Nehemiah 4

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	LA SACRA BIBBIA
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.	1 Ma quando Sanballàt, Tobia, gli Arabi, gli Ammoniti e gli Asdoditi vennero a sapere che la riparazione delle mura di Gerusalemme avanzava e che le brecce cominciavano a chiudersi, andarono in grande collera.
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?”	2 E tutti insieme congiurarono di venire ad attaccare Gerusalemme e crearvi tumulti.
3 Then too, Tobiah, an Ammonite, his assistant, said: “Let them build. When the fox climbs, he will leap over their stone wall.”	3 Ma noi invocammo il nostro Dio e ponemmo sentinelle contro di essi giorno e notte, a difesa dai loro attacchi.
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.	4 Giuda però cominciò a dire: "La forza del manovale viene meno, ed enormi sono le macerie: non saremo in grado di rialzare le mura!".
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.	5 I nostri nemici proclamavano: "Non s'accorgeranno di nulla né nulla vedranno fino a che noi piomberemo in mezzo a loro e li massacreremo; così metteremo fine all'impresa!".
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.	6 Per dieci volte ci vennero a dire i Giudei che abitavano in mezzo ad essi: "Salgono contro di noi da tutti i luoghi dove abitano!".
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.	7 Allora, nelle parti più basse del terreno, dietro le mura, io stabilii degli spiazzi e vi disposi il popolo per famiglie, con le loro spade, le lance e gli archi.
8 And they all gathered together, so that they might go forth and fight against Jerusalem, and so that they might prepare ambushes.	8 E come ebbi ispezionato bene mi alzai e dissi ai notabili, ai magistrati e al resto del popolo: "Non temeteli! Ricordatevi del Signore grande e terribile. Combattete per i vostri fratelli, i vostri figli e le vostre figlie, per le vostre mogli e le vostre case!".
9 And we prayed to our God, and we stationed guards upon the wall, day and night, against them.	9 Quando i nostri nemici si accorsero che noi eravamo stati informati, Dio annientò il loro piano e noi tornammo tutti alle mura, ciascuno al suo compito.
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.”	10 Da quel giorno metà dei miei uomini s'occupava dei lavori e l'altra metà, muniti di lance, scudi, archi e corazze, assieme ai capi, stavano dietro a tutta la gente di Giuda.
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.”	11 Coloro che costruivano le mura, coloro che portavano, che caricavano, con una mano si occupavano dei lavori e con l'altra impugnavano l'arma.
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.	12 I costruttori, mentre lavoravano, portavano ciascuno la spada cinta ai fianchi. Accanto a me stava il suonatore di tromba.
13 So I stationed the people in order, in places behind the wall, all around it, with their swords, and lances, and bows.	13 Io dissi ai notabili, ai magistrati e al resto del popolo: "I lavori sono importanti ed estesi, mentre noi siamo dispersi lungo le mura, lontani uno dall'altro.
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.”	14 Orbene, da qualsiasi parte udrete il suono della tromba, radunatevi attorno a noi. Il nostro Dio combatterà per noi!".
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.	15 Così portavano avanti il lavoro, mentre una metà dei miei impugnava le lance dallo spuntare dell'aurora fino all'apparire delle stelle.
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.	16 In quella stessa occasione dissi pure al popolo: "Ciascuno passerà la notte dentro Gerusalemme, assieme ai suoi uomini; così saranno essi di guardia per noi durante la notte e di giorno al lavoro".
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.	17 D'altra parte, né io né i miei fratelli né i miei uomini né la gente di guardia che mi seguiva ci toglievamo i nostri vestiti. Ciascuno teneva nella destra la sua spada.
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.