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Book of Nehemias

Chapter 1 servant Moses.
8 Remember the word that thou command-
The words of Nehemias the son of Helchias. And edst to Moses thy servant, saying: If you shall
it came to pass in the month of Casleu, in the transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the
twentieth year, as I was in the castle of Susa, nations:
2 That Hanani one of my brethren came, he 9 But if you return to me, and keep my com-
and some men of Juda; and I asked them con- mandments, and do them, though you should be
cerning the Jews, that remained and were left of led away to the uttermost parts of the world, I
the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. will gather you from thence, and bring you back
3 And they said to me: They that have re- to the place which I have chosen for my name to
mained, and are left of the captivity there in the dwell there.
province, are in great affliction, and reproach: 10 And these are thy servants, and thy people:
and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and whom thou hast redeemed by thy great strength,
the gates thereof are burnt with fire. and by thy mighty hand.
4 And when I had heard these words, I sat 11 I beseech thee, O Lord, let thy ear be at-
down, and wept, and mourned for many days: tentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the
and I fasted, and prayed before the face of the prayer of thy servants who desire to fear thy
God of heaven. name: and direct thy servant this day, and give
5 And I said: I beseech thee, O Lord God of him mercy before this man. For I was the king’s
heaven, strong, great, and terrible, who keepest cupbearer.
covenant and mercy with those that love thee,
and keep thy commandments:
6 Let thy ears be attentive, and thy eyes open, Chapter 2
to hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray
before thee now, night and day, for the chil- And it came to pass in the month of Nisan, in
dren of Israel thy servants: and I confess the the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king: that
sins of the children of Israel, by which they have wine was before him, and I took up the wine, and
sinned against thee: I and my father’s house have gave it to the king: and I was as one languishing
sinned. away before his face.
7 We have been seduced by vanity, and have 2 And the king said to me: Why is thy coun-
not kept thy commandments, and ceremonies tenance sad, seeing thou dost not appear to be
and judgments, which thou hast commanded thy sick? this is not without cause, but some evil, I