Nehemiah 2

1And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, that I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.

1In the month of Nisan, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes' reign, when wine was served to him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence before.

2And the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid.

2So the king asked me, 'Why do you look so sad when you aren't sick? This can only be sadness of the heart.' Then I was very afraid.

3And I said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

3I said to the king, 'May the king live forever! Why should I not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?'

4Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

4The king asked me, 'What is it you are requesting?' Then I prayed to the God of heaven.

5And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it.

5I answered the king, 'If it pleases the king and if I have found favor in your sight, send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.'

6And the king said unto me (the queen also sitting by him), For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

6Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, 'How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?' It pleased the king to send me, so I gave him a specific time.

7Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the River, that they may let me pass through till I come unto Judah;

7I also said to the king, 'If it pleases the king, let me have letters for the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, so they will give me safe passage until I arrive in Judah.

8and a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the castle which appertaineth to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

8And let me have a letter for Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress by the temple, for the city wall, and for the house where I will live.' The king granted my requests because the gracious hand of my God was on me.

9Then I came to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen.

9Then I went to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and horsemen with me.

10And when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, for that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

10When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very upset that someone had come to help the people of Israel.

11So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.

11I arrived in Jerusalem and stayed there for three days.

12And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem; neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.

12I got up in the night, taking a few men with me. I hadn't told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no animals with me except the one I was riding.

13And I went out by night by the valley gate, even toward the jackal’s well, and to the dung gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.

13By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire.

14Then I went on to the fountain gate and to the king’s pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.

14Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my animal to get through.

15Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall; and I turned back, and entered by the valley gate, and so returned.

15So I went up the valley in the dark, inspecting the wall. Finally, I turned back and re-entered through the Valley Gate.

16And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.

16The local officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because I had not yet said anything to the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, or anyone else who would be doing the work.

17Then said I unto them, Ye see the evil case that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.

17Then I said to them, 'You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.'

18And I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me, as also of the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for the good work.

18I also told them how the gracious hand of my God had been on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, 'Let us start rebuilding.' So they prepared themselves for this good work.

19But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

19But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. They asked, 'What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?'

20Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.

20I answered them, 'The God of heaven will give us success. We, his servants, will start rebuilding, but you have no share, no legal right, and no historic claim in Jerusalem.'