1 ه َذا هُوَ ما قالَهُ نَحَمْيا بْنُ حَكَلْيا: فِي شَهْرِ كَسلُو مِنَ السَّنَةِ العِشْرِينَ لِحُكْمِ المَلِكِ أرْتَحْشَسْتا، كُنْتُ فِي العاصِمَةِ شُوشَنَ.

Words of Nehemiah son of Hachaliah. And it cometh to pass, in the month of Chisleu, the twentieth year, and I have been in Shushan the palace,

2 ف َجاءَ حَنانِي، وَهُوَ أحَدُ إخْوَتِي، مَعَ بَعضِ رِجالٍ آخَرِينَ مِنْ يَهُوذا. فَسَألْتُهُمْ عَنْ العائِلاتِ اليَهُودِيَّةِ الَّتِي عادَتْ مِنَ الأسْرِ. وَسَألْتُهُمْ عَنِ القُدْسِ أيضاً.

and come in doth Hanani, one of my brethren, he and men of Judah, and I ask them concerning the Jews, the escaped part that have been left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem;

3 ف َأجابُونِي: «إنَّ الَّذِينَ فِي أرْضِ يَهُوذا مِنَ النّاجِينَ مِنَ الأسرِ فِي حالَةٍ مِنَ الضِّيقِ وَالعارِ العَظِيمَينِ، حَيثُ سُورُ القُدْسِ مُهَدَّمٌ، وَأبوابُها مَحْرُوقَةٌ بِالنّارِ!»

and they say to me, `Those left, who have been left of the captivity there in the province, in great evil, and in reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burnt with fire.'

4 ف َلَمّا سَمِعْتُ هَذا الكَلامَ، جَلَسْتُ وَبَكَيتُ وَنُحتُ أيّاماً كَثِيرَةً وَصُمْتُ وَصَلَّيْتُ لإلَهِ السَّماءِ.

And it cometh to pass, at my hearing these words, I have sat down, and I weep and mourn days, and I am fasting and praying before the God of the heavens.

5 و َقُلْتُ: «يا اللهُ ، يا إلَهَ السَّماواتِ، يا اللهُ المَهِيبُ الَّذِي يُحافِظُ عَلَى عَهْدِ مَحَبَّتِهِ وَإخلاصِهِ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَهُ وَيُطِيعُونَ وَصاياهُ،

And I say, `I beseech thee, O Jehovah, God of the heavens, God, the great and the fearful, keeping the covenant and kindness for those loving Him, and for those keeping His commands,

6 ا فتَحْ أُذُنَيكَ وَعَينَيكَ لِكَي تَسمَعَ صَلاتِي أنا عَبدَكَ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي أمامَكَ لَيلَ نَهارَ مِنْ أجلِ عَبِيدِكَ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ، وَيَعتَرِفُ بِخَطاياهُمْ ضِدَّكَ. أعْتَرِفُ أنَّنِي أنا وَبَيْتُ أبِي أخطَأْنا إلَيكَ.

let Thine ear be, I pray Thee, attentive, and Thine eyes open, to hearken unto the prayer of Thy servant, that I am praying before Thee to-day, by day and by night, concerning the sons of Israel Thy servants, and confessing concerning the sins of the sons of Israel, that we have sinned against Thee; yea, I and the house of my father have sinned;

7 و َقَدْ أسَأْنا إلَيكَ كَثِيراً، وَلَمْ نُطِعْ وَصاياكَ وَفَرائِضَكَ وَشَرائِعَكَ الَّتِي أعطَيتَها لِعَبدِكَ مُوسَى.

we have acted very corruptly against Thee, and have not kept the commands, and the statutes, and the judgments, that Thou didst command Moses Thy servant.

8 « تَذَكَّرْ أمرَكَ لِعَبْدِكَ مُوسَى حِينَ قُلْتَ: ‹إنْ لَمْ تَكُونُوا أُمَنَاءَ فَسَأُشَتِّتُكُمْ بَينَ الأُمَمِ.

`Remember, I pray Thee, the word that Thou didst command Moses Thy servant, saying, Ye -- ye trespass -- I scatter you among peoples;

9 أ مّا إذا رَجِعْتُمْ إلَيَّ، وَحَرِصْتُمْ عَلَى العَمَلِ بِوَصايايَ، حِينَئِذٍ، حَتَّى لَوْ كانَ المُشَتَّتُونَ مِنْكُمْ فِي آخِرِ الدُّنيا، فَسَأُلَملِمُهُمْ مِنْ هُناكَ، وَسَأُحْضِرُهُمْ إلَى المَكانِ الَّذِي اختَرْتُ أنْ يُعبَدَ فِيهِ اسْمِي.›

and ye have turned back unto Me, and kept My commands, and done them -- if your outcast is in the end of the heavens, thence I gather them, and have brought them in unto the place that I have chosen to cause My name to tabernacle there.

10 إ نَّهُمْ عَبِيدُكَ وَشَعبُكَ الَّذِي حَرَّرْتَهُمْ بِقُوَّتِكَ العَظِيمَةِ وَيَدِكَ القَوِيَّةِ!

And they Thy servants, and Thy people, whom Thou hast ransomed by Thy great power, and by Thy strong hand.

11 ي ا رَبُّ، لِتَنْتَبِهْ أُذُناكَ إلَى صَلاتِي أنا عَبْدَكَ، وَلِصَلاةِ جَمِيعِ عَبِيدِكَ الَّذِينَ يَجِدُونَ لَذَّةً فِي إكرامِكَ وَإجلالِ اسْمِكَ. فَوَفِّقِ اليَوْمَ عَبْدَكَ، لَعَلِّي أحظَى بِرِضَى المَلِكِ.» فَقَدْ كُنْتُ حِينَئِذٍ مَسؤُولاً عَنْ تَقدِيمِ الخَمْرِ لِلمَلِكِ.

`I beseech Thee, O Lord, let, I pray Thee, Thine ear be attentive unto the prayer of Thy servant, and unto the prayer of Thy servants, those delighting to fear Thy Name; and give prosperity, I pray Thee, to Thy servant to-day, and give him for mercies before this man;' and I have been butler to the king.