1Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and [that] no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates,
1參巴拉、多比雅、亞拉伯人基善和我們其餘的仇敵聽見我已經修完了城牆，其中沒有破裂之處（那時我還沒有安門扇），
2then Sanballat and Geshem sent [a message] to me, saying, 'Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.' But they were planning to harm me.
2參巴拉和基善就打發人來見我，說：請你來，我們在阿挪平原的一個村莊相會。他們卻想害我。
3So I sent messengers to them, saying, 'I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?'
3於是我差遣人去見他們，說：我現在辦理大工，不能下去。焉能停工下去見你們呢？
4They sent [messages] to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way.
4他們這樣四次打發人來見我，我都如此回答他們。
5Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand.
5參巴拉第五次打發僕人來見我，手裡拿著未封的信，
6In it was written, 'It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports.
6信上寫著說：外邦人中有風聲，迦施慕（就是基善，見二章十九節）也說，你和猶大人謀反，修造城牆，你要作他們的王；
7'You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, 'A king is in Judah!' And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together.'
7你又派先知在耶路撒冷指著你宣講，說在猶大有王。現在這話必傳與王知；所以請你來，與我們彼此商議。
8Then I sent [a message] to him saying, 'Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind.'
8我就差遣人去見他，說：你所說的這事，一概沒有，是你心裡捏造的。
9For all of them were [trying] to frighten us, thinking, 'They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.' But now, [O God], strengthen my hands.
9他們都要使我們懼怕，意思說，他們的手必軟弱，以致工作不能成就。神啊，求你堅固我的手。
10When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined at home, he said, 'Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night.'
10我到了米希大別的孫子、第來雅的兒子示瑪雅家裡；那時，他閉門不出。他說：我們不如在神的殿裡會面，將殿門關鎖；因為他們要來殺你，就是夜裡來殺你。
11But I said, 'Should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.'
11我說：像我這樣的人豈要逃跑呢？像我這樣的人豈能進入殿裡保全生命呢？我不進去！
12Then I perceived that surely God had not sent him, but he uttered [his] prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
12我看明神沒有差遣他，是他自己說這話攻擊我，是多比雅和參巴拉賄買了他。
13He was hired for this reason, that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me.
13賄買他的緣故，是要叫我懼怕，依從他犯罪，他們好傳揚惡言毀謗我。
14Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were [trying] to frighten me.
14我的神啊，多比雅、參巴拉、女先知挪亞底，和其餘的先知要叫我懼怕，求你記念他們所行的這些事。
15So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of [the month] Elul, in fifty-two days.
15以祿月二十五日，城牆修完了，共修了五十二天。
16When all our enemies heard [of it], and all the nations surrounding us saw [it], they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.
16我們一切仇敵、四圍的外邦人聽見了便懼怕，愁眉不展；因為見這工作完成是出乎我們的神。
17Also in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah, and Tobiah's [letters] came to them.
17在那些日子，猶大的貴冑屢次寄信與多比雅，多比雅也來信與他們。
18For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
18在猶大有許多人與多比雅結盟；因他是亞拉的兒子，示迦尼的女婿，並且他的兒子約哈難娶了比利迦兒子米書蘭的女兒為妻。
19Moreover, they were speaking about his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.
19他們常在我面前說多比雅的善行，也將我的話傳與他。多比雅又常寄信來，要叫我懼怕。