And it came to pass, that when Sanaballat heard that we were building the wall he was angry: and being moved exceedingly he scoffed at the Jews.

Factum est autem, cum audisset Sanaballat quod ædificaremus murum, iratus est valde: et motus nimis subsannavit Judæos,

Great was the rage of Sanaballat when news reached him that we were rebuild-ing the walls, and cruel were the taunts he uttered against the Jews in his anger.

And said before his brethren, and the multitude of the Samaritans: What are the silly Jews doing? Will the Gentiles let them alone? will they sacrifice and make an end in a day? are they able to raise stones out of the heaps of the rubbish, which are burnt?

et dixit coram fratribus suis, et frequentia Samaritanorum: Quid Judæi faciunt imbecilles? num dimittent eos gentes? num sacrificabunt, et complebunt in una die? numquid ædificare poterunt lapides de acervis pulveris, qui combusti sunt?

There among his kinsmen, there before a throng of Samaritan folk, he taunted us: What are they about, these starveling Jews? Do they think we Gentiles will let them have their way? Or do they think to handsel their work at dawn and have it finished by nightfall? From those charred ashes can they make stones to build with?

Tobias also the Ammonite who was by him said: Let them build: if a fox go up, he will leap over their stone wall.

Sed et Tobias Ammanites, proximus ejus, ait: Ædificent: si ascenderit vulpes, transiliet murum eorum lapideum.

Let them build, said his gossip, Tobias the Ammonite; come a fox by, he will leap over all the stones they can put together.

Hear thou our God, for we are despised: turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them to be despised in a land of captivity.

Audi, Deus noster, quia facti sumus despectui: converte opprobrium super caput eorum, et da eos in despectionem in terra captivitatis.

Mark it well, Lord God, how they turn us into a laughing-stock; on their own heads let the mockery recoil; exile and ignominy be their own lot!

Cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thy face, because they have mocked thy builders.

Ne operias iniquitatem eorum, et peccatum eorum coram facie tua non deleatur, quia irriserunt ædificantes.

Do not hide away their guilt; imperishable in thy presence be the record of the wrong they did, in flouting such a design as this!

So we built the wall, and joined it all together unto the half thereof: and the heart of the people was excited to work.

Itaque ædificavimus murum, et conjunximus totum usque ad partem dimidiam: et provocatum est cor populi ad operandum.

Meanwhile we did not cease building, and now we had completed the whole circuit of the wall up to half its full height, so eagerly did the people set about their task.

And it came to pass, when Sanaballat, and Tobias, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Azotians heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and the breaches began to be closed, that they were exceedingly angry.

Factum est autem, cum audisset Sanaballat, et Tobias, et Arabes, et Ammanitæ, et Azotii, quod obducta esset cicatrix muri Jerusalem, et quod cœpissent interrupta concludi, irati sunt nimis.

And when this news came, that the breach in Jerusalem walls was healing, and the gaps were being filled, great was the indignation of Sanaballat and Tobias, of Arab, Ammonite and Philistine alike;

And they all assembled themselves together, to come, and to fight against Jerusalem, and to prepare ambushes.

Et congregati sunt omnes pariter ut venirent, et pugnarent contra Jerusalem, et molirentur insidias.

and now, making common cause, they would attack Jerusalem and throw all into confusion.

And we prayed to our God, and set watchmen upon the wall day and night against them.

Et oravimus Deum nostrum, et posuimus custodes super murum die ac nocte contra eos.

But still we asked help of our God, and set watchmen on the walls, day and night, to defeat their purpose.

And Juda said: The strength of the bearer of burdens is decayed, and the rubbish is very much, and we shall not be able to build the wall.

Dixit autem Judas: Debilitata est fortitudo portantis, et humus nimia est, et nos non poterimus ædificare murum.

Already the Jews were complaining that they had no strength left for carrying burdens, that the ground was choked with rubble; our task would never be finished;

And our enemies said: Let them not know, nor understand, till we come in the midst of them, and kill them, and cause the work to cease.

Et dixerunt hostes nostri: Nesciant, et ignorent donec veniamus in medium eorum, et interficiamus eos, et cessare faciamus opus.

and now our enemies thought to steal upon us unawares, and put an end to it by taking our lives.

