And it happenedוַיְהִיin the monthבְּחֹדֶשׁof Nisan,נִיסָןin the twentiethעֶשְׂרִיםyearשְׁנַתof Artaxerxesלְאַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּאthe king,הַמֶּלֶךְthat wineיַיִןwas before him,לְפָנָיוand I took upוָאֶשָּׂאthe wineהַיַּיִןand gave itוָאֶתְּנָהto the king;לַמֶּלֶךְand I had notוְלֹאbeenהָיִיתִיsadרַעbefore him.לְפָנָיו
And the kingוַ הַמֶּלֶךְsaidיֹּאמֶרto me,לִי“Whyמַדּוּעַis your faceפָּנֶיךָsad,רָעִיםsince youוְאַתָּהare notאֵינְךָsick?חוֹלֶהThis is nothingאֵין זֶהbutכִּי אִםsadnessרֹעַof heart.”לֵבAnd I was afraidוָאִירָאvery greatly.הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד
And I saidוָאֹמַרto the king,לַמֶּלֶךְ“May the kingהַמֶּלֶךְliveיִחְיֶהforever!לְעוֹלָםWhyמַדּוּעַshould my faceפָנַיnotלֹאbe sad,יֵרְעוּwhenאֲשֶׁרthe city,הָעִירthe houseבֵּיתof the tombsקִבְרוֹתof my fathers,אֲבֹתַיlies in ruins,חֲרֵבָהand its gatesוּשְׁעָרֶיהָhave been consumedאֻכְּלוּby fire?”בָאֵשׁ
And the kingוַ הַמֶּלֶךְsaidיֹּאמֶרto me,לִי“Whatעַל מַהis itזֶּהthat youאַתָּהare seeking?”מְבַקֵּשׁSo I prayedוָאֶתְפַּלֵּלtoאֶלthe Elohimאֱלֹהֵיof the heavens,הַשָּׁמָיִם
and I saidוָאֹמַרto the king,לַמֶּלֶךְ“Ifאִםto the kingעַל הַמֶּלֶךְit seems good,טוֹבand ifוְאִםyour servantעַבְדְּךָis pleasingיִיטַבbefore you,לְפָנֶיךָthatאֲשֶׁרyou send meתִּשְׁלָחֵנִיtoאֶלJudah,יְהוּדָהtoאֶלthe cityעִירof the tombsקִבְרוֹתof my fathers,אֲבֹתַיso that I may build it.”וְאֶבְנֶנָּה
And the kingוַ הַמֶּלֶךְsaidיֹּאמֶרto me,לִיwith the queenוְהַשֵּׁגַלsittingיוֹשֶׁבֶתbeside him,אֶצְלוֹ“How longעַד מָתַיwill your journeyמַהֲלָכֲךָbe,יִהְיֶהand whenוּמָתַיwill you return?”תָּשׁוּבAnd it seemed goodוַיִּיטַבbeforeלִפְנֵיthe king,הַמֶּלֶךְand he sent me,וַיִּשְׁלָחֵנִיand I gaveוָאֶתְּנָהhimלוֹa set time.זְמָן
And I saidוָאוֹמַרto the king,לַמֶּלֶךְ“Ifאִםto the kingעַל הַמֶּלֶךְit seems good,טוֹבlet lettersאִגְּרוֹתbe givenיִתְּנוּto meלִיforעַלthe governorsפַּחֲווֹתof the other sideעֵבֶרof the river,הַנָּהָרthatאֲשֶׁרthey may let me passיַעֲבִירוּנִיuntilעַד אֲשֶׁרI comeאָבוֹאtoאֶלJudah,יְהוּדָה
and a letterוְאִגֶּרֶתtoאֶלAsaph,אָסָףkeeperשֹׁמֵרof the parkהַפַּרְדֵּסthatאֲשֶׁרbelongs to the king,לַמֶּלֶךְthatאֲשֶׁרhe may giveיִתֶּןmeלִיtimberעֵצִיםto make beams forלְקָרוֹתthe gatesשַׁעֲרֵיof the fortressהַבִּירָהthatאֲשֶׁרbelongs to the house,לַבַּיִתand for the wallוּלְחוֹמַתof the city,הָעִירand for the houseוְלַבַּיִתthatאֲשֶׁרI will go into.”אָבוֹא אֵלָיוAnd the kingוַ הַמֶּלֶךְgranted itיִּתֶּןto me,לִיaccording to the goodכְּ הַטּוֹבָהhandיַדof my Elohimאֱלֹהַיupon me.עָלָי
And I cameוָאָבוֹאtoאֶלthe governorsפַּחֲווֹתof the other sideעֵבֶרof the riverהַנָּהָרand gaveוָאֶתְּנָהthemלָהֶםthe lettersאִגְּרוֹתof the king.הַמֶּלֶךְAnd the kingוַ הַמֶּלֶךְhad sentיִּשְׁלַחwith meעִמִּיcommandersשָׂרֵיof troopsחַיִלand horsemen.וּפָרָשִׁים
And Sanballatוַ סַנְבַלַּטthe Horoniteהַחֹרֹנִיand Tobiahוְטוֹבִיָּהthe servant,הָעֶבֶדthe Ammonite,הָעַמֹּנִיheard,יִּשְׁמַעand it seemed to themוַיֵּרַע לָהֶםa greatגְדֹלָהevilרָעָהthatאֲשֶׁרa manאָדָםhad comeבָּאto seekלְבַקֵּשׁthe goodטוֹבָהof the sonsלִבְנֵיof Israel.יִשְׂרָאֵל
And I cameוָאָבוֹאtoאֶלJerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִָםand wasוָאֱהִיthereשָׁםthreeשְׁלֹשָׁהdays.יָמִים
And I aroseוָאָקוּםat night,לַיְלָהIאֲנִיand a fewוַ מְעַטmenאֲנָשִׁיםwith me;עִמִּיand I did notוְלֹאtellהִגַּדְתִּיanyoneלְאָדָםwhatמָהmy Elohimאֱלֹהַיwas puttingנֹתֵןintoאֶלmy heartלִבִּיto doלַעֲשׂוֹתfor Jerusalem;לִירוּשָׁלִָםand there was noוּ אֵיןbeastבְהֵמָהwith meעִמִּיexceptכִּי אִםthe beastהַבְּהֵמָהthatאֲשֶׁרIאֲנִיwas riding.רֹכֵב בָּהּ
And I went outוָאֵצְאָהby the Valleyבְ הַגַּיאGateשַׁעַרat night,לַיְלָהtowardוְאֶל פְּנֵיthe DragonהַתַּנִּיןFountainעֵיןand toוְאֶלthe DungהָאַשְׁפֹּתGate,שַׁעַרand I wasוָאֱהִיexaminingשֹׂבֵרthe wallsבְּחוֹמֹתof Jerusalem,יְרוּשָׁלִַםwhichאֲשֶׁר הֵםwere full of breaches,פְּרוּצִיםand its gates,וּשְׁעָרֶיהָconsumedאֻכְּלוּby fire.בָאֵשׁ
Then I passed onוָאֶעֱבֹרtoאֶלthe FountainהָעַיִןGateשַׁעַרand toוְאֶלthe King’sהַמֶּלֶךְPool,בְּרֵכַתand there was noוְאֵיןplaceמָקוֹםfor the beastלַבְּהֵמָהthat was under meתַּחְתָּיto pass.לַעֲבֹר
And I wasוָאֱהִיgoing upעֹלֶהby the ravineבַנַּחַלat night,לַיְלָהand I wasוָאֱהִיexaminingשֹׂבֵרthe wall;בַּחוֹמָהand I turned backוָאָשׁוּבand came inוָאָבוֹאby the Valleyבְּ הַגַּיְאGate,שַׁעַרand returned.וָאָשׁוּב
And the officialsוְהַסְּגָנִיםdid notלֹאknowיָדְעוּwhereאָנָהI had goneהָלַכְתִּיor whatוּמָהIאֲנִיwas doing;עֹשֶׂהand to the Jewsוְלַיְּהוּדִיםand to the priestsוְלַכֹּהֲנִיםand to the noblesוְלַחֹרִיםand to the officialsוְלַסְּגָנִיםand to the restוּלְיֶתֶרof those doingעֹשֵׂהthe workהַמְּלָאכָהuntilעַדthenכֵּןI had notלֹאtold it.הִגַּדְתִּי
Then I saidוָאוֹמַרto them,אֲלֵהֶם“Youאַתֶּםseeרֹאִיםthe troubleהָרָעָהthatאֲשֶׁרweאֲנַחְנוּare in,בָהּhowאֲשֶׁרJerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַםlies in ruinsחֲרֵבָהand its gatesוּשְׁעָרֶיהָhave been set on fire.נִצְּתוּ בָאֵשׁComeלְכוּand let us buildוְנִבְנֶהthe wallחוֹמַתof Jerusalem,יְרוּשָׁלִַםso that we may no longerוְלֹא עוֹדbeנִהְיֶהa reproach.”חֶרְפָּה
And I toldוָאַגִּידthemלָהֶםof the handיַדof my Elohimאֱלֹהַיthatאֲשֶׁרhad beenהִיאgoodטוֹבָהupon me,עָלַיand alsoוְאַףof the wordsדִּבְרֵיof the kingהַמֶּלֶךְthatאֲשֶׁרhe had spokenאָמַרto me.לִיAnd they said,וַיֹּאמְרוּ“Let us ariseנָקוּםand build.”וּבָנִינוּSo they strengthenedוַיְחַזְּקוּtheir handsיְדֵיהֶםfor the good.לַטּוֹבָה
But Sanballatוַ סַנְבַלַּטthe Horoniteהַחֹרֹנִיand Tobiahוְטֹבִיָּהthe servant,הָעֶבֶדthe Ammonite,הָעַמּוֹנִיand Geshemוְגֶשֶׁםthe Arabהָעַרְבִיheard of it,יִּשְׁמַעand they mockedוַיַּלְעִגוּusלָנוּand despisedוַיִּבְזוּus,עָלֵינוּand said,וַיֹּאמְרוּ“Whatמָהis thisהַזֶּהthingהַדָּבָרthatאֲשֶׁרyouאַתֶּםare doing?עֹשִׂיםAre you rebellingהַ אַתֶּם מֹרְדִיםagainstעַלthe king?”הַמֶּלֶךְ
And I returnedוָאָשִׁיבa wordדָּבָרto themאוֹתָםand saidוָאוֹמַרto them,לָהֶם“The Elohimאֱלֹהֵיof the heavens,הַשָּׁמַיִםheהוּאwill give us success,יַצְלִיחַ לָנוּand weוַאֲנַחְנוּhis servantsעֲבָדָיוwill ariseנָקוּםand build;וּבָנִינוּbut youוְלָכֶםhave noאֵיןportionחֵלֶקor rightוּצְדָקָהor memorialוְזִכָּרוֹןin Jerusalem.”בִּירוּשָׁלִָם