1:1  THE WORDS {or} story of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: Now in the month of Chislev in the twentieth year [of the Persian king], as I was in the castle of Shushan,

1:2  Hanani, one of my kinsmen, came with certain men from Judah, and I asked them about the surviving Jews who had escaped exile, and about Jerusalem.

1:3  And they said to me, The remnant there in the province who escaped exile are in great trouble and reproach; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its [fortified] gates are destroyed by fire.

1:4  When I heard this, I sat down and wept and mourned for days and fasted and prayed [constantly] before the God of heaven,

1:5  And I said, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, Who keeps covenant, loving-kindness, {and} mercy for those who love Him and keep His commandments,

1:6  Let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to listen to the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You day and night for the Israelites, Your servants, confessing the sins of the Israelites which we have sinned against You. Yes, I and my father's house have sinned.

1:7  We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, statutes, and ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses.

1:8  Remember [earnestly] what You commanded Your servant Moses: If you transgress {and} are unfaithful, I will scatter you abroad among the nations;

1:9  But if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the farthest part of the heavens [the expanse of outer space], yet will I gather them from there and will bring them to the place in which I have chosen to set My Name.

1:10  Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand.

1:11  O Lord, let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere {and} fear Your name (Your nature and attributes); and prosper, I pray You, Your servant this day and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was cupbearer to the king.