| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1These are the words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: It so happened that in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year, I was in Susa the citadel. | 1These are the memoirs of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. Nehemiah’s Concern for Jerusalem In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was at the fortress of Susa. |
| 2Hanani, who was one of my relatives, along with some of the men from Judah, came to me, and I asked them about the Jews who had escaped and had survived the exile, and about Jerusalem. | 2Hanani, one of my brothers, came to visit me with some other men who had just arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had returned there from captivity and about how things were going in Jerusalem. |
| 3They said to me, "The remnant that remains from the exile there in the province are experiencing considerable adversity and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem lies breached, and its gates have been burned down!" | 3They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” |
| 4When I heard these things I sat down abruptly, crying and mourning for several days. I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. | 4When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven. |
| 5Then I said, "Please, O LORD God of heaven, great and awesome God, who keeps his loving covenant with those who love him and obey his commandments, | 5Then I said, “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, |
| 6may your ear be attentive and your eyes be open to hear the prayer of your servant that I am praying to you today throughout both day and night on behalf of your servants the Israelites. I am confessing the sins of the Israelites that we have committed against you--both I myself and my family have sinned. | 6listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! |
| 7We have behaved corruptly against you, not obeying the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments that you commanded your servant Moses. | 7We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses. |
| 8Please recall the word you commanded your servant Moses: 'If you act unfaithfully, I will scatter you among the nations. | 8“Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. |
| 9But if you repent and obey my commandments and do them, then even if your dispersed people are in the most remote location, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen for my name to reside.' | 9But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’ |
| 10They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your mighty strength and by your powerful hand. | 10“The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. |
| 11Please, O Lord, listen attentively to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who take pleasure in showing respect to your name. Grant your servant success today and show compassion to me in the presence of this man." Now I was cupbearer for the king. | 11O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” In those days I was the king’s cup-bearer. |
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