The stones of your destroyed city are priceless to us. Even its dust brings deep concern to us.

你的仆人原来喜悦她的石头，可怜她的尘土。

你的仆人们喜爱锡安的石头，怜悯它的尘土。

你的仆人们喜爱锡安的石头，怜悯它的尘土。

你的仆人们喜爱城中的石头，怜惜城中的尘土。

因为你的众仆人喜爱它的石头，爱惜它的尘土。

是的，你的仆人们喜悦锡安的石头，爱慕她的尘土。

你的僕人原來喜悅她的石頭，可憐她的塵土。

你的僕人們喜愛錫安的石頭，憐憫它的塵土。

你的僕人們喜愛錫安的石頭，憐憫它的塵土。

你的僕人們喜愛城中的石頭，憐惜城中的塵土。

因為你的眾僕人喜愛它的石頭，愛惜它的塵土。

因為你僕人愛慕它的石頭；連它的塵土、他們也憐惜。

是的，你的僕人們喜悅錫安的石頭，愛慕她的塵土。

爾僕悅其石、而惜其土兮、

即其瓦礫、爾僕亦悅之、即其塵沙、爾僕亦愛之兮。

主之僕人、喜悅郇之石、珍愛郇之塵土、

吾主必興起。愍我西溫卑。西溫卑已極。蒙寵宜今茲。

For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity.

For your servants hold her stones dear and have pity on her dust.

For your people love every stone in her walls and cherish even the dust in her streets.

For your servants take delight in its stones and favor its dust.

Surely Your servants take pleasure in her stones, And feel pity for her dust.

For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, And show favor to her dust.

For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, And have pity upon her dust.

For Your servants take delight in its stones and favor its dust.

For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.

Indeed, your servants take delight in her stones, and feel compassion for the dust of her ruins.

For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity on her dust.

He spoke to his friends and the army of Samaria. He said,“ What are those Jews trying to do? Can they make their city wall like new again? Will they offer sacrifices? Can they finish everything in a single day? The stones from their city wall and buildings are piled up like trash. And everything has been badly burned. Can they use those stones to rebuild everything again?”

God, an army from the nations has attacked your land. They have polluted your holy temple. They have completely destroyed Jerusalem.

So we rebuilt the wall. We repaired it until all of it was half as high as we wanted it to be. The people worked with all their heart.

Jerusalem, if I forget you, may my right hand never be able to play the harp again.If I don’t remember you, may my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth so I can’t sing. May it happen if I don’t consider Jerusalem to be my greatest joy.

He and the men with him said to me,“ Some of the people who returned are still alive. They are back in the land of Judah. But they are having a hard time. They are ashamed. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down. Its gates have been burned with fire.”

Then everyone God had inspired prepared to go. They wanted to go up to Jerusalem and build the Lord’ s temple there. They included the family leaders of Judah and Benjamin. They also included the priests and Levites.

The Israelites had made their homes in their towns. In the seventh month all of them gathered together in Jerusalem.Then Joshua began to build the altar for burnt offerings to honor the God of Israel. Joshua was the son of Jozadak. The other priests helped Joshua. So did Zerubbabel and his men. They built the altar according to what is written in the Law of Moses. Moses was a man of God. Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel.The people who built the altar were afraid of the nations around them. But they built it anyway. They set it up where it had stood before. They sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord. They offered the morning and evening sacrifices on it.

So here is what I, Ezra, say to you people of Israel.“ Give praise to the Lord. He is the God of our people who lived long ago. He has put it in the king’s heart to bring honor to the Lord’ s temple in Jerusalem. The king has honored the Lord in his letter.

I said to them,“ You can see the trouble we’re in. Jerusalem has been destroyed. Fire has burned up its gates. Come on. Let’s rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. Then people won’t be ashamed anymore.”

They have swallowed up the people of Jacob. They have destroyed Israel’s homeland.Don’t hold against us the sins of our people who lived before us. May you be quick to show us your tender love. We are in great need.God our Savior, help us. Then glory will come to you. Save us and forgive our sins. Then people will honor your name.Why should the nations say,“ Where is their God?” Show the nations that you punish those who kill your people. We want to see it happen.

Lord, you saved your people before. So turn your great anger away from Jerusalem again. After all, it is your city. It’s your holy mountain. You have made those who live around us think little of Jerusalem and your people. That’s because we have sinned. Our people before us did evil things too.

During that time, the people in Judah spoke up. They said,“ The workers are getting weaker and weaker all the time. Broken stones are piled up everywhere. They are in our way. So we can’t rebuild the wall.”

But I said to the king,“ May you live forever! Why shouldn’t I look sad? The city where my people of long ago are buried has been destroyed. And fire has burned up its gates.”