1 The account of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah. In the month of Kislev {kislev: Jewish calendar month}, in the twentieth year, I was in the citadel {birah: fortified palace} of Shushan.
2 And Chanani, one of my brothers, came—he and some men from Judah—and I questioned them about the Jews {yehudim: Judean community}, the remnant who had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem {Yerushalayim: holy city}.
3 And they said to me, “The survivors {hanish’arim: those remaining} who have been left from the captivity are in the province in great distress and reproach {cherpah: public shame}. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
4 And it happened that as I heard these words, I sat down and wept and I mourned {va’et’abbelah: expressed deep personal grief} for days, and I fasted and prayed before the God of the heavens {Elohei hashamayim, Supreme Ruler}.
5 And I said, “I beseech You, O LORD {YHWH, Heavenly Sovereign}, God of the heavens, the great and awesome God, who keeps the covenant {berit: binding agreement} and lovingkindness to those who love Him and to those who keep His commandments.”
6 Let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer {tefillah: earnest plea} of Your servant, which I am praying before You today, day and night, for the sons of Israel Your servants, and confessing concerning the sins {chatot: moral failures} of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father’s house have sinned.
7 We have acted most corruptly {chavalnu: intensifying wrongdoing} against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes {chukkim: enduring decrees}, or the judgments which You commanded Moses Your servant.
8 Remember now the word {davar: authoritative message} which You {YHWH, Covenant Enforcer} commanded Your servant Moses, saying, “If you act unfaithfully, I will scatter you among the nations.”
9 And if you return to Me {YHWH, Exile Restorer} and keep My commandments {mitzvotai: covenant obligations} and do them, though your outcasts are at the farthest end of the heavens, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place I have chosen for My name to dwell there.
10 And they are Your {YHWH, Powerful Deliverer} servants and Your people, whom You redeemed by Your great strength {koach: intense force} and by Your mighty hand.
11 Please, Lord {Adonai, Master of All}, let Your ear now be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name {shem: Revealed Character}. Make Your servant successful today, and grant Your servant compassion before this man. I was cupbearer to the king.