Nehemiah 1
Commentary from 3 fathers
And Anani, one of my brethren, came, he and [some] men of Juda; and I asked them concerning those that had escaped, who had been left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
καὶ ἦλθεν ᾿Ανανὶ εἷς ἀπὸ ἀδελφῶν μου, αὐτὸς καὶ ἄνδρες ᾿Ιούδα, καὶ ἠρώτησα αὐτοὺς περὶ τῶν σωθέντων, οἳ κατελείφθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας καὶ περὶ ῾Ιερουσαλήμ,
И҆ прїи́де (ко мнѣ̀) а҆нані́а є҆ди́нъ ѿ бра́тїй мои́хъ съ мꙋ̑жи і҆ꙋ́дѡвы, и҆ вопроси́хъ и҆̀хъ ѡ҆ спа́сшихсѧ, и҆̀же ѡ҆ста́шасѧ ѿ плѣне́нїѧ, и҆ ѡ҆ і҆ерⷭ҇ли́мѣ.
And they said to me, The remnant, [even] those that are left of the captivity, [are] there in the land, in great distress and reproach: and the walls of Jerusalem [are] thrown down, and its gates are burnt with fire.
καὶ εἴποσαν πρός με· οἱ καταλειπόμενοι οἱ καταλειφθέντες ἀπὸ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ἐκεῖ ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ ἐν πονηρίᾳ μεγάλῃ καὶ ἐν ὀνειδισμῷ, καὶ τείχη ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καθῃρημένα, καὶ αἱ πύλαι αὐτῆς ἐνεπρήσθησαν ἐν πυρί.
И҆ реко́ша мѝ: ѡ҆ста́вшїисѧ ѿ плѣне́нїѧ та́мѡ во странѣ̀, во ѡ҆ѕлобле́нїи вели́цѣ и҆ въ поноше́нїи, и҆ стѣ́ны і҆ерⷭ҇ли̑мскїѧ разорє́ны, и҆ врата̀ є҆гѡ̀ сожжє́на ѻ҆гне́мъ.
And they said to me: Those who remained and were left, etc. The sense of the letter is clear, because those who had remained from captivity, although they seemed to live in peace with the king of Persia being their friend, whom he had also sent with letters much earlier, who had power in the whole region beyond the river; nevertheless, they were in great affliction of mind, because their enemies reproached them that the holy city still remained in ruins. But now also in the holy Church, it is justly afflicted, and pricked with salutary sadness, they who, themselves repenting from past crimes, consider that their neighbors still lie under vices, so that through the negligence of those who could have benefited many of the corrected, the devil has a free entrance into the Church as if through the walls of a destroyed city. This is all the more necessary to be lamented, if even those who ought to have benefited others by teaching or example, wrongly living, show themselves as an example over destruction to those who see them. For this is what it means for the gates of Jerusalem to be burned with hostile flames, those who ought to have introduced the worthy into the company of the elect by living and teaching well, and kept away the unworthy, to perish by the fire of avarice, lust, pride, contention, envy, and other vices which the malignant enemy is accustomed to incite. But what seems to us to be done about these things, or what ought to be done, is shown when it is immediately added:
Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, [that] I sat down and wept, and mourned for [several] days, and continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἀκοῦσαί με τοὺς λόγους τούτους ἐκάθισα καὶ ἔκλαυσα καὶ ἐπένθησα ἡμέρας καὶ ἤμην νηστεύων καὶ προσευχόμενος ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ
И҆ бы́сть є҆гда̀ ᲂу҆слы́шахъ словеса̀ сїѧ̑, сѣдо́хъ и҆ пла́кахъ и҆ рыда́хъ дни̑ (мнѡ́ги), и҆ бѣ́хъ постѧ́сѧ и҆ молѧ́сѧ пред̾ лице́мъ бг҃а нбⷭ҇нагѡ,
And when I heard such words, I sat and wept, etc., up to And direct your servant, etc. For if a holy man, hearing the buildings of stones and wood destroyed, rightly mourned, fasted, and prayed, and for a long time sat in sadness; how much more in the destruction and ruin of souls, which is committed through sin, should continuous mourning, tears, and prayers be insisted upon? So that, with the Lord pitying, those who lay filthy in the longlasting filth of vices, as a reproach against religion, with the enemy triumphing, may be raised to their former health.
Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah
And I said, Nay, I pray thee, O Lord God of heaven, the mighty, the great and terrible, keeping thy covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to those that keep his commandments:
καὶ εἶπα· μὴ δή, Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὁ ἰσχυρός, ὁ μέγας καὶ φοβερός, φυλάσσων τὴν διαθήκην καὶ τὸ ἔλεός σου τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτὸν καὶ τοῖς φυλάσσουσι τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ·
и҆ реко́хъ: молю̀ тѧ̀, гдⷭ҇и бж҃е нбⷭ҇ный, крѣ́пкїй, вели́кїй и҆ стра́шный, хранѧ́й завѣ́тъ и҆ млⷭ҇рдїе лю́бѧщымъ тѧ̀ и҆ хранѧ́щымъ за́пѡвѣди твоѧ̑:
let now thine ear be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee at this time, this day [both] day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and make confession for the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and the house of my father have sinned.
ἔστω δὴ τὸ οὖς σου προσέχον καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου ἀνεῳγμένοι τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι προσευχὴν τοῦ δούλου σου, ἣν ἐγὼ προσεύχομαι ἐνώπιόν σου σήμερον ἡμέραν καὶ νύκτα περὶ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ δούλων σου. καὶ ἐξαγορεύσω ἐπὶ ἁμαρτίαις υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ, ἃς ἡμάρτομέν σοι. καὶ ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ οἶκος πατρός μου ἡμάρτομεν·
да бꙋ́дꙋтъ ᲂу҆́ши твоѝ вне́млющѣ и҆ ѻ҆́чи твоѝ ѿве́рстѣ, є҆́же слы́шати моли́твꙋ раба̀ твоегѡ̀, є҆́юже а҆́зъ молю́сѧ пред̾ тобо́ю дне́сь, де́нь и҆ но́щь, ѡ҆ сынѣ́хъ і҆и҃левыхъ рабѣ́хъ твои́хъ: и҆ и҆сповѣ́даюсѧ ѡ҆ грѣсѣ́хъ сынѡ́въ і҆и҃левыхъ, и҆́миже согрѣши́хомъ пред̾ тобо́ю, и҆ а҆́зъ и҆ до́мъ ѻ҆тца̀ моегѡ̀ согрѣши́хомъ:
We have altogether broken [covenant] with thee, and we have not kept the commandments, and the ordinances, and the judgments, which thou didst command thy servant Moses.
διαλύσει διελύσαμεν πρός σε· καὶ οὐκ ἐφυλάξαμεν τὰς ἐντολὰς καὶ τὰ προστάγματα καὶ τὰ κρίματα, ἃ ἐνετείλω τῷ Μωυσῇ παιδί σου.
престꙋпле́нїемъ престꙋпи́хомъ тебѣ̀ и҆ не сохрани́хомъ за́повѣдїй (твои́хъ) и҆ повелѣ́нїй и҆ сꙋде́бъ, ꙗ҆̀же повелѣ́лъ є҆сѝ мѡѷсе́ю рабꙋ̀ твоемꙋ̀:
Remember, I pray thee, the word wherewith thou didst charge thy servant Moses, saying, If ye break covenant [with me], I will disperse you among the nations.
μνήσθητι δὴ τὸν λόγον, ὃν ἐνετείλω τῷ Μωυσῇ παιδί σου λέγων· ὑμεῖς ἐὰν ἀσυνθετήσητε, ἐγὼ διασκορπιῶ ὑμᾶς ἐν τοῖς λαοῖς·
помѧнѝ ᲂу҆̀бо сло́во, є҆́же заповѣ́далъ є҆сѝ мѡѷсе́ю рабꙋ̀ твоемꙋ̀ гл҃ѧ: а҆́ще престꙋ́пите вы̀, а҆́зъ расточꙋ̀ вы̀ въ лю́ди,
8–9But I say, Has the Lord used iniquity to snatch the nations from the power of his enemies and recall them to faith in him and to his dominion? By no means. For "Israel" was once "the Lord's portion," but they made Israel turn from their God in sin, and because of their sins God said to them, "Behold, you have been separated by your sins and because of your sins you have been scattered under the whole heaven." But again he says to them, "If your dispersion should be from one end of heaven to the other, from there I will gather you, says the Lord." Because, therefore, "the princes of this world" had first invaded "the Lord's portion," "the good shepherd" had, necessarily, the ninety and nine having been left on the heights, to descend to the lands and seek the one sheep that was lost, and when it was found and carried back on his shoulders, to recall it to the sheepfold of perfection on high.
