4
Soothly they sent to me by this word by four times, and I answered to them by the former word. (And they sent this request to me four times, and each time I answered to them what I had said before.)
5
And Sanballat sent to me the fifth time by the former word his servant; and he had in his hand a letter, (And the fifth time, Sanballat sent his servant to me with the same request; and he had a letter in his hand,)
6
written in this manner; It is heard among heathen men, and Gashmu said, that thou and the Jews think for to rebel, and therefore ye build (again) the wall, and thou wilt raise thee (up as) king on them; (written in this manner; It is heard among the heathen, and Gashmu said, that thou and the Jews plan to rebel, and so ye rebuild the wall, and soon thou wilt raise thyself up as a king over them;)
7
for which cause also thou hast set prophets, which preach of thee in Jerusalem, and say, A king is in Jerusalem; the king shall hear these words; therefore come thou now, that we take counsel together. (for which reason thou hast also set forth prophets, who preach of thee in Jerusalem, and say, There is a new king in Judah; the king shall hear of these words; and so come thou now, so that we can take counsel about this matter together.)
8
And I sent to them, and said, It is not done by these words which thou speakest; for (out) of thine own heart thou makest these things (up).
9
All these men made us afeared, and thought that our hands should cease from our works, and that we should rest from building; for which cause I strengthened more mine hand thereto (and for this reason I applied myself even more strongly to the task at hand).
10
And I entered privily into the house of Shemaiah, the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabeel, which said to me, (Re)Treat we there with ourselves in(to) the house of God, in(to) the midst of the temple, and close we the gates of the house; for they shall come to slay thee, yea, by (the) night they shall come to slay thee. (And I entered into the house of Shemaiah, the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabeel, who was enclosed, or confined, there, and he said to me, Let us go to the House of God, into the middle of the Temple, and lock all the doors of the House; for they shall come to kill thee, yea, in the night they shall come to kill thee.)
11
And I said, Whether any man like to me, that is, trusting so to God, as I do, hath fled for such a thing, and who as I shall enter into the temple, and shall live, or be saved there? I will not enter [in] thither. (And I said, Hath any man like me, who trusteth in God, like I do, fled for such a reason, or would anyone like me, enter into the Temple to save his own life? I will not go there.)
12
And I understood that God had not sent him, but he spake as prophesying to me; and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him for meed. (And then I understood that God had not sent him, but that he only spoke as if prophesying to me; and that Tobiah and Sanballat had bribed him to say it.)
13
For he had taken price, that I should be afeared, and do their will, and that I should do sin; and they should have evil (against me), which they should put to me with shame. (For he had taken money from them, to make me afraid, so that I would do their will, and that I would sin; and then they would have evil to put against me, which they would put on me for my shame.)
14
Lord, have mind of me, for Tobiah and Sanballat, by such works of them; but also of Noadiah, the prophet(ess), and of other prophets, that have made me afeared. (Lord, remember Tobiah, and Sanballat, for all their evil works; and also Noadiah, the prophetess, and the other prophets, who have made me afraid.)