1
In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of Artach'shashta the king, it happened that I took the wine and brought it to the king. Prior to then I had never appeared sad in his presence.
2
The king asked, "Why do you look so sad? You're not sick, so this must be some deep inner grief."At this, I became very fearful,
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as I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why shouldn't I look sad, when the city, the place where my ancestors' tombs are, lies in ruins; and its gates are completely burned up?"
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The king asked me, "What is it that you want?" I prayed to the God of heaven,
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then said to the king, "If it pleases the king, if your servant has won your favor, send me to Y'hudah, to the city of my ancestors' tombs, so that I can rebuild it."
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With the queen sitting next to him, the king asked me, "How long is your trip going to take? When will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a time.
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I then said to the king, "If it pleases the king, have letters given to me for the governors of the territory beyond the [Euphrates] River, so that they will let me pass through until I reach Y'hudah;
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and also a letter for Asaf the supervisor of the royal forests, so that he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress belonging to the house, for the city wall and for the house I will be occupying." The king gave me these, according to the good hand of my God on me.