Nehemiah’s Prayer
(Deuteronomy 30:1–10)

1  דִּבְרֵ֥י (The words) נְחֶמְיָ֖ה (of Nehemiah) בֶּן־ (son) חֲכַלְיָ֑ה (of Hachaliah):

וַיְהִ֤י (And it came to pass) בְחֹֽדֶשׁ־ (in the month) כִּסְלֵו (Chislev) שְׁנַ֣ת (in the year) עֶשְׂרִ֔ים (twentieth), וַאֲנִ֥י (that I) הָיִ֖יתִי (was) בְּשׁוּשַׁ֥ן (in Susa) הַבִּירָֽה׃ (the citadel), 2  וַיָּבֹ֨א (and came in) חֲנָ֜נִי (Hanani), אֶחָ֧ד (one) מֵאַחַ֛י (of my brothers), ה֥וּא (he) וַאֲנָשִׁ֖ים (and men) מִֽיהוּדָ֑ה (from Judah), וָאֶשְׁאָלֵ֞ם (and I asked them) עַל־ (concerning) הַיְּהוּדִ֧ים (the Jews) הַפְּלֵיטָ֛ה (who had escaped), אֲשֶֽׁר־ (who) נִשְׁאֲר֥וּ (had survived) מִן־ (of my brothers) הַשֶּׁ֖בִי (the captivity), וְעַל־ (and concerning) יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (Jerusalem).

3  וַיֹּאמְרוּ֮ (And they said) לִי֒ (to me), הַֽנִּשְׁאָרִ֞ים (The remnant) אֲשֶֽׁר־ (who) נִשְׁאֲר֤וּ (are left) מִן־ (from) הַשְּׁבִי֙ (the captivity) שָׁ֣ם (there) בַּמְּדִינָ֔ה (in the province) בְּרָעָ֥ה (are in distress) גְדֹלָ֖ה (great) וּבְחֶרְפָּ֑ה (and in reproach), וְחוֹמַ֤ת (and the wall) יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ (of Jerusalem) מְפֹרָ֔צֶת (is broken down) וּשְׁעָרֶ֖יהָ (and its gates) נִצְּת֥וּ (have been burned) בָאֵֽשׁ׃ (with the fire).

4  וַיְהִ֞י (And it came to pass), כְּשָׁמְעִ֣י׀ (when I heard) אֶת־ (-) הַדְּבָרִ֣ים (the words) הָאֵ֗לֶּה (these), יָשַׁ֙בְתִּי֙ (that I sat down) וָֽאֶבְכֶּ֔ה (and wept) וָאֶתְאַבְּלָ֖ה (and mourned) יָמִ֑ים (for days), וָֽאֱהִ֥י (and I was) צָם֙ (fasting) וּמִתְפַּלֵּ֔ל (and praying) לִפְנֵ֖י (before the face of) אֱלֹהֵ֥י (the God) הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ (of the heavens), 5  וָאֹמַ֗ר (and I said),

אָֽנָּ֤א (O I pray) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֣י (God) הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם (of the heavens), הָאֵ֥ל (God) הַגָּד֖וֹל (the great) וְהַנּוֹרָ֑א (and awesome), שֹׁמֵ֤ר (keeping) הַבְּרִית֙ (the covenant) וָחֶ֔סֶד (and loving devotion) לְאֹהֲבָ֖יו (for those loving Him) וּלְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י (and observe) מִצְוֺתָֽיו׃ (His commandments), 6  תְּהִ֣י (let be) נָ֣א (please) אָזְנְךָֽ־ (Your ear) קַשֶּׁ֣בֶת (attentive), וְֽעֵינֶ֪יךָ (and Your eyes) פְתֻוּח֟וֹת (be open), לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ (that You may listen) אֶל־ (to) תְּפִלַּ֣ת (the prayer) עַבְדְּךָ֡ (of Your servant) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (which) אָנֹכִי֩ (I) מִתְפַּלֵּ֨ל (pray) לְפָנֶ֤יךָ (before You) הַיּוֹם֙ (now) יוֹמָ֣ם (day) וָלַ֔יְלָה (and night) עַל־ (for) בְּנֵ֥י (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (of Israel) עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ (Your servants).

