Neemias, 4

1. Quando Sanabalat, Tobias, os árabes, os amonitas e os azoteus souberam que prosseguíamos na reparação das muralhas de Jerusalém e que as fendas começavam a desaparecer, ficaram enraivecidos.

1. Now when Sanbal'lat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he ridiculed the Jews.

2. Coligaram-se todos para vir atacar Jerusalém e semear ali a confusão.*

2. And he said in the presence of his brethren and of the army of Sama'ria, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore things? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?"

3. Fizemos oração ao nosso Deus e estabelecemos uma guarda de dia e de noite para nos proteger contra eles.

3. Tobi'ah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, "Yes, what they are building -- if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!

4. Já o povo de Judá dizia: “Os transportadores estão quase sem forças e há ainda grande quantidade de escombros. Jamais conseguiremos reconstruir a muralha”.

4. Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn back their taunt upon their own heads, and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives.

5. E nossos inimigos diziam: “Vamos atacá-los sem que saibam e antes que vejam algo. Nós os mataremos e faremos parar a obra”.

5. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from thy sight; for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.

6. Os judeus que habitavam nas vizinhanças vieram até dez vezes advertir-nos acerca dos lugares de onde possivelmente nossos inimigos viriam atacar-nos.

6. So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to half its height. For the people had a mind to work.

7. Coloquei, pois, como anteparo, por detrás das muralhas, nos pontos descobertos, o povo dividido em famílias, com as suas espadas, lanças e arcos.

7. But when Sanbal'lat and Tobi'ah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ash'dodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry;

8. Tendo terminado a inspeção, achei que era de meu dever exortar os homens importantes, os magistrados e o restante do povo: “Não tenhais medo deles!” – disse-lhes eu –. “Lembrai-vos de que o Senhor é grande e temível; combatei por vossos irmãos, vossos filhos e filhas, vossas mulheres e vossas casas!”.

8. and they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.

9. Quando nossos inimigos souberam que estávamos informados, compreenderam que Deus lhes aniquilava o projeto. Nós, pois, retornamos todos à muralha, cada um ao seu trabalho.

9. And we prayed to our God, and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.

10. Mas, depois daquele dia, a metade dos homens trabalhava na construção, enquanto a outra metade estava armada de lanças, escudos, arcos e couraças; e os chefes estavam atrás deles com toda a gente de Judá.

10. But Judah said, "The strength of the burden-bearers is failing, and there is much rubbish; we are not able to work on the wall."

11. Entre os que estavam ocupados na muralha, os transportadores trabalhavam com uma das mãos e, na outra, traziam uma arma;

11. And our enemies said, "They will not know or see till we come into the midst of them and kill them and stop the work."

12. os pedreiros tinham cada um sua espada na cinta ao redor dos rins; foi assim que se fez a alvenaria. Um corneteiro estava sempre junto de mim.

12. When the Jews who lived by them came they said to us ten times, "From all the places where they live they will come up against us."

13. E eu disse aos homens importantes, aos magistrados e ao resto do povo: “O trabalho é considerável e se estende por um vasto espaço; nós nos encontramos dispersos na muralha, uns à grande distância dos outros.

13. So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

14. Quando, pois, tocar a trombeta, de qualquer canto em que vós a escuteis, reuni-vos a nós. Nosso Deus combaterá por nós”.

14. And I looked, and arose, and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes."

15. Assim trabalhávamos desde o despontar da aurora até a aparição das estrelas, enquanto a metade dos homens empunhava a arma.

15. When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work.

16. Ao mesmo tempo, eu disse ao povo: “Cada um, com seu ajudante, passe a noite em Jerusalém, para nos auxiliar a montar a guarda durante a noite e a trabalhar durante o dia”.

16. From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail; and the leaders stood behind all the house of Judah,

17. Quanto a mim, a meus irmãos, a minha gente e aos guardas de minha escolta, nem mesmo trocávamos nossas vestes; cada um guardava sua arma ao alcance da mão.

17. who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were laden in such a way that each with one hand labored on the work and with the other held his weapon.

18.

18. And each of the builders had his sword girded at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me.

19.

19. And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another.

20.

20. In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us."

21.

21. So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn till the stars came out.

22.

22. I also said to the people at that time, "Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day."

23.

23. So neither I nor my brethren nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon in his hand.