Nehemias hearing the miserable state of his countrymen in Jewry, 4. lamenteth, fasteth, and prayeth God for their relief.Nehemias hearing the miserable state of his countrie men in Iurie, 4. lamenteth, fasteth, and prayeth God for their relief.✦
The first part. Nehemias his commiseration of his country.The first part. Nehemias his commiseration of his countrie.
The words of Nehemias the son of Helchias. And it came to pass in the month of Casleu, the twentieth year, and I was in Susis the castle.THE wordes of Nehemias the sonne of Helchias. And it came to passe in the moneth of Casleu, the twenteth yeare, and I was in Susis the castel.✦Verba Nehemiæ filii Helchiæ. Et factum est in mense Casleu, anno vigesimo, et ego eram in Susis castro.
2And Hanani one of my brethren came, himself and men of Juda, and I asked them of the Jews, that remained, and were left alive of the captivity, and of Jerusalem.And Hanani one of my brethren came, him selfe and men of Iuda, and I asked them of the Iewes, that remayned, and were left aliue of the captiuitie, and of Ierusalem.✦Et venit Hanani, unus de fratribus meis, ipse et viri ex Juda : et interrogavi eos de Judæis qui remanserant, et supererant de captivitate, et Jerusalem.
3And they said to me. They that remained, and are left of the captivity there in the province, are in great affliction, and in reproach: and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire.And they sayd to me. They that remayned, and are left of the captiuitie there in the prouince, are in great affliction, and in reproche: and the wal of Ierusalem is broken downe, and the gates therof are burnt with fire.✦Et dixerunt mihi : Qui remanserunt, et relicti sunt de captivitate ibi in provincia, in afflictione magna sunt, et in opprobrio : et murus Jerusalem dissipatus est, et portæ ejus combustæ sunt igni.
4And when I had heard these manner of words, I sat, and wept, and mourned many days: and fasted, and prayed before the face of the God of heaven.And when I had heard these maner of wordes, I sate, and wept, and mourned many dayes: and fasted, and prayed before the face of the God of heauen.Cumque audissem verba hujuscemodi, sedi, et flevi, et luxi diebus multis : jejunabam, et orabam ante faciem Dei cæli :
5And I said: I beseech thee Lord God of heaven, strong, great, and terrible, which keepest covenant and mercy with them that love thee, and keep thy commandments:And I sayd: I beseech thee Lord God of heauen, strong, great, and terrible, which keepest couenant & mercie with them that loue thee, and keepe thy commandmentes:et dixi : Quæso, Domine Deus cæli fortis, magne atque terribilis, qui custodis pactum et misericordiam cum his qui te diligunt, et custodiunt mandata tua :
6let thine ears be hearkening, and thine eyes open, to hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee this day, night and day for the children of Israel thy servants: and I confess for the sins of the children of Israel, in which they have sinned to thee: I and my father's house have sinned,let thine eares be harkning, and thine eyes open, to heare the prayer of thy seruant, which I pray before thee this day, night & day for the children of Israel thy seruantes: and I confesse for the sinnes of the children of Israel, in which they haue sinned to thee: I & my fathers house haue sinned,fiant aures tuæ auscultantes, et oculi tui aperti, ut audias orationem servi tui, quam ego oro coram te hodie nocte et die pro filiis Israël servis tuis : et confiteor pro peccatis filiorum Israël, quibus peccaverunt tibi : ego et domus patris mei peccavimus,
7we have been seducti: led astray, deceived: not sexually enticed with vanitate: emptiness, falsehood, worthless things, and have not kept thy commandments, and ceremonies and judgement, which thou hast commanded to Moyses thy servant.we haue bene seduced with vanitie, and haue not kept thy commandments, and cerimonies and iudgement, which thou hast commanded to Moyses thy seruant.vanitate seducti sumus, et non custodivimus mandatum tuum, et cæremonias, et judicia quæ præcepisti Moysi famulo tuo.
8Remember the word, that thou didst command unto Moyses thy servant, saying: When you shall transgress, I will dispergam: scatter, disperse among you into peoples:Remember the word, that thou didst command vnto Moyses thy seruant, saying: When you shal transgresse, I will depresse you into peoples:Memento verbi quod mandasti Moysi servo tuo, dicens : Cum transgressi fueritis, ego dispergam vos in populos :
9and if you return to me, and keep my precepts, and do them, although you shall be led away to the uttermost parts of heaven, thence will I gather you, and bring you back into the place, which I have chosen that my name should dwell there.and if you returne to me, and keepe my precepts, and doe them, although you shal be led away to the vttermost partes of heauen, thence wil I gather you, and bring you backe into the place, which I haue chosen that my name should dwel there.✦et si revertamini ad me, et custodiatis præcepta mea, et faciatis ea : etiamsi abducti fueritis ad extrema cæli, inde congregabo vos, et reducam in locum quem elegi ut habitaret nomen meum ibi.
10And they are thy servants, and thy people: whom thou hast redeemed in thy great strength, and in thy mighty hand.And they are thy seruantes, and thy people: whom thou hast redemed in thy great strength, and in thy mighty hand.✦Et ipsi servi tui, et populus tuus, quos redemisti in fortitudine tua magna, et in manu tua valida.
11I beseech thee Lord, let thine ear be attendens: attentive, listening to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, which will fear thy name: and direct thy servant this day, and give him mercy before this man. for I was the king's cupbearer.I beseech thee Lord, let thine eare be attent to the prayer of thy seruant, and to the prayer of thy seruants, which will feare thy name: and direct thy seruant this day, and giue him mercy before this man. for I was the kings cupbearer.✦Obsecro, Domine, sit auris tua attendens ad orationem servi tui, et ad orationem servorum tuorum, qui volunt timere nomen tuum : et dirige servum tuum hodie, et da ei misericordiam ante virum hunc. Ego enim eram pincerna regis.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.