1 Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) 2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. 3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? 4 Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner. 5 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand; 6 Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words. 7 And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together. 8 Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart. 9 For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God , strengthen my hands.
10 Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee. 11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there , that, being as I am , would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. 12 And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me. 14 My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
15 ¶ So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. 16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof , and all the heathen that were about us saw these things , they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
17 ¶ Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them. 18 For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. 19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
1 Kad Sanballats un Tobija, un arābs Gešems, un pārējie mūsu ienaidnieki dabūja zināt, ka es esmu uzcēlis mūri un ka nav palikušas tajā vairs plaisas, kaut gan līdz tam laikam vārtos durvis vēl nebija ieceltas, 2 tad Sanballats un Gešems sūtīja man ziņu, sacīdami: "Nāc, satiksimies Ha-Kafirima ciemā Ono līdzenumā!" Bet viņi domāja man darīt ļaunu. 3 Tad arī es sūtīju sūtņus pie viņiem un liku teikt: "Es daru lielu darbu un nevaru iet. Darbs tūliņ apstātos pavisam, ja es to pārtrauktu un dotos pie jums lejup." 4 Tā viņi sūtīja pie manis četras reizes, un es devu viņiem vienu un to pašu atbildi. 5 Tad piekto reizi Sanballats sūtīja pie manis savu kalpu ar atklātu vēstuli rokā, 6 un tajā bija rakstīts: "Ļaudīs ir dzirdams un arī Gešems saka, ka tu un jūdi domājot sacelties; tādēļ tu ceļot mūri, un, pēc viņu vārdiem, tu tīkojot kļūt viņiem par ķēniņu. 7 Tu esot arī jau licis pulcēties praviešiem, lai viņi izsauktu tevi Jeruzālemē par ķēniņu. Tagad tas kļūs zināms arī ķēniņam. Tādēļ nāc un apspriedīsimies!" 8 Uz to es atbildēju viņam ar šādu savu atzinumu: "Nekas nav noticis no tā, ko tu apgalvo: tu pats savā prātā to esi izgudrojis!" 9 Patiesībā viņi visi centās mūs tikai iebiedēt, sacīdami: "Gan jau viņi atstāsies no darba, un tas paliks nepaveikts!" Bet tagad stiprini manas rokas! 10 Reiz es iegāju Šemaja, Delajas dēla, Mehetabeēla dēladēla, mājā. Viņš bija ieslēdzies un sacīja: "Satiksimies Dieva namā, Tempļa iekštelpās, un aizslēgsim Tempļa durvis, jo viņi taisās nākt tevi nogalināt, proti, naktī viņi taisās nākt, lai tevi nokautu." 11 Bet es sacīju: "Vai tāds vīrs kā es lai bēgtu? Un vai tāds kā es lai ietu Templī un glābtu savu dzīvību? Nē! Es neiešu tajā!" 12 Es biju sapratis, ka, lūk, Dievs nebija viņu sūtījis, bet viņš izteica šo pravietojumu pret mani, tādēļ ka Tobija un Sanballats bija viņu uzpirkuši. 13 Proti, tādēļ, lai es baidītos, darītu tā, grēkotu un lai man celtos neslava un apsmiekls. 14 Piemini, mans Dievs, Tobiju un Sanballatu pēc šiem viņu darbiem un arī pravieti Noadju un pārējos praviešus, kas gribēja mani iebiedēt! 15 Un mūri pabeidza elūla mēneša divdesmit piektajā dienā - piecdesmit divās dienās. 16 Un, kad visi mūsu ienaidnieki to dzirdēja, tad visas tautas, kas bija mums apkārt, izbijās, viņiem zuda drosme, un viņi stipri kritās paši savās acīs; viņi arī atzina, ka tas darbs ir padarīts ar mūsu Dieva palīdzību. 17 Tajās dienās arī Jūdas dižciltīgie sūtīja daudz vēstuļu Tobijam, un no Tobijas vēstules nāca pie viņiem, 18 jo daudzi Jūdā bija saistīti ar zvērestu pie viņa, jo viņš bija Šehanjas, Araha dēla, znots, un viņa dēls Johanans bija apņēmis Mešullāma, Berehjas dēla, meitu. 19 Viņi runāja pat manā klātbūtnē par viņa labajiem darbiem, un manus vārdus viņi atstāstīja viņam; arī man Tobija sūtīja vēstules, lai mani iebiedētu.
