敌对尼希米的阴谋
参巴拉、多比雅、阿拉伯人基善和我们其余的仇敌听见我已经建造了城墙，没有破裂之处在其中，那时我还没有在城门安门扇；
Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
2参巴拉和基善就派人来见我，说：“请你来，我们在阿挪平原的村庄见面。”其实，他们想要害我。That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
3于是我派使者到他们那里，说：“我正在进行大的工程，不能下去。我怎么能离开，下去见你们，而让工程停顿呢？”And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
4他们这样派人来见我四次，我都用这话回答他们。Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.
5参巴拉第五次同样派仆人来见我，手里拿着未封的信，Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;
6信上写着：“列国中有风声，基善☛“基善”：参尼2．19；原文译“迦施慕”。也说，你和犹太人谋反，所以你建造城墙。据说，你要作他们的王，Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.
7并且你派先知在耶路撒冷指着你宣讲说，‘在犹大有王。’如今这些话必传给王知，现在请你来，我们一起商议。”And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.
8我就派人到他那里，说：“你所说的这些事，一概没有，是你心里捏造的。”Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.
9他们全都要使我们惧怕，说：“他们的手必软弱，不能工作，以致不能完工。”现在，求你坚固我的手。For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
10我到了米希大别的孙子，第来雅的儿子示玛雅家里；那时，他闭门不出。他说：“我们可以在神的殿里，就在殿的中间会面，锁住殿门，因为他们要来杀你，要在夜里来杀你。”Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
11我说：“像我这样的人岂会逃跑呢？像我这样的人岂能进入殿里保全生命呢？我不进去！”And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
12我看清楚了，看哪，神并没有派他，是他自己说预言攻击我，是多比雅和参巴拉收买了他；And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
13收买他的目的是要叫我惧怕，依从他犯罪，留下一个坏名声，好让他们毁谤我。Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
14我的神啊，求你记得多比雅、参巴拉、挪亚底女先知和其余的先知，因他们行这些事，要叫我惧怕。工程结束
My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
15以禄月二十五日，城墙修完了，共修了五十二天。So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
16我们所有的仇敌听见了，四围的列国就惧怕，愁眉不展，因为他们知道这工作得以完成，是出于我们的神。And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
17而且，在那些日子，犹大的贵族屡次寄信给多比雅，多比雅也回信给他们。Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.
18在犹大有许多人与多比雅结盟，因为他是亚拉的儿子示迦尼的女婿，并且他的儿子约哈难娶了比利迦的儿子米书兰的女儿。For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
19他们也在我面前说多比雅的好话，又把我的话传给他。多比雅常寄信来，要叫我惧怕。Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.