Nehemiah 6

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Now it happened that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem, an Arab, and our other enemies, had heard that I had built the wall, and that there was no interruption remaining in it, (even though, at that time, I had not set up the double doors at the gates,)	1 When it had been reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and our other enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and that there was no breach left in it (though up to that time I had not yet set up the doors in the gates),
2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying: “Come, and let us strike a pact together in the villages, on the plain of Ono.” But they were thinking that they would do me harm.	2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us hold council together at Caphirim in the plain of Ono." They were planning to do me harm.
3 Therefore, I sent messengers to them, saying: “I am doing a great work, and I cannot descend, lest perhaps it may be neglected when I go out and descend to you.”	3 However, I sent messengers to them with this reply: "I am engaged in a great enterprise and am unable to come down; why should the work stop, while I leave it to come down to you?"
4 Then they sent to me, with this same word, four times. And I responded to them with the same word as before.	4 Four times they sent me this same proposal, and each time I gave the same reply.
5 And Sanballat sent his servant to me a fifth time, with the former word, and he had a letter in his hand written in this manner:	5 Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent me the same message by one of his servants, who bore an unsealed letter
6 “It has been heard among the Gentiles, and Geshem has said it, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel, and because of this, you are building the wall and thinking to raise yourself as a king over them. For this reason,	6 containing this text: "Among the nations it has been reported--Geshem is witness to this--that you and the Jews are planning a rebellion; that for this reason you are rebuilding the wall; and that you are to be their king"--and so on.
7 you also have stationed prophets, who preach about you in Jerusalem, saying: ‘There is a king in Judea!’ But the king will hear about these words. Therefore, come now, so that we may go to counsel together.”	7 "Also, that you have set up prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim you king of Judah. Now, since matters like these must reach the ear of the king, come, let us hold council together."
8 And I sent to them, saying: “There has been nothing done according to these words, which you have spoken. For you are inventing these things from your own heart.”	8 I sent him this answer: "Nothing of what you report has taken place; rather, it is the invention of your own mind."
9 For all these men wished to frighten us, thinking that our hands would cease from the work, and that we would cease. For this reason, I strengthened my hands all the more.	9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will slacken in the work, and it will never be completed." But instead, I now redoubled my efforts.
10 And I entered into the house of Shemaiah, the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, in secret. And he said: “Let us consult together in the house of God, in the midst of the temple. And let us close the doors of the temple. For they will come to kill you, and they will arrive in the night to put you to death.”	10 I went to the house of Shemaiah, son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was unable to go about, and he said: "Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple building; let us lock the doors of the temple. For men are coming to kill you; by night they are coming to kill you."
11 And I said: “How could anyone like me flee? And who like me should enter the temple, so that he may live? I will not enter.”	11 My answer was: "A man like me take flight? Can a man like me enter the temple to save his life? I will not go!"
12 And I understood that God had not sent him, but he had spoken to me as if he were prophesying, and that Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.	12 For on consideration it was plain to me that God had not sent him; rather, because Tobiah and Sanballat had bribed him, he voiced this prophecy concerning me
13 For he had accepted money, so that I would be afraid, and would sin, and so that they would have some evil with which to rebuke me.	13 that I might act on it out of fear and commit this sin. Then they would have had a shameful story with which to discredit me.
14 Remember me, O Lord, because of Tobiah and Sanballat, because of their works of this kind. Then, too, Noadiah, a prophetess, and the rest of the prophets, would have made me afraid.	14 Keep in mind Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, because of these things they did; keep in mind as well Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who were trying to frighten me.
15 Now the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul, in fifty-two days.	15 The wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul; it had taken fifty-two days.
16 Then it happened that, when all our enemies had heard of it, all the nations that were around us were afraid, and they were downcast within themselves. For they knew that this work had been accomplished by God.	16 When all our enemies had heard of this, and all the nations round about had taken note of it, our enemies lost much face in the eyes of the nations, for they knew that it was with our God's help that this work had been completed.
17 But also, in those days, many letters were being sent by the nobles of the Jews to Tobiah, and were arriving from Tobiah to them.	17 At that same time, however, many letters were going to Tobiah from the nobles of Judah, and Tobiah's letters were reaching them,
18 For there were many in Judea who had sworn an oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah, the son of Arah, and because Jehohanan, his son, had married the daughter of Meshullam, the son of Berechiah.	18 for many in Judah were in league with him, since he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah, son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam, son of Berechiah.
19 Moreover, they praised him before me, and they reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters, so that he might make me afraid.	19 Thus they would praise his good deeds in my presence and relate to him whatever I said; and Tobiah sent letters trying to frighten me.