וּמִתְוַדֶּ֗ה (And confessing) עַל־ (on account) חַטֹּ֤אות (of the sins) בְּנֵֽי־ (of the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (of Israel), אֲשֶׁ֣ר (which) חָטָ֣אנוּ (we have sinned) לָ֔ךְ (against You) וַאֲנִ֥י (and both I) וּבֵית־ (and house) אָבִ֖י (of my father) חָטָֽאנוּ׃ (have sinned), 7  חֲבֹ֖ל (actig corruptly) חָבַ֣לְנוּ (we have acted corruptly) לָ֑ךְ (against You) וְלֹא־ (and not) שָׁמַ֣רְנוּ (we have kept) אֶת־ (-) הַמִּצְוֺ֗ת (the commandments) וְאֶת־ (and) הַֽחֻקִּים֙ (the statutes) וְאֶת־ (and) הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים (the ordinances) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) צִוִּ֖יתָ (You commanded) אֶת־ (-) מֹשֶׁ֥ה (Moses) עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ (Your servant).

8  זְכָר־ (Remember), נָא֙ (please), אֶת־ (-) הַדָּבָ֔ר (the word) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) צִוִּ֛יתָ (You commanded) אֶת־ (-) מֹשֶׁ֥ה (Moses) עַבְדְּךָ֖ (Your servant), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), אַתֶּ֣ם (You⁺) תִּמְעָ֔לוּ (are unfaithful)— אֲנִ֕י (I) אָפִ֥יץ (will scatter) אֶתְכֶ֖ם (you⁺) בָּעַמִּֽים׃ (among the nations); 9  וְשַׁבְתֶּ֣ם (and if you⁺ return) אֵלַ֔י (to Me) וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ (and keep) מִצְוֺתַ֔י (My commandments) וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם (and do) אֹתָ֑ם (them), אִם־ (though) יִהְיֶ֨ה (were) נִֽדַּחֲכֶ֜ם (your⁺ outcast) בִּקְצֵ֤ה (in the end) הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ (of the heavens), מִשָּׁ֣ם (from there) אֲקַבְּצֵ֔ם (I will gather them) וַהֲבוֹאֹתִים (and bring them) אֶל־ (to) הַמָּק֔וֹם (the place) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) בָּחַ֔רְתִּי (I have chosen) לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן (as a dwelling) אֶת־ (for) שְׁמִ֖י (My name) שָֽׁם׃ (there).

10  וְהֵ֥ם (And they are) עֲבָדֶ֖יךָ (Your servants) וְעַמֶּ֑ךָ (and Your people), אֲשֶׁ֤ר (whom) פָּדִ֙יתָ֙ (You have redeemed) בְּכֹחֲךָ֣ (by Your power) הַגָּד֔וֹל (great) וּבְיָדְךָ֖ (and by Your hand) הַחֲזָקָֽה׃ (mighty). 11  אָנָּ֣א (Please), אֲדֹנָ֗י (O Lord), תְּהִ֣י (let be) נָ֣א (please) אָזְנְךָֽ־ (Your ear) קַ֠שֶּׁבֶת (attentive) אֶל־ (to) תְּפִלַּ֨ת (the prayer) עַבְדְּךָ֜ (of Your servant) וְאֶל־ (and to) תְּפִלַּ֣ת (the prayer) עֲבָדֶ֗יךָ (of Your servants) הַֽחֲפֵצִים֙ (who desire) לְיִרְאָ֣ה (to fear) אֶת־ (-) שְׁמֶ֔ךָ (Your name), וְהַצְלִֽיחָה־ (and let prosper), נָּ֤א (please), לְעַבְדְּךָ֙ (Your servant) הַיּ֔וֹם (this day), וּתְנֵ֣הוּ (and grant him) לְרַחֲמִ֔ים (mercy) לִפְנֵ֖י (in the eyes) הָאִ֣ישׁ (of the man) הַזֶּ֑ה (this).

וַאֲנִ֛י (And for I) הָיִ֥יתִי (was) מַשְׁקֶ֖ה (cupbearer) לַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃פ (to the king).