1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. 4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: 5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. 6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
7 ¶ But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, 8 And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. 9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. 10 And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. 11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. 12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you .
13 ¶ Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. 15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
16 And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. 17 They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. 18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
19 ¶ And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. 20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us. 21 So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. 22 Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day. 23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.
1 Kad nu Sanballats dzirdēja, ka mēs ceļam mūri, tad viņš kļuva dusmīgs un ļoti saskaitās un zobojās par jūdiem.
2 Un viņš runāja savu ciltsbrāļu un Samarijas karaspēka priekšā un sacīja: „Ko grib šie nožēlojamie jūdi? Vai viņiem to tā atļaus? Vai viņi tiešām kādreiz nesīs atkal savus pateicības upurus? Vai viņi reiz būs ar saviem darbiem galā? Vai viņi grib lasīt ārā no pelnu kaudzēm un no jauna likt lietā akmeņus, kas jau sen sadedzināti?“
3 Bet amonietis Tobija, kas stāvēja viņam līdzās, sacīja: „Lai viņi ceļ ko celdami, ja lapsa uzkāps uz tā, tā sagraus viņu akmeņu mūri!“
4 Dzirdi, mūsu Dievs, kā mēs esam kļuvuši par apsmieklu! Liec nākt izsmieklam uz viņu pašu galvām, dodi, lai viņi tiek izlaupīti zemē, kur viņus tur gūstniecībā!
5 Un neapsedz viņu noziegumus un neizdzēs viņu grēkus savu acu priekšā, jo ar savām darbu darītāju nievām viņi Tevi ir kaitinājuši!
6 Bet mēs cītīgi turpinājām darbu, un kad viss mūris līdz pusaugstumam bija veikts, tad tautai radās jauna darba drosme un rosme.
7 Bet kad Sanballats un Tobija, kā arī arabieši un amonieši un asdodieši dzirdēja, ka Jeruzālemes mūru labošana un atjaunošana sokas, ka plaisas sāk aizvērties, tad viņi kļuva ļoti dusmīgi
8 Un visi kopā sazvērējās, ka viņi došoties, lai uzbruktu Jeruzālemei un celtu tajā sajukumu.
9 Tad mēs lūdzām savu Dievu un izlikām sargus pret viņiem dienu un nakti.
10 Bet Jūdas ļaudis sacīja: „Nastu nesēju spēks zūd, un drupu ir daudz, un mēs nespējam vairs strādāt gar mūri!“
11 Savukārt mūsu pretinieki teica: „Viņiem nekas nav jāredz, līdz kamēr mēs būsim nonākuši viņu vidū un kausim viņus un izbeigsim celšanas darbus!“
12 Kad jūdi, kas dzīvoja kaimiņos ar viņiem, atnāca, tad viņi stāstīja mums desmitām reižu: „No visām pusēm, kur vien viņi dzīvo, viņi taisās brukt mums virsū.“
13 Tad es novietoju aiz mūra zemākajās vietās ļaudis pēc ciltīm ar zobeniem, šķēpiem un stopiem.
14 Kādas apskates laikā es uzstājos ar runu un sacīju dižciltīgajiem un priekšniekiem un pārējai tautai: „Nebīstieties no viņiem! Atcerieties to Kungu,, kas ir liels un bijājams, un cīnieties par saviem brāļiem, saviem dēliem, savām meitām, savām sievām un savām mājām!“
15 Kad mūsu ienaidnieki dzirdēja, ka lieta mums kļuvusi zināma, un ka Dievs viņu nodomu ir izjaucis, tad mēs visi atgriezāmies pie mūra, katrs pie sava darba.
16 No tās dienas puse manu kalpu strādāja gar celšanas darbu un otra puse turēja šķēpus, vairogus, stopus un bruņas, un virsnieki bija aiz visa Jūdas nama,
17 Kas strādāja gar mūri. Un nastu nesēji strādāja, ar vienu roku kraudami, kamēr otra turēja metamo šķēpu.
18 Un cēlēji, kamēr cēla, bija apjozti ar savu zobenu ap gurniem. Un līdzās man stāvēja taurētāji.
19 Tad es sacīju labiešiem, priekšniekiem un pārējai tautai: „Darbs ir liels, un plašs, un mēs uz mūra esam tālu cits no cita atšķirti.
20 Tanī vietā, kur jūs dzirdēsit taures skaņu, tur sapulcējieties pie mums. Mūsu Dievs cīnīsies par mums!“
21 Tā mēs veicām mūpu darbu, un proti tā, ka puse no mums turēja gatavībā šķēpus no rīta ausmas sākuma, līdz kamēr vakarā parādījās zvaigznes.
22 Tajā laikā es arī pavēlēju tautai: „Ikviens vīrs un viņa kalps lai pavada nakti Jeruzālemē, lai viņi būtu mums nakti sardzei un dienu darbam.“
23 Tā nedz es, nedz mani brāļi, nedz mani kalpi, nedz sardzes vīri, kas bija aiz manis, neviens no mums gandrīz nekad nenovilka savas drēbes. Ikviens turēja ieroci savā rokā.
