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 参巴拉听见我们修造城墙就发怒，大大恼恨，嗤笑犹大人，

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 对他弟兄和撒马利亚的军兵说：「这些软弱的犹大人做什么呢？要保护自己吗？要献祭吗？要一日成功吗？要从土堆里拿出火烧的石头再立墙吗？」

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 亚扪人多比雅站在旁边，说：「他们所修造的石墙，就是狐狸上去也必跐倒。」

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 我们的 神啊，求你垂听，因为我们被藐视。求你使他们的毁谤归于他们的头上，使他们在掳到之地作为掠物。

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

5 不要遮掩他们的罪孽，不要使他们的罪恶从你面前涂抹，因为他们在修造的人眼前惹动你的怒气。

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 这样，我们修造城墙，城墙就都连络，高至一半，因为百姓专心做工。

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、亚实突人听见修造耶路撒冷城墙，着手进行堵塞破裂的地方，就甚发怒。

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

8 大家同谋要来攻击耶路撒冷，使城内扰乱。

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

9 然而，我们祷告我们的 神，又因他们的缘故，就派人看守，昼夜防备。

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：「灰土尚多，扛抬的人力气已经衰败，所以我们不能建造城墙。」

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 我们的敌人且说：「趁他们不知不见，我们进入他们中间，杀他们，使工作止住。」

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

12 那靠近敌人居住的犹大人十次从各处来见我们，说：「你们必要回到我们那里。」

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 所以我使百姓各按宗族拿刀、拿枪、拿弓站在城墙后边低洼的空处。

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 我察看了，就起来对贵胄、官长，和其余的人说：「不要怕他们！当记念主是大而可畏的。你们要为弟兄、儿女、妻子、家产争战。」

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 仇敌听见我们知道他们的心意，见 神也破坏他们的计谋，就不来了。我们都回到城墙那里，各做各的工。

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 从那日起，我的仆人一半做工，一半拿枪、拿盾牌、拿弓、穿 铠甲，官长都站在犹大众人的后边。

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

17 修造城墙的，扛抬材料的，都一手做工一手拿兵器。

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

18 修造的人都腰间佩刀修造，吹角的人在我旁边。

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 我对贵胄、官长，和其余的人说：「这工程浩大，我们在城墙上相离甚远；

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

20 你们听见角声在哪里，就聚集到我们那里去。我们的 神必为我们争战。」

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

21 于是，我们做工，一半拿兵器，从天亮直到星宿出现的时候。

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，我又对百姓说：「各人和他的仆人当在耶路撒冷住宿，好在夜间保守我们，白昼做工。」

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 这样，我和弟兄仆人，并跟从我的护兵都不脱衣服，出去打水也带兵器。