1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hakiliah.
And it happened in the month of Chislev,
in the twentieth
year,
and I was in Shushan in the palace.
2 Then came Hanani, one of my brothers,
him and some men from Judah.
So I asked them about the Jews who had escaped,
who remained from the Exile,
and about Jerusalem.
3 And they said to me,
"The remnant which remain from the Exile
there in the province
are in calamity and great reproach,
and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down,
and its gates are burned with fire."
4 And it happened when I heard these words,
that I sat down and wept,
and mourned for days,
and fasted and prayed
before the God of the heavens.
5 And I said,
"I pray, O Yahweh God of the heavens,
the great and awesome God,
who keeps covenant and loving kindness
with those who love him
and keep his commands."
6 "Let now your ear be attentive,
and your eyes open,
to hear the prayer of your servant
which I pray before you this day,
day and night,
for the children of Israel your servants,
and confess because of the sins children of Israel,
because we have sinned against you.
Both I and the house of my father have sinned.
7 And we have acted corruptly against you.
And we have not kept the commands,
nor the statutes, nor the judgments,
which you commanded Moses your servant.
8 Remember now the word
which you commanded Moses your servant, saying,
"If you trangress,
I will scatter you among the peoples.
9 But if you return to me,
and keep my commandments,
and do them,
though you were cast out to the ends of the heavens,
from there I will gather them,
and I will bring them to the place which I have chosen
to place my name there."
10 Now these are your servants and your people
whom you have redeemed
by your great power,
and by your strong hand.
11 I pray, O Lord,
let now your ear be attentive
to the prayer of your servant,
and to the prayer of your servants
who desire to revere your name.
And prosper now your servant this day,
and grant him mercy before this man."
Now I was a cupbearer to the king.