1 And it came to pass when Sanballat, and Tobijah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it (though at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates),2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down. Why should the work cease, whilst I leave it and come down to you?4 And they sent to me four times after this sort; and I answered them in the same manner.5 Then sent Sanballat his servant to me in this manner the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand,6 in which was written: It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says {it, that} thou and the Jews think to rebel, for which cause thou buildest the wall, and according to these words thou wilt become their king.7 And thou hast also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning thee at Jerusalem saying, There is a king in Judah! And now it will be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.8 And I sent to him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.9 For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be slackened from the work, that it be not carried out. -Now therefore strengthen my hands!10 And I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabeel, who had shut himself up. And he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple; for they are coming to kill thee; even in the night are they coming to kill thee.11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, could go into the temple, and live? I will not go in.12 And I perceived, and behold, God had not sent him; for he pronounced this prophecy against me; and Tobijah and Sanballat had hired him.13 Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have wherewith to spread an evil report, that they might reproach me.14 My God, remember Tobijah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets who would have put me in fear.15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.16 And it came to pass that when all our enemies heard {of it}, all the nations that were about us were afraid and were much cast down in their own eyes, and they perceived that this work was wrought by our God.17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobijah, and those of Tobijah came to them.18 For there were many in Judah sworn to him; for he was a son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.19 Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. {And} Tobijah sent letters to put me in fear.

1 En toe Sanb llat en Tob¡a en Gesem, die Arabier, en ons ander vyande verneem dat ek die muur gebou het en dat daar geen skeur in oorgebly het nie, alhoewel ek tot die tyd toe geen deure in die poorte gesit het nie,2 laat Sanb llat en Gesem my weet: Kom laat ons bymekaarkom in een van die dorpe, in die laagte van Ono; maar hulle het gemeen om my kwaad aan te doen.3 Toe stuur ek boodskappers na hulle om te sê: Ek doen 'n groot werk, sodat ek nie kan afkom nie. Waarom moet die werk ophou sodra ek dit verlaat om na julle af te kom?4 Nog vier keer het hulle op dieselfde manier na my gestuur, en ek hulle op dieselfde manier geantwoord.5 Daarop stuur Sanb llat op dieselfde manier vir die vyfde keer sy dienaar na my met 'n ope brief in sy hand.6 Daarin was geskrywe: Die gerug gaan rond onder die volke, en Gasmu sê: Jy en die Jode is van plan om te rebelleer; daarom bou jy die muur, en jy sal hulle koning word -- dergelike dinge.7 Ook het jy profete aangestel om van jou in Jerusalem uit te roep en te sê: Koning in Juda! En nou, sulke dinge sal deur die koning gehoor word; kom dan nou en laat ons saam beraadslaag!8 Maar ek het hom laat weet: Daar het nie sulke dinge gebeur as die waar jy van spreek nie, maar jy het dit self versin.9 Want hulle almal wou ons bang maak en het gedink: Hulle hande sal die werk laat lê, sodat dit nie gedoen word nie. Versterk dan nou my hande!10 En toe ek in die huis van Sem ja, die seun van Del ja, die seun van Mehet beël kom, terwyl hy verhinder was, sê hy: Laat ons saamkom in die huis van God, binne-in die tempel, en laat ons die deure van die tempel toesluit; want hulle kom om u dood te maak, ja, hulle sal in die nag kom om u dood te maak.11 Maar ek het gesê: Sal 'n man soos ek vlug? En hoe durf een soos ek die tempel ingaan en in die lewe bly? Ek sal nie ingaan nie.12 Want ek het duidelik gemerk dat God hom nie gestuur het nie, maar dat hy die profesie oor my gespreek het, omdat Tob¡a en Sanb llat hom gehuur het.13 Daarvoor was hy gehuur, dat ek bang sou word en so sou maak en sonde doen, sodat dit hulle as slegte gerug kon dien om my smaadheid aan te doen.14 Dink, my God, aan Tob¡a en aan Sanb llat volgens hierdie werke van hom, en ook aan No dja, die profetes, en die ander profete wat my wou bang maak.15 En die muur is voltooi op die vyf en twintigste van Elul, in twee en vyftig dae.16 En toe al ons vyande dit hoor, het al die nasies rondom ons bevrees geword en neerslagtig gevoel, en hulle het erken dat hierdie werk deur onse God gedoen is.17 Ook het in die dae die edeles van Juda baie briewe geskrywe wat na Tob¡a gegaan het, en die van Tob¡a het na hulle gekom.18 Want baie in Juda was deur 'n eed aan hom verbonde, omdat hy die skoonseun was van Seg nja, die seun van Arag, en sy seun Johanan die dogter van Mesullam, die seun van Ber,gja, getrou het.19 Ook het hulle voor my sy goeie bedoelings verhaal en my woorde na hom uitgebring. Tob¡a het briewe gestuur om my bang te maak.