Revised Literal Translation

Nehemiah 2:1-7

1And it came to pass in the monthבְּחֹ֣דֶשׁbe.Cho.deshH2320Nisanנִיסָ֗ןni.SanH5212,in the twentiethעֶשְׂרִ֛ים'es.RimH6242yearשְׁנַ֥תshe.NatH8141of Artaxerxesלְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֥סְתְּאle.'ar.tach.Shast'H783the kingהַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428, thatwineיַ֣יִןYa.yinH3196wasbeforeלְפָנָ֑יוle.fa.NavH6440him: and I took upוָאֶשָּׂ֤אva.'e.Sa'H5375the wineהַיַּ֙יִן֙hai.Ya.yinH3196,and gaveוָאֶתְּנָ֣הva.'e.te.NahH5414itunto the kingלַמֶּ֔לֶךְla.Me.lekhH4428. Now I had not been beforetimesadרַ֖עra'H7451in his presenceלְפָנָֽיו׃le.fa.NavH6440.

2Wherefore the kingהַמֶּ֜לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428saidוַיֹּאמֶר֩vai.yo.MerH559unto me, Why isthy countenanceפָּנֶ֣יךָpa.Nei.khaH6440sadרָעִ֗יםra.'ImH7451, seeing thou artnot sickחוֹלֶ֔הcho.LehH2470? this is nothing elsebut sorrowרֹ֣עַֽRo.a'H7455of heartלֵ֑בLevH3820.Then I was veryמְאֹֽד׃me.'OdH3966soreהַרְבֵּ֥הhar.BehH7235afraidוָאִירָ֖אva.'i.Ra'H3372,

3And saidוָאֹמַ֣רva.'o.MarH559unto the kingלַמֶּ֔לֶךְla.Me.lekhH4428,Let the kingהַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428liveיִחְיֶ֑הyich.YehH2421for everלְעוֹלָ֣םle.'o.LamH5769:why should not my countenanceפָנַ֗יfa.NaiH6440be sadH3415,when the cityהָעִ֜ירha.'IrH5892,the placeבֵּית־beit-H1004of my fathers’אֲבֹתַי֙'a.vo.TaiH1sepulchresקִבְר֤וֹתkiv.RotH6913, liethwasteחֲרֵבָ֔הcha.re.VahH2720,and the gatesוּשְׁעָרֶ֖יהָu.she.'a.Rei.haH8179thereof are consumedאֻכְּל֥וּ'u.ke.LuH398with fireבָאֵֽשׁ׃ סva.'EshH784?

4Then the kingהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto me, For what dost thou make requestמְבַקֵּ֑שׁme.va.KeshH1245?So I prayedוָֽאֶתְפַּלֵּ֔לva.'et.pa.LelH6419to the Godאֱלֹהֵ֖י'e.lo.HeiH430of heavenהַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ha.sha.Ma.yimH8064.

5And I saidוָאֹמַ֣רva.'o.MarH559unto the kingלַמֶּ֔לֶךְla.Me.lekhH4428,If it pleaseH2895the kingהַמֶּ֣לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428,and if thy servantעַבְדְּךָ֖'av.de.KhaH5650have found favourיִיטַ֥בyi.TavH3190in thy sightלְפָנֶ֑יךָle.fa.Nei.khaH6440,that thou wouldest sendתִּשְׁלָחֵ֣נִיtish.la.Che.niH7971me unto Judahיְהוּדָ֗הye.hu.DahH3063,unto the cityעִ֛יר'irH5892of my fathers’אֲבֹתַ֖י'a.vo.TaiH1sepulchresקִבְר֥וֹתkiv.RotH6913,that I may buildוְאֶבְנֶֽנָּה׃ve.'ev.Ne.nahH1129it.

6And the kingהַמֶּ֜לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428saidוַיֹּאמֶר֩vai.yo.MerH559unto me, (the queenוְהַשֵּׁגַ֣ל׀ve.ha.she.GalH7694also sittingיוֹשֶׁ֣בֶתyo.She.vetH3427by himאֶצְל֗וֹ'etz.LoH681,)For how long shall thy journeyמַֽהֲלָכֲךָ֖ma.ha.la.kha.KhaH4109be? and when wilt thou returnתָּשׁ֑וּבta.ShuvH7725?So it pleasedוַיִּיטַ֤ב לִפְנֵֽי־vai.yi.Tav lif.nei-H6440 H3190the kingהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha.Me.lekhH4428to sendוַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֔נִיvai.yish.la.Che.niH7971me; and I setוָֽאֶתְּנָ֥הva.'e.te.NahH5414him a timeזְמָֽן׃ze.ManH2165.

7Moreover I saidוָאוֹמַר֮va.'o.MarH559unto the kingלַמֶּלֶךְ֒la.me.leKhH4428,If it pleaseH2895the kingהַמֶּ֣לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428,let lettersאִגְּרוֹת֙'i.ge.rOtH107be givenיִתְּנוּ־yi.te.nu-H5414me to the governorsפַּחֲו֖וֹתpa.cha.VotH6346beyondעֵ֣בֶר'E.verH5676the riverהַנָּהָ֑רha.na.HarH5104,that they may convey me overיַעֲבִיר֔וּנִיya.'a.vi.Ru.niH5674till I comeאָב֖וֹא'a.Vo'H935into Judahיְהוּדָֽה׃ye.hu.DahH3063;

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