Homilies on Genesis 9.7
But if ye turn again to me, and keep my commandments, and do them; if ye should be scattered under the utmost [bound] of heaven, thence will I gather them, and I will bring them into the place which I have chosen to cause my name to dwell there.
καὶ ἐὰν ἐπιστρέψητε πρός με καὶ φυλάξητε τὰς ἐντολάς μου καὶ ποιήσητε αὐτάς, ἐὰν ᾖ ἡ διασπορὰ ὑμῶν ἀπ’ ἄκρου τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ἐκεῖθεν συνάξω αὐτοὺς καὶ εἰσάξω αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν τόπον, ὃν ἐξελεξάμην κατασκηνῶσαι τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐκεῖ.
и҆ а҆́ще ѡ҆братите́сѧ ко мнѣ̀ и҆ сохранитѐ за́пѡвѣди моѧ̑ и҆ сотворитѐ ѧ҆̀, а҆́ще бꙋ́детъ разсѣ́ѧнїе ва́ше до конца̀ небесѐ, ѿтꙋ́дꙋ соберꙋ̀ вы̀ и҆ введꙋ̀ вы̀ въ мѣ́сто, є҆́же и҆збра́хъ всели́тисѧ и҆́мени моемꙋ̀ та́мѡ:
Now they [are] thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy great power, and with thy strong hand.
καὶ αὐτοὶ παῖδές σου καὶ λαός σου, οὓς ἐλυτρώσω ἐν τῇ δυνάμει σου τῇ μεγάλῃ καὶ ἐν τῇ χειρί σου τῇ κραταιᾷ.
и҆ ті́и рабѝ твоѝ и҆ лю́дїе твоѝ, и҆̀хже и҆скꙋпи́лъ є҆сѝ си́лою твое́й вели́кою и҆ рꙋко́ю твое́ю крѣ́пкою:
[Turn] not [away], I pray thee, O Lord, but let thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and cause him to find mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was the king’s cup-bearer.
μὴ δή, Κύριε· ἀλλὰ ἔστω τὸ οὖς σου προσέχον εἰς τὴν προσευχὴν τοῦ δούλου σου καὶ εἰς τὴν προσευχὴν παίδων σου τῶν θελόντων φοβεῖσθαι τὸ ὄνομά σου· καὶ εὐόδωσον δὴ τῷ παιδί σου σήμερον καὶ δὸς αὐτὸν εἰς οἰκτιρμοὺς ἐνώπιον τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τούτου. καὶ ἐγὼ ἤμην οἰνοχόος τῷ βασιλεῖ.
молю̀, гдⷭ҇и, да бꙋ́детъ ᲂу҆́хо твоѐ вне́млющее на моли́твꙋ раба̀ твоегѡ̀ и҆ на моли́твꙋ рабѡ́въ твои́хъ хотѧ́щихъ боѧ́тисѧ и҆́мене твоегѡ̀: и҆ бл҃гопоспѣшѝ ᲂу҆̀бо рабꙋ̀ твоемꙋ̀ дне́сь, и҆ да́ждь є҆го̀ въ щедрѡ́ты пред̾ мꙋ́жемъ си́мъ. И҆ а҆́зъ бы́хъ вїноче́рпчїй царе́въ.
The words of Neemias the son of Achalia. And it came to pass in the month Chaseleu, of the twentieth year, that I was in Susan the palace.
ΛΟΓΟΙ Νεεμία υἱοῦ ᾿Αχαλία, καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν μηνὶ Χασελεῦ ἔτους εἰκοστοῦ καὶ ἐγὼ ἤμην ἐν Σουσὰν ἀβιρά,
Словеса̀ неемі́и сы́на а҆халі́ина. И҆ бы́сть въ мцⷭ҇ѣ хаселе́ѵъ {ное́мврїй}, двадесѧ́тагѡ лѣ́та, и҆ а҆́зъ бѣ́хъ въ сꙋса́нъ-а҆вїрѣ̀.