1	The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
			2	That Hanani, one of my brethren, came# , he and certain men of Judah; and I asked# them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left# of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
			3	And they said# unto me, The remnant# that are left# of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down# , and the gates thereof are burned# with fire.
			4	And it came to pass, when I heard# these words, that I sat down# and wept# , and mourned# certain days, and fasted# , and prayed# before the God of heaven,
			5	And said# , I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible# God, that keepeth# covenant and mercy for them that love# him and observe# his commandments:
			6	Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open# , that thou mayest hear# the prayer of thy servant, which I pray# before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess# the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned# against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned# .
			7	We have dealt very# corruptly# against thee, and have not kept# the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst# thy servant Moses.
			8	Remember# , I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst# thy servant Moses, saying# , If ye transgress# , I will scatter you abroad# among the nations:
			9	But if ye turn# unto me, and keep# my commandments, and do# them; though there were of you cast out# unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather# them from thence, and will bring# them unto the place that I have chosen# to set# my name there.
			10	Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed# by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
			11	O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear# thy name: and prosper# , I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant# him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer# .