And it came to pass, that when the Jews that dwelt by them came and told us ten times, out of all the places from whence they came to us,

Factum est autem venientibus Judæis qui habitabant juxta eos, et dicentibus nobis per decem vices, ex omnibus locis quibus venerant ad nos,

On ten several occasions Jews that lived near them came back to us from different parts with the same news;

I set the people in the place behind the wall round about in order, with their swords, and spears, and bows.

statui in loco post murum per circuitum populum in ordinem cum gladiis suis, et lanceis, et arcubus.

and at last I must array a force, armed with sword and lance and bow, behind the wall round its whole circuit.

And I looked and rose up: and I said to the chief men and the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: be not afraid of them. Remember the Lord who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, and your wives, and your houses.

Et perspexi atque surrexi: et aio ad optimates et magistratus, et ad reliquam partem vulgi: Nolite timere a facie eorum: Domini magni et terribilis mementote, et pugnate pro fratribus vestris, filiis vestris, et filiabus vestris, et uxoribus vestris, et domibus vestris.

That provision made, I set about encouraging them, nobles and chiefs and common folk alike; Fear no assault, I told them; bethink you how great, how fearsome the Lord is, and fight well each for his own kindred, for son and daughter and wife, for house and home.

And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that the thing had been told us, that God defeated their counsel. And we returned all of us to the walls, every man to his work.

Factum est autem, cum audissent inimici nostri nuntiatum esse nobis, dissipavit Deus consilium eorum. Et reversi sumus omnes ad muros, unusquisque ad opus suum.

And so, when word came to our enemies that we had been forewarned, God threw all their plot into confusion.Back we went to our several posts at the wall;

And it came to pass from that day forward, that half of their young men did the work, and half were ready for to fight, with spears, and shields, and bows, and coats of mail, and the rulers were behind them in all the house of Juda.

Et factum est a die illa, media pars juvenum eorum faciebat opus, et media parata erat ad bellum: et lanceæ, et scuta, et arcus, et loricæ, et principes post eos in omni domo Juda.

and thenceforward the warriors among us were divided into two companies; one of these remained at work, while behind them, under the clan chiefs of Juda, the rest stood arrayed for battle, with lance and shield, bow and breastplate.

Of them that built on the wall and that carried burdens, and that laded: with one of his hands he did the work, and with the other he held a sword.

Ædificantium in muro, et portantium onera, et imponentium: una manu sua faciebat opus, et altera tenebat gladium:

And even while they were at work, built they or loaded or carried loads, it was one hand to work with, and one closing still on a javelin;

For every one of the builders was girded with a sword about his reins. And they built, and sounded with a trumpet by me.

ædificentium enim unusquisque gladio erat accinctus renes. Et ædificabant, et clangebant buccina juxta me.

nor was there ever a workman but must build with his sword girt at his side. And the men that blew the trumpets were close beside me;

And I said to the nobles, and to the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: The work is great and wide, and we are separated on the wall one far from another:

Et dixi ad optimates, et ad magistratus, et ad reliquam partem vulgi: Opus grande est et latum, et nos separati sumus in muro procul alter ab altero:

I had warned nobles and chiefs and common folk, Here is a task for many to do; spread wide apart, we are sundered far here on the wall and there;

In what place soever you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, run all thither unto us: our God will fight for us.

in loco quocumque audieritis clangorem tubæ, illuc concurrite ad nos: Deus noster pugnabit pro nobis.

rally, all of you, to any point where you hear the trumpet sound, and our God will be our speed.

And let us do the work: and let one half of us hold our spears from the rising of the morning, till the stars appear.

Et nos ipsi faciamus opus, et media pars nostrum teneat lanceas ab ascensu auroræ donec egrediantur astra.

We officers too must take our share in the work, only half of us standing by with our spears, from dawn till the stars rise.

At that time also I said to the people: Let every one with his servant stay in the midst of Jerusalem, and let us take our turns in the night, and by day, to work.

In tempore quoque illo dixi populo: Unusquisque cum puero suo maneat in medio Jerusalem, et sint nobis vices per noctem et diem ad operandum.

And to the common folk I said, Each of you, and his manservant with him, must lodge here in Jerusalem itself, taking turn and turn about, day and night.

Now I and my brethren, and my servants, and the watchmen that followed me, did not put off our clothes: only every man stripped himself when he was to be washed.

Ego autem et fratres mei, et pueri mei, et custodes, qui erant post me, non deponebamus vestimenta nostra: unusquisque tantum nudabatur ad baptismum.

As for myself, and my clansmen and servants, and the men of my body-guard, we never took our garments off all the while, save when we stripped for washing.