During this same period, the nobles of Judah kept sending letter after letter to Tobiah, and letters fromTobiah kept arriving for them;	17 Moreover in those days many letters were sent by the principal men of the Jews to Tobias, and from Tobias there came letters to them.
18 for he had many sworn to his interest in Judah, since he was son-in-law to Shecaniah son of Arah,and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshul am son of Berechiah.	18 For there were many in Judea sworn to him, because he was the son in law of Sechenias the son of Area, and Johanan his son had taken to wife the daughter of Mosollam the son of Barachias.
19 They even cried up his good deeds in my presence, and they reported what I said back to him. AndTobiah kept sending letters to terrorise me.	19 And they praised him also before me, and they related my words to him: And Tobias sent letters to put me in fear.