1	And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up# the wine, and gave# it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.
			2	Wherefore the king said# unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick# ? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore# afraid# ,
			3	And said# unto the king, Let the king live# for ever: why should not my countenance be sad# , when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed# with fire?
			4	Then the king said# unto me, For what dost thou make request# ? So I prayed# to the God of heaven.
			5	And I said# unto the king, If it please# the king, and if thy servant have found favour# in thy sight, that thou wouldest send# me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build# it.
			6	And the king said# unto me, (the queen also sitting# by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return# ? So it pleased# # the king to send# me; and I set# him a time. [queen: Heb. wife]
			7	Moreover I said# unto the king, If it please# the king, let letters be given# me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over# till I come# into Judah;
			8	And a letter unto Asaph the keeper# of the king's forest, that he may give# me timber to make beams# for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into# . And the king granted# me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
			9	Then I came# to the governors beyond the river, and gave# them the king's letters. Now the king had sent# captains of the army and horsemen with me.
			10	When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard# of it , it grieved# them exceedingly# that there was come# a man to seek# the welfare of the children of Israel.
			11	So I came# to Jerusalem, and was there three days.
			12	And I arose# in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told# I any man what my God had put# in my heart to do# at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon# .
			13	And I went out# by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well# # , and to the dung port, and viewed# # # # the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down# , and the gates thereof were consumed# with fire.
			14	Then I went on# to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass# .
			15	Then went I up# in the night by the brook, and viewed# # # # the wall, and turned back# , and entered# by the gate of the valley, and so returned# .
			16	And the rulers knew# not whither I went# , or what I did# ; neither had I as yet told# it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did# the work.
			17	Then said# I unto them, Ye see# the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned# with fire: come# , and let us build up# the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
			18	Then I told# them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken# unto me. And they said# , Let us rise up# and build# . So they strengthened# their hands for this good work .
			19	But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard# it , they laughed us to scorn# , and despised# us, and said# , What is this thing that ye do# ? will ye rebel# against the king?
			20	Then answered# # I them, and said# unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper# us; therefore we his servants will arise# and build# : but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.