Nehemiah 4

1 Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews

1 参巴拉听说我们正在重建城墙，非常愤怒，就嘲笑犹太人，

2 before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?”

2 当着他的同僚和撒玛利亚军兵的面说：“这群弱小的犹太人在做什么呢？要重建城墙吗？要献祭吗？要在一日之间建好吗？要用废墟中烧过的石头来建造吗？”

3 Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!”

3 他身旁的亚扪人多比雅说：“他们建的石墙，一只狐狸上去就能踩倒！”

4 Hear us, O God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn back upon their own heads, and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity.

4 我祷告说：“我们的上帝啊，求你垂听，因为我们被人藐视。求你使他们对我们的凌辱归到他们自己头上，使他们被掳到外邦。

5 Do not cover up their iniquity or let their sin be blotted out from Your sight, for they have provoked the builders.

5 不要遮掩他们的恶行，也不要从你面前涂抹他们的罪恶，因为他们在这些建造的人面前惹你发怒。”

6 So we rebuilt the wall until all of it was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

6 众人全心做工，把整个城墙连接起来，高达原来的一半。

7 When Sanballat and Tobiah, together with the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they were furious,

7 参巴拉、多比雅、阿拉伯人、亚扪人和亚实突人听说耶路撒冷的城墙正在重建、缺口正在填补，非常愤怒，

8 and all of them conspired to come and fight against Jerusalem and create a hindrance.

8 便一起图谋袭击耶路撒冷，使城内混乱。

9 So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night.

9 但我们向我们的上帝祷告，并设立守卫昼夜防备他们。

10 Meanwhile, the people of Judah said: “The strength of the laborer fails, and there is so much rubble that we will never be able to rebuild the wall.”

10 犹大人说：“工人已经筋疲力尽，还有太多瓦砾有待清理，我们自己无法重建城墙。”

11 And our enemies said, “Before they know or see a thing, we will come into their midst, kill them, and put an end to the work.”

11 我们的敌人说：“我们要趁他们不知不觉，进入他们中间杀死他们，阻止他们的工作。”

12 At that time the Jews who lived nearby came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

12 靠近敌人居住的犹太人十次来告诉我们，说敌人会从各方来袭击我们 。

13 So I stationed men behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows.

13 于是，我按宗族派人手持刀剑、长矛和弓箭，守卫在城墙后面低洼的空地上。

14 After I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”

14 我察看形势后，起来对贵族、官员和其他民众说：“不要怕他们！要记住，主伟大而可畏。要为你们的兄弟、儿女、妻子和家园而战。”

15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall.

15 敌人听说我们知道了他们的阴谋，上帝已破坏他们的诡计，就没有来。我们回到城墙那里，继续各人的工作。

16 And from that day on, half of my servants did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers stationed themselves behind all the people of Judah

16 从那时起，我的仆人一半继续修筑城墙，一半身穿盔甲，手持长矛、盾牌和弓箭负责守卫。官长都站在修筑城墙的所有犹大人后面。

17 who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.

17 搬运工人一手工作，一手拿兵器。

18 And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me.

18 修筑城墙的人工作的时候都腰间佩刀。吹号的人在我旁边，

19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “The work is great and extensive, and we are spread out far from one another along the wall.

19 我对贵族、官员和其余的民众说：“这工程浩大，范围广阔，我们在城墙上相隔很远。

20 Wherever you hear the sound of the horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!”

20 因此你们无论在哪里听见号角声，都要聚到我们那里。我们的上帝必为我们争战！”

21 So we continued the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.

21 这样，从黎明直到星星出现，我们一直工作，有一半手持长矛守卫。

22 At that time I also said to the people, “Let every man and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.”

22 那时，我又吩咐众人各带仆人在耶路撒冷住宿。他们夜间可以帮我们守卫，白天帮我们工作。

23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the guards with me changed out of our clothes; each carried his weapon, even to go for water.

23 我和我的兄弟、仆人及跟从我的守卫都衣不解带，刀不离身 。