Now it came to pass, when Sanvallat, and Toviyya, and Geshem the ῾Arvian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)

And it was, when it was heard by Sanvalat and Toviah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our foes that I had built the wall and no breach remained in it, (and) also, (that) up to that time I had not set doors in the gates [(viz. verse 10)],

then Sanvallat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.

that Sanvalat and Geshem sent to me, saying: Go, and we will meet together in Kefirim in the valley of Ono (and [I understood that] they were plotting to do me evil [i.e., to kill me])

And I sent messengers to 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?

And I sent to them messengers, saying: I am busy with a great project and I will not be able to come down. Why should the work halt? When I complete it, I will come down to you.

So they sent to me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.

And they sent me in this wise four times, and I returned answer in this wise [i.e., as I had before].

Then Sanvallat sent his servant to me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand:

And Sanvalat sent me in this wise a fifth time by his youth with an open [i.e., an unsealed] letter in his hand.

in which was written, It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou didst build the wall, that thou mayst be their king, according to these words.

In it, such words were written: It has been heard [(by all the gentiles)] and Gashmu [the Arab also] says: You and the Jews are plotting to rebel, wherefore you are building the wall, and you would be their king.

And thou hast also appointed prophets to proclaim of these at Yerushalayim, saying, There is a king in Yehuda: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

And you have also set up speakers to proclaim over you in Jerusalem: "There is a king in Judah!" And now, these things will be heard by the king. And now, come, and we will take counsel together.

Then I sent to him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayst, but thou dost invent them out of thy own heart.

And I sent to him, saying: These things that you speak of are not so; you are imagining them.

For they all would have us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it shall not be done. (Now therefore, strengthen my hands.)

For all of them [(the gentiles)] fear us, wherefore they say: Let them leave off the work so that it not be done. And now, assist me [(in building the wall)].

Afterwards I came to the house of Shema῾ya the son of Delaya the son of Mehetav᾽el, 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 they will come to slay thee.

And I came to the house of Shemayah the son of Delayah the son of Mehetavel [(a false prophet, hired by Sanvalat and his cohorts to frighten Nechemiah into halting the work on the wall)], and he was at home. And he said: Let us meet in the house of G-d, in the midst of the sanctuary, and let us lock the doors of the sanctuary, for they are coming to kill you [(by way of the city gates, which were still without doors, [viz. 1])]; and they are coming to kill you tonight.

And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.

And I said: Shall a man such as I run away [(out of fear)]? And who such as I [(a non-priest)] may come to the sanctuary and live? [viz. Numbers 3:38] I shall not come!

And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Toviyya and Sanvallat had hired him.

And I realized that, behold, not G-d had sent him (for he spoke [these things] to me [as being] prophecy) and (that) Toviah and Sanvalat had hired him.

For this cause 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 taunt me.

Because he was hired [(had he spoken thus to me)], so that I should fear and do this [i.e., enter the sanctuary] and sin and enable them to vilify me [(as a sinner)] and shame me.

My God, remember Toviyya and Sanvallat according to these their works, and also the prophetess No῾adya, and the rest of the prophets, who would have put me in fear.

Remember, my G-d, Toviah and Sanvalat [to punish them] for these deeds, as well as Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who would frighten me [for hire].

So the wall was finished in the twenty fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty two days.

And the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul [(in the twentieth year of King Darius, when Nechemiah had come up from Bavel)], on the fifty-second day [(after building had begun)].

And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard that, all the nations that were about us were afraid and were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was done by our God.

And when all of our foes heard and all the nations around us saw [(that the city wall had been completed)], they fell greatly in their (own) eyes, [(the fear of the Jews falling upon them)], and they knew that it was from the L-rd that this work had been done.

Moreover in those days the nobles of Yehuda sent many letters to Toviyya, and the letters of Toviyya came to them.

Even in those days the nobles of Judah sent letters frequently to Toviah [(a wicked Jew)], and those of Toviah came to them.

For there were many in Yehuda sworn to him, because he was the son in law of Shekhanya the son of Araĥ; and his son Yehoĥanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berekhya.

For many in Judah were covenanted with him. For he was a son-in-law of Shechanyah the son of Arach, and Jonathan his [(Toviah's)] son had wed the daughter of Meshulam the son of Berechyah.

Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. And Toviyya sent letters to put me in fear.

They also told of his prowess, and they told him of my affairs. (Toviah had [always] sent letters to frighten me [(not to build the wall)]).