The wordsדִּבְרֵיof Nehemiahנְחֶמְיָהthe sonבֶּןof Hacaliah.חֲכַלְיָהAnd it happenedוַיְהִיin the monthבְחֹדֶשׁof Chislev,כִּסְלֵיוin the twentiethעֶשְׂרִיםyear,שְׁנַתwhile Iוַאֲנִיwasהָיִיתִיin Susaבְּשׁוּשַׁןthe fortress,הַבִּירָה
that Hanani,חֲנָנִיoneאֶחָדof my brothers,מֵאַחַיcame,וַיָּבֹאheהוּאand some menוַאֲנָשִׁיםfrom Judah;מִיהוּדָהand I asked themוָאֶשְׁאָלֵםaboutעַלthe Jews,הַיְּהוּדִיםthe escapeesהַפְּלֵיטָהwhoאֲשֶׁרhad been leftנִשְׁאֲרוּfromמִןthe captivity,הַשֶּׁבִיand aboutוְעַלJerusalem.יְרוּשָׁלִָם
And they saidוַיֹּאמְרוּto me,לִי“Those who remain,הַנִּשְׁאָרִיםwhoאֲשֶׁרhave been leftנִשְׁאֲרוּfromמִןthe captivityהַשְּׁבִיthereשָׁםin the province,בַּמְּדִינָהare in greatבְּ גְדֹלָהtroubleרָעָהand in reproach;וּבְחֶרְפָּהand the wallוְחוֹמַתof Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַםis full of breaches,מְפֹרָצֶתand its gatesוּשְׁעָרֶיהָhave been set on fire.”נִצְּתוּ בָאֵשׁ
And when I heardוַיְהִי כְּשָׁמְעִיtheseהָאֵלֶּהwords,הַדְּבָרִיםI sat downיָשַׁבְתִּיand weptוָאֶבְכֶּהand mournedוָאֶתְאַבְּלָהfor days;יָמִיםand I wasוָאֱהִיfastingצָםand prayingוּמִתְפַּלֵּלbeforeלִפְנֵיthe Elohimאֱלֹהֵיof the heavens.הַשָּׁמָיִם
And I said,וָאֹמַר“I beg you,אָנָּאYHWH,יְהוָהthe Elohimאֱלֹהֵיof the heavens,הַשָּׁמַיִםthe greatהַגָּדוֹלand fearsomeוְהַנּוֹרָאEl,הָאֵלwho keepsשֹׁמֵרthe covenantהַבְּרִיתand loyal loveוָחֶסֶדfor those who love himלְאֹהֲבָיוand for those who keepוּלְשֹׁמְרֵיhis commandments,מִצְוֺתָיו
let your ear,תְּהִי אָזְנְךָI beg you,נָאbe attentiveקַשֶּׁבֶתand your eyesוְעֵינֶיךָopenפְתֻוּחוֹתto hearלִשְׁמֹעַthe prayerאֶל תְּפִלַּתof your servant,עַבְדְּךָwhichאֲשֶׁרIאָנֹכִיam prayingמִתְפַּלֵּלbefore youלְפָנֶיךָtoday,הַיּוֹםdayיוֹמָםand night,וָלַיְלָהforעַלthe sonsבְּנֵיof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyour servants,עֲבָדֶיךָand confessingוּמִתְוַדֶּהthe sinsעַל חַטֹּאותof the sonsבְּנֵיof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלwhichאֲשֶׁרwe have sinnedחָטָאנוּagainst you;לָךְand Iוַאֲנִיand my father’s houseוּבֵית אָבִיhave sinned.חָטָאנוּ
We have acted very badlyחֲבֹל חָבַלְנוּagainst youלָךְand have notוְלֹאkeptשָׁמַרְנוּthe commandmentsהַמִּצְוֺתand the statutesוְ הַחֻקִּיםand the rulesוְ הַמִּשְׁפָּטִיםthatאֲשֶׁרyou commandedצִוִּיתָMosesמֹשֶׁהyour servant.עַבְדֶּךָ
Remember,זְכָרI beg you,נָאthe wordהַדָּבָרthatאֲשֶׁרyou commandedצִוִּיתָMosesמֹשֶׁהyour servant,עַבְדְּךָsaying,לֵאמֹר‘If youאַתֶּםare unfaithful,תִּמְעָלוּIאֲנִיwill scatterאָפִיץyouאֶתְכֶםamong the peoples;בָּעַמִּים
and if you returnוְשַׁבְתֶּםto meאֵלַיand keepוּשְׁמַרְתֶּםmy commandmentsמִצְוֺתַיand doוַעֲשִׂיתֶםthem,אֹתָםthoughאִםyour banished onesנִדַּחֲכֶםareיִהְיֶהat the endבִּקְצֵהof the heavens,הַשָּׁמַיִםfrom thereמִשָּׁםI will gather themאֲקַבְּצֵםand bring themוַהֲבִיאוֹתִיםtoאֶלthe placeהַמָּקוֹםthatאֲשֶׁרI have chosenבָּחַרְתִּיto make my name dwellלְשַׁכֵּן שְׁמִיthere.’שָׁם
And theyוְהֵםare your servantsעֲבָדֶיךָand your people,וְעַמֶּךָwhomאֲשֶׁרyou ransomedפָּדִיתָby your greatבְּ ךָ הַגָּדוֹלpowerכֹחֲand by your strongוּבְ ךָ הַחֲזָקָהhand.יָדְ
I beg you,אָנָּאAdonai,אֲדֹנָיlet your ear,תְּהִי אָזְנְךָI beg you,נָאbe attentiveקַשֶּׁבֶתtoאֶלthe prayerתְּפִלַּתof your servantעַבְדְּךָand toוְאֶלthe prayerתְּפִלַּתof your servantsעֲבָדֶיךָwho delightהַחֲפֵצִיםto fearלְיִרְאָהyour name;שְׁמֶךָand give success,וְהַצְלִיחָהI beg you,נָּאto your servantלְעַבְדְּךָtoday,הַיּוֹםand grant himוּתְנֵהוּmercyלְרַחֲמִיםbeforeלִפְנֵיthisהַזֶּהman.”הָאִישׁNow Iוַאֲנִיwasהָיִיתִיcupbearerמַשְׁקֶהto the king.לַמֶּלֶךְ