Antiquitates Iudaicae/Volume XI: Perbedaan antara revisi
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5. Maka ketika mereka merayakan hari Pondok Daun-daunan (feast of tabernacles) pada bulan ketujuh dan hampir semua orang datang bersama-sama, mereka naik ke bagian terbuka Bait Suci, ke pintu gerbang yang menghadap ke timur, dan ingin agar Ezra membacakan hukum Musa kepada mereka. Karenanya, ia berdiri di antara orang banyak dan membacakannya; dan ini dilakukan dari pagi sampai tengah hari. Maka, setelah mendengar hukum-hukum yang dibacakan kepad mereka, mereka diberi petunjuk untuk menjadi orang saleh sekarang dan di kemudian hari; tetapi untuk pelanggaran masa lampau mereka, mereka tidak senang pada diri sendiri, dan mulai meneteskan air mata untuk itu, karena mempertimbangkan sendiri bahwa jika mereka tadinya memelihara hukum itu, mereka tidak akan mengalami kemalangan apapun yang telah mereka alami. Namun ketika Ezra melihat mereka dalam keadaan demikian, ia menyuruh mereka pulang, dan tidak menangis, karena saat itu hari perayaan, dan mereka tidak boleh menangis pada hari itu, karena tidak diperbolehkan oleh hukum untuk melakukannya. Ia menasihati mereka agar segera mulai berpesta, dan melakukan apa yang cocok untuk pesta, dan apa yang cocok untuk hari sukacit; tetapi membiarkan pertobatan dan penderitaan akibat dosa masa lalu mereka menjadi keamanan dan penjaga bagi mereka, sehinga mereka tidak jatuh lagi kepada pelanggaran-pelanggaran yang serupa. Atas nasihat Ezra mereka mulai
6. Maka sekarang ada salah seorang Yahudi yang dibawa ke pembuangan yang merupakan juru minuman raja Xerxes; namanya Nehemia.<!-- As this man was walking before Susa, the metropolis of the Persians, he heard some strangers that were entering the city, after a long journey, speaking to one another in the Hebrew tongue; so he went to them, and asked them whence they came. And when their answer was, that they came from Judea, he began to inquire of them again in what state the multitude was, and in what condition Jerusalem was; and when they replied that they were in a bad state (12) for that their walls were thrown down to the ground, and that the neighboring nations did a great deal of mischief to the Jews, while in the day time they overran the country, and pillaged it, and in the night did them mischief, insomuch that not a few were led away captive out of the country, and out of Jerusalem itself, and that the roads were in the day time found full of dead men. Hereupon Nehemiah shed tears, out of commiseration of the calamities of his countrymen; and, looking up to heaven, he said, "How long, O Lord, wilt thou overlook our nation, while it suffers so great miseries, and while we are made the prey and spoil of all men?" And while he staid at the gate, and lamented thus, one told him that the king was going to sit down to supper; so he made haste, and went as he was, without wishing himself, to minister to the king in his office of cup-bearer. But as the king was very pleasant after supper, and more cheerful than usual, he cast his eyes on Nehemiah, and seeing him look sad, he asked him why he was sad. Whereupon he prayed to God to give him favor, and afford him the power of persuading by his words, and said, "How can I, O king, appear otherwise than thus, and not be in trouble, while I hear that the walls of Jerusalem, the city where are the sepulchers of my fathers, are thrown down to the ground, and that its gates are consumed by fire? But do thou grant me the favor to go and build its wall, and to finish the building of the temple." Accordingly, the king gave him a signal that he freely granted him what he asked; and told him that he should carry an epistle to the governors, that they might pay him due honor, and afford him whatsoever assistance he wanted, and as he pleased. "Leave off thy sorrow then," said the king, "and be cheerful in the performance of thy office hereafter." So Nehemiah worshipped God, and gave the king thanks for his promise, and cleared up his sad and cloudy countenance, by the pleasure he had from the king's promises. Accordingly, the king called for him the next day, and gave him an epistle to be carried to Adeus, the governor of Syria, and Phoenicia, and Samaria; wherein he sent to him to pay due honor to Nehemiah, and to supply him with what he wanted for his building.
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