Livre de Néhémie 4

BIBLES DES PEUPLES	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Samballat, Tobiyas, les Arabes, les Ammonites et les habitants d’Ashdod, apprirent que la réparation du rempart de Jérusalem avançait: les brèches étaient presque toutes bouchées. Ils en furent très en colère	1 Now it happened that, when Sanballat had heard that we were building the wall, he was very angry. And having been moved exceedingly, he ridiculed the Jews.
2 et se rassemblèrent tous pour attaquer Jérusalem et y jeter la panique.	2 And he said, before his brothers and a crowd of the Samaritans: “What are the foolish Jews doing? Can it be that the Gentiles will allow them? Will they sacrifice and finish in one day? Do they have the ability to make stones out of piles of dust that have been burned up?”
3 Nous avons donc prié notre Dieu et nous avons établi une garde de jour et de nuit pour nous protéger contre eux.	3 Then too, Tobiah, an Ammonite, his assistant, said: “Let them build. When the fox climbs, he will leap over their stone wall.”
4 C’était le moment où les Judéens disaient: - “Il y a trop de décombres et les forces des porteurs sont à la limite, nous ne pourrons jamais reconstruire le rempart.”	4 Listen, O our God, for we have become an object of contempt. Turn their reproach upon their own head, and grant that they may be despised in a land of captivity.
5 Et nos adversaires disaient: - “Nous allons tomber sur eux sans qu’ils le sachent, avant qu’ils ne nous aient vus. Nous les tuerons et nous ferons cesser le travail.”	5 May you not conceal their iniquity, and may their sin not be wiped away, before your face, for they have ridiculed those who are building.
6 Des Juifs qui habitaient à côté d’eux vinrent nous dire au moins dix fois: - “Ils vont arriver de tous les côtés pour vous attaquer!”	6 And so we built the wall, and we joined it together, even to the unfinished portion. And the heart of the people was stirred up for the work.
7 J’ai donc posté dans les creux en contrebas du rempart le peuple tout entier par familles, avec ses épées, ses lances et ses arcs.	7 Now it happened that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabs, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites had heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been closed, and that the breaches had begun to be repaired, they were exceedingly angry.
8 Je voyais leur peur, je suis donc allé dire aux chefs, aux fonctionnaires et à tout le peuple: - “N’ayez pas peur d’eux! Pensez au Seigneur qui est grand et terrible, combattez pour vos frères, vos fils, vos filles, vos femmes et vos maisons.”	8 And they all gathered together, so that they might go forth and fight against Jerusalem, and so that they might prepare ambushes.
9 Lorsque nos ennemis apprirent que nous étions renseignés et que Dieu avait fait échouer leur projet, nous sommes tous retournés au rempart, chacun à son travail.	9 And we prayed to our God, and we stationed guards upon the wall, day and night, against them.
10 Mais à partir de ce jour, la moitié de mes hommes travaillait et l’autre moitié avait en mains des lances, des boucliers, des arcs et des cuirasses, et ils se tenaient derrière les Judéens	10 Then Judah said: “The strength of those who carry has diminished, and the amount of material is very great, and so we will not be able to build the wall.”
11 qui travaillaient sur le rempart. Ceux qui portaient les charges étaient armés, d’une main ils travaillaient et de l’autre ils tenaient leur lance.	11 And our enemies said: “Let them neither know, nor realize, until we arrive in their midst, and kill them, and cause the work to cease.”
12 Ceux qui construisaient gardaient leur épée à la ceinture pendant leur travail. Un sonneur de trompe se tenait près de moi,	12 Now it happened that, on ten occasions, some Jews arrived who were living near them, from all the places from which they came to us, and they told us this.
13 car j’avais dit aux chefs, aux fonctionnaires et à tout le peuple: - “Le chantier est important, il est étendu et nous sommes dispersés sur le rempart, éloignés les uns des autres.	13 So I stationed the people in order, in places behind the wall, all around it, with their swords, and lances, and bows.
14 Aussi, dès que vous entendrez le son de la trompe, venez vous rassembler auprès de nous de l’endroit où vous êtes, et notre Dieu combattra pour nous.”	14 And I gazed around, and I rose up. And I said to the nobles, and to the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: “Do not be afraid before their face. Remember the great and terrible Lord, and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons and your daughters, and your wives and your households.”
15 Nous étions ainsi au travail depuis le lever du jour jusqu’à l’apparition des premières étoiles, et la moitié tenaient des lances.	15 Then it happened that, when our enemies had heard that it had been reported to us, God defeated their counsel. And we all returned to the walls, each one to his own work.
16 En ce temps-là je dis encore au peuple: - “Que chacun avec son serviteur passe la nuit dans Jérusalem. La nuit ils monteront la garde et le jour ils seront sur le chantier.”	16 And it happened that, from that day, half of their young men were doing the work, and half were prepared for war with lances, and shields, and bows, and armor. And the leaders were behind them in all the house of Judah.
17 Ni moi, ni mes frères, ni mes hommes, ni ceux qui montaient la garde, ne quittions nos vêtements, et nous avions sans cesse notre arme dans la main droite.	17 As for those building the wall, and carrying the burdens, and setting things in place: one of his hands was doing the work, and the other was holding a sword.
	18 For each one of the builders was girded with a sword at the waist. And they were building, and they were sounding a trumpet beside me.
	19 And I said to the nobles, and to the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: “The work is great and wide, and we are separated on the wall far from one another.
	20 At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rush to that place for us. Our God will fight on our behalf.
	21 And so let us accomplish the work. And let one half part of us hold spears, from the ascent of dawn until the stars come out.”
	22 Also at that time, I said to the people: “Let each one with his servant remain in the midst of Jerusalem. And let us take turns, throughout the night and day, in doing the work.”
	23 But I and my brothers, and my servants, and the guards who were behind me, we did not take off our clothes; each one only removed his clothes to wash.