Nehemiah 1
1:1The words of Nehemiah son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, that I was in Susa Abira.
1:2And there came Hanani one of my brethren, he and the men of Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews, of the ones having survived, the ones left behind from the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
1:3And they said to me, The ones remaining behind surviving from the captivity there in the place are among great wickedness, and in scorning; and the walls of Jerusalem are being demolished, and its gates were burnt by fire.
1:4And it came to pass in my hearing these words, I sat and wept and mourned for days, and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
1:5And I said, O indeed, O lord God of heaven, the strong and great and fearful one, guarding the covenant and the mercy to the ones loving him and to the ones guarding his commandments.
1:6Let it be indeed your ear heeds, and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant! which I pray before you today's day and night, for the sons of Israel your servants. And I declare openly concerning the sins of the sons of Israel, in which we sinned against you; both I and the house of my father sinned.
1:7In parting, we parted from you, and we guarded not the commandments, and the orders, and the judgments, which you gave charge to Moses your servant.
1:8Remember indeed! the word which you gave charge to Moses, to your servant, saying, If You should break contract, I shall disperse you among the peoples.
1:9But if you should return to me, and should guard my commandments, and observe them; and if your dispersion might be unto the tip of the heaven, from there I will gather them, and I will bring them into the place which I chose to encamp my name there.
1:10And they are your children and your people, whom you ransomed by your great power, and by your fortified hand.
1:11Indeed, O lord, let be your ear heeding to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your children! of the ones wanting to fear your name. And prosper the way indeed of your servant today, and give him for compassions before this man! And I was a wine server to the king.