SurelyYour servantsfindpleasurein her stonesAnd feelpityfor her dust.
Then the headsof fathers'[households] of Judahand Benjaminand the priestsand the Levitesarose,even everyonewhose spiritGodhad stirredto goup and rebuildthe houseof the LORDwhichis in Jerusalem.
Blessedbe the LORD,the Godof our fathers,whohas put[such a thing] as thisin the king'sheart,to adornthe houseof the LORDwhichis in Jerusalem,
They saidto me, "The remnanttherein the provincewhosurvivedthe captivityare in greatdistressand reproach,and the wallof Jerusalemis brokendownand its gatesare burnedwith fire."
Then I saidto them, "You seethe badsituationwe are in, that Jerusalemis desolateand its gatesburnedby fire.Come,let us rebuildthe wallof Jerusalemsothat we will nolongerbe a reproach."
I saidto the king,"Let the kingliveforever.Whyshould my facenot be sadwhenthe city,the placeof my fathers'tombs,lies desolateand its gateshave been consumedby fire?"
Thus in Judahit was said,"The strengthof the burdenbearersis failing,Yet there is muchrubbish;And we ourselvesare unableTo rebuildthe wall."
He spokein the presenceof his brothersand the wealthy[men] of Samariaand said,"Whatare these feebleJewsdoing?Are they going to restore[it] for themselves? Can they offersacrifices?Can they finishin a day?Can they revivethe stonesfrom the dustyrubbleeven the burnedones?"
So we builtthe walland the wholewallwas joinedtogetherto halfits [height], for the peoplehada mindto work.
It is timefor the LORDto act,[For] they have brokenYour law.
O God,the nationshave invadedYour inheritance;They have defiledYour holytemple;They have laidJerusalemin ruins.
Whenthe LORDwill havecompassionon Jacoband againchooseIsrael,and settlethem in their own land,then strangerswill jointhem and attachthemselves to the houseof Jacob.
"Speakkindlyto Jerusalem;And callout to her, that her warfarehas ended,That her iniquityhas been removed,That she has receivedof the LORD'ShandDoublefor allher sins."
Indeed,the LORDwill comfortZion;He will comfortallher wasteplaces.And her wildernessHe will makelike Eden,And her desertlike the gardenof the LORD;Joyand gladnesswill be foundin her, Thanksgivingand soundof a melody.
"For thussaysthe LORD,'Whenseventyyearshave beencompletedfor Babylon,I will visityou and fulfillMy goodwordto you, to bringyou backto thisplace.
"Thussaysthe LORD,'Behold,I will restorethe fortunesof the tentsof JacobAnd havecompassionon his dwellingplaces;And the citywill be rebuilton its ruin,And the palacewill standon its rightfulplace.
"O Lord,in accordance with allYour righteousacts,let nowYour angerand Your wrathturnawayfrom Your cityJerusalem,Your holymountain;for becauseof our sinsand the iniquitiesof our fathers,Jerusalemand Your people[have become] a reproachto allthