Nehemiah 1

divre nekhemyah ben-khakhalyah vayehi vekhodesh-kislev shenat esrim va'ani hayiti beshushan habbirah

The narrative of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: In the month of Kislev of the twentieth year, when I was in the fortress of Shushan,

vayyavo khanani ekhad me'akhay hu va'anashim mihudah va'eshalem al-hayyehudim happeletah asher-nisharu min-hashevi ve'al-yerushalai͏m

Hanani, one of my brothers, together with some Judahites, arrived, and I asked them about the Jews, the remnant who had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem.

vayyomeru li hannisharim asher-nisharu min-hashevi sham bammedinah bera'ah gedolah uvekherpah vekhomat yerushalai͏m meforatset ushe'areha nitsetu va'esh

They replied, “The survivors who have survived the captivity there in the province are in dire trouble and disgrace; Jerusalem’s wall is full of breaches, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.”

vayehi keshomi et-haddevarim ha'elleh yashavti va'evkeh va'etabbelah yamim va'ehi tsam umitpallel lifne elohe hashamayim

When I heard that, I sat and wept, and was in mourning for days, fasting and praying to the God of Heaven.

va'omar anna Adonai elohe hashamayim ha'el haggadol vehannora shomer habberit vakhesed le'ohavayw uleshomere mitsvotayw

I said, “O ETERNAL One, God of Heaven, great and awesome God, who stays faithful to the covenant with those who show love and keep the commandments!

tehi na oznekha-qashevet ve'enekha fetukhot lishmoa el-tefillat avdekha asher anokhi mitpallel lefanekha hayyom yomam valaylah al-bene yisra'el avadekha umitvaddeh al-khattovt bene-yisra'el asher khatanu lakh va'ani uvet-avi khatanu

Let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open to receive the prayer of Your servant that I am praying to You now, day and night, on behalf of the Israelites, Your servants, confessing the sins that we Israelites have committed against You, sins that I and my father’s house have committed.

khavol khavalnu lakh velo-shamarnu et-hammitsvot ve'et-hakhuqqim ve'et-hammishpatim asher tsivvita et-mosheh avdekha

We have offended You by not keeping the commandments, the laws, and the rules that You gave to Your servant Moses.

zekhor-na et-haddavar asher tsivvita et-mosheh avdekha lemor attem timalu ani afits etkhem ba'ammim

Be mindful of the promise You gave to Your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples;

veshavtem elay ushemartem mitsvotay va'asitem otam im-yihyeh niddakhakhem biqtseh hashamayim misham aqabbetsem (vhvvtym) [vahavi'otim] el-hammaqom asher bakharti leshakken et-shemi sham

but if you turn back to Me, faithfully keep My commandments, even if your dispersed are at the ends of the earth, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I have chosen to establish My name.’

vehem avadekha ve'ammekha asher padita bekhokhakha haggadol uveyadekha hakhazaqah

For they are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and Your mighty hand.

anna adonay tehi na oznekha-qashevet el-tefillat avdekha ve'el-tefillat avadekha hakhafetsim leyirah et-shemekha vehatslikhah-nna le'avdekha hayyom utenehu lerakhamim lifne ha'ish hazzeh va'ani hayiti mashqeh lammelekh

O Lord! Let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to hold Your name in awe. Grant Your servant success today, and dispose his master to be compassionate toward him!” I was the king’s cupbearer at the time.