In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought before him, I picked up the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence before.

And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.

The king asked me, "Why do you look so sad? You are not ill. This can only be sadness of heart." I was very afraid.

Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,

But I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"

And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

The king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God of heaven,

Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

and I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, send me to Judah, to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I can rebuild it."

And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.

Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, "How long will your journey take, and when will you return?" It pleased the king to send me, so I set a time.

And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

I also said to the king, "If it pleases the king, may letters be given to me for the governors of the region beyond the Euphrates, so they will allow me to pass through until I arrive in Judah,

Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;

and may I have a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the royal forest, that he might give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress by the temple, for the city wall, and for the house I will occupy." And the king granted my requests, because the gracious hand of my God was on me.

And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

So I went to the governors of the region beyond the Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king also sent army officers and cavalry with me.

Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.

When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were deeply displeased that someone had come to seek the welfare of the Israelites.

When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

I arrived in Jerusalem and stayed there for three days.

So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.

Then I arose at night, along with a few men. I had not told anyone what my God had placed on my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no animals with me except the one I was riding on.

And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.

At night, I went out through the Valley Gate, toward the Dragon's Spring and the Dung Gate. I inspected the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and its gates, which had been consumed by fire.

And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.

I continued on to the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool, but there was no room for the animal I was riding to pass through.

Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.

So I went up the valley at night, inspecting the wall. Then I turned back and re-entered through the Valley Gate, returning the way I came.

Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.

The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, or any others who would be doing the work.

And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.

Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem is in ruins, and its gates have been burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we will no longer be a disgrace."

Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.

I told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, "Let us arise and build!" So they strengthened their hands for the good work.

Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.

But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arabian heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. They said, "What is this you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?"

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

I answered them, saying, "The God of heaven will give us success. We, his servants, will arise and build. But as for you, you have no share, no legal claim or historic right in Jerusalem."

Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.