Nehemiah 2

And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.

During the month of Nisan, in King Artaxerxes' twentieth year, I served him wine. I had never shown sadness in his presence before.

Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,

The king asked me, "Why do you look so sad? You're not ill, are you? This must be heartache." His words filled me with deep fear.

And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

The speaker pleaded with the king, "May you live forever, but how can I not be heartbroken? My ancestral city is in ruins, its gates charred by fire."

Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

Then the king asked me, "What do you want?" So, I whispered a prayer to the God in the heavens.

And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it.

I humbly asked the king, "If you find me worthy, please let me return to Judah, my ancestral city, so I can rebuild it."

And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

The king, with the queen by his side, asked me, "How long will your journey take? When will you be back?" Happy with my response, he agreed to let me go, and I gave him a date for my return.

Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;

I humbly asked the king, "If it suits you, could you provide me with letters for the governors across the river? These would ensure my safe passage until I reach Judah."

And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

I also asked for a letter to Asaph, the king's forester, so he would give me wood to make beams for the gates of the fortress by the temple, for the city wall, and for the house I would live in. And because God's kind hand was upon me, the king granted my requests.

Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.

I approached the leaders across the river, delivering the king's messages. The king, in his wisdom, had provided me with military escorts and horsemen for protection.

When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard that a man had come to help the children of Israel, they were deeply upset and distressed.

So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.

I arrived in Jerusalem, my heart heavy yet hopeful, and for three days, I soaked in its sacred aura.

And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.

In the quiet of the night, I stood up, accompanied by a handful of men. I kept to myself the divine mission God entrusted me for Jerusalem. I had no animal with me, except for the one I was riding.

And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.

In the stillness of the night, I ventured out through the valley gate, passing by the dragon well and the dung port. My heart ached as I beheld the once majestic walls of Jerusalem, now crumbled and broken. The gates, once vibrant and welcoming, were charred and lifeless from the ruthless fire.

Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king’s pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.

I journeyed towards the fountain gate and the king's pool, but found no path for my weary beast to tread.

Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.

In the quiet of the night, I walked by the stream, taking in the sight of the wall. I then turned around, passing through the valley gate, and made my way back.

And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.

No one, not the leaders, the Jews, the priests, the nobles, or the workers, knew where I was or what I was doing. I hadn't told anyone yet.

Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.

I told them, "Look at the pain we're in, see how Jerusalem is in ruins, its gates charred. Let's rebuild Jerusalem's wall, so we're no longer a symbol of disgrace."

Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.

I shared with them how God's loving hand had blessed me, and the encouraging words the king had spoken to me. Inspired, they said, "Let's stand together and build." And so, they bravely prepared themselves for this noble task.

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

When Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem heard our plans, they mocked us, belittled us, and questioned, "Are you really going to defy the king?" Their laughter stung, their scorn was palpable.

Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.

I responded to them, saying, "Our God in heaven will bless us. So, we, His servants, will stand up and build. But you, you have no share, no claim, no place in Jerusalem."