1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: 6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. 8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: 9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. 10 Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. 11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.

1 哈迦利亚的儿子尼希米的言行录： 亚达薛西王二十年基斯流月， 我在书珊宫中，

2 我的一位兄弟哈拿尼和几个人一起从犹大来到； 我询问他们关于那些从被掳逃脱的犹大余民和关于耶路撒冷的景况。

3 他们对我说： "那些从被掳剩下的余民， 在犹大省那里遭遇患难， 受到凌辱。耶路撒冷的城墙倒塌， 城门也被火烧毁。"

4 我听见了这些事， 就坐下哭泣， 悲伤了好几天， 在天上的 神面前禁食祷告，

5 说： "耶和华天上的 神， 伟大可畏的 神啊， 你向那些爱你， 遵守你诫命的人， 守约施慈爱。

6 求你侧着耳， 睁着眼的， 垂听你仆人的祷告， 我今天在你面前昼夜为着你的仆人以色列人祷告， 承认以色列人所犯的罪， 就是我与我父的家向你所犯的罪。

7 我们故意行极大的恶事得罪你， 没有遵守你吩咐你仆人摩西的诫命、律例和典章。

8 求你记念你吩咐你仆人摩西的话， 说： ‘你们若是不忠， 我就把你们分散在万民中。

9 但如果你们回心转意归向我， 谨守遵行我的诫命， 即使在你们被赶逐的天边， 我也必从那里把他们招聚回来， 带他们到我选择给我的名居住的地方那里去。’

10 这些都是你的仆人， 你的子民， 是你用你的大能和你强而有力的手所救赎的。

11 主啊， 求你留意听你仆人的祷告， 听那些喜爱敬畏你名的仆人的祷告； 求你使你的仆人今天顺利， 使他在这人面前蒙怜悯。"那时我是王的酒政。