1 كلام نحميا بن حكليا. حدث في شهر كسلو في السنة العشرين بينما كنت في شوشن القصر2 انه جاء حناني واحد من اخوتي هو ورجال من يهوذا فسألتهم عن اليهود الذين نجوا الذين بقوا من السبي وعن اورشليم.3 فقالوا لي ان الباقين الذين بقوا من السبي هناك في البلاد هم في شر عظيم وعار. وسور اورشليم منهدم وابوابها محروقة بالنار.4 فلما سمعت هذا الكلام جلست وبكيت ونحت اياما وصمت وصلّيت امام اله السماء5 وقلت ايها الرب اله السماء الاله العظيم المخوف الحافظ العهد والرحمة لمحبّيه وحافظي وصاياه6 لتكن اذنك مصغية وعيناك مفتوحتين لتسمع صلاة عبدك الذي يصلّي اليك الآن نهارا وليلا لاجل بني اسرائيل عبيدك ويعترف بخطايا بني اسرائيل التي اخطأنا بها اليك فاني انا وبيت ابي قد اخطأنا.7 لقد افسدنا امامك ولم نحفظ الوصايا والفرائض والاحكام التي أمرت بها موسى عبدك.8 اذكر الكلام الذي امرت به موسى عبدك قائلا ان خنتم فاني افرقكم في الشعوب9 وان رجعتم اليّ وحفظتم وصاياي وعملتموها ان كان المنفيون منكم في اقصاء السموات فمن هناك اجمعهم وآتي بهم الى المكان الذي اخترت لاسكان اسمي فيه.10 فهم عبيدك وشعبك الذي افتديت بقوتك العظيمة ويدك الشديدة.11 يا سيد لتكن اذنك مصغية الى صلاة عبدك وصلاة عبيدك الذين يريدون مخافة اسمك. واعط النجاح اليوم لعبدك وامنحه رحمة امام هذا الرجل. لاني كنت ساقيا للملك

1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,2 That Hanani, one of my brothers, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.3 And they said to me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,5 And said, I beseech you, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keeps covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:6 Let your ear now be attentive, and your eyes open, that you may hear the prayer of your servant, which I pray before you now, day and night, for the children of Israel your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against you: both I and my father' house have sinned.7 We have dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which you commanded your servant Moses.8 Remember, I beseech you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, If you transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:9 But if you turn to me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out to the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen to set my name there.10 Now these are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power, and by your strong hand.11 O LORD, I beseech you, let now your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who desire to fear your name: and prosper, I pray you, your servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king' cupbearer.