1 דִּבְרֵי נְחֶמְיָה בֶּן־חֲכַלְיָה וַיְהִי בְחֹדֶשׁ־ [כִּסְלֵו כ] (כִּסְלֵיו ק) שְׁנַת עֶשְׂרִים וַאֲנִי הָיִיתִי בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה | 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, |
2 וַיָּבֹא חֲנָנִי אֶחָד מֵאַחַי הוּא וַאֲנָשִׁים מִיהוּדָה וָאֶשְׁאָלֵם עַל־הַיְּהוּדִים הַפְּלֵיטָה אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁאֲרוּ מִן־הַשֶּׁבִי וְעַל־יְרוּשָׁלִָם | 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. |
3 וַיֹּאמְרוּ לִי הַנִּשְׁאָרִים אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁאֲרוּ מִן־הַשְּׁבִי שָׁם בַּמְּדִינָה בְּרָעָה גְדֹלָה וּבְחֶרְפָּה וְחֹומַת יְרוּשָׁלִַם מְפֹרָצֶת וּשְׁעָרֶיהָ נִצְּתוּ בָאֵשׁ | 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.' |
4 וַיְהִי כְּשָׁמְעִי ׀ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה יָשַׁבְתִּי וָאֶבְכֶּה וָאֶתְאַבְּלָה יָמִים וָאֱהִי צָם וּמִתְפַּלֵּל לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם | 4 On hearing this I sat down and wept; for some days I mourned, fasting and praying before the God ofheaven. |
5 וָאֹמַר אָנָּא יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם הָאֵל הַגָּדֹול וְהַנֹּורָא שֹׁמֵר הַבְּרִית וָחֶסֶד לְאֹהֲבָיו וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָיו | 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- |
6 תְּהִי נָא אָזְנְךָ־קַשֶּׁבֶת וְעֵינֶיךָ פְתֻוּחֹות לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל־תְּפִלַּת עַבְדְּךָ אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ הַיֹּום יֹומָם וָלַיְלָה עַל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדֶיךָ וּמִתְוַדֶּה עַל־חַטֹּאות בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר חָטָאנוּ לָךְ וַאֲנִי וּבֵית־אָבִי חָטָאנוּ | 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; |
7 חֲבֹל חָבַלְנוּ לָךְ וְלֹא־שָׁמַרְנוּ אֶת־הַמִּצְוֹת וְאֶת־הַחֻקִּים וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתָ אֶת־מֹשֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ | 7 we have acted very wickedly towards you by not keeping the commandments, laws and rulings whichyou enjoined on your servant Moses. |
8 זְכָר־נָא אֶת־הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתָ אֶת־מֹשֶׁה עַבְדְּךָ לֵאמֹר אַתֶּם תִּמְעָלוּ אֲנִי אָפִיץ אֶתְכֶם בָּעַמִּים | 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; |
9 וְשַׁבְתֶּם אֵלַי וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם מִצְוֹתַי וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם אִם־יִהְיֶה נִדַּחֲכֶם בִּקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם מִשָּׁם אֲקַבְּצֵם [וַהֲבֹואֹתִים כ] (וַהֲבִיאֹותִים ק) אֶל־הַמָּקֹום אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי לְשַׁכֵּן אֶת־שְׁמִי שָׁם | 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." |
10 וְהֵם עֲבָדֶיךָ וְעַמֶּךָ אֲשֶׁר פָּדִיתָ בְּכֹחֲךָ הַגָּדֹול וּבְיָדְךָ הַחֲזָקָה | 10 Since they are your servants, your people, whom you have redeemed with your mighty power andstrong hand, |
11 אָנָּא אֲדֹנָי תְּהִי נָא אָזְנְךָ־קַשֶּׁבֶת אֶל־תְּפִלַּת עַבְדְּךָ וְאֶל־תְּפִלַּת עֲבָדֶיךָ הַחֲפֵצִים לְיִרְאָה אֶת־שְׁמֶךָ וְהַצְלִיחָה־נָּא לְעַבְדְּךָ הַיֹּום וּתְנֵהוּ לְרַחֲמִים לִפְנֵי הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה וַאֲנִי הָיִיתִי מַשְׁקֶה לַמֶּלֶךְ׃ פ | 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. |