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 brothers, 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 to me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and rebuke: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates of it 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 beg you, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keeps covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments ⁶ Let your ear now be attentive, and your eyes open, that you may hear the prayer of your servant, which I pray before you now, day and night, for the children of Israel your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against you: both I and my father's house have sinned. ⁷ We have dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which you commanded6680> your servant Moses. ⁸ Remember, I beg you, the word that you commanded6680> your servant Moses, saying, If you transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations ⁹ But if you turn to me, and keep my commandments, and do them; even though there were of you cast out to the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen to set my name there. ¹⁰ Now these are your servants and your people, who you have redeemed by your great power, and by your strong hand. ¹¹ O Lord, I beg you, let now your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who desire to fear your name: and prosper, I pray you, your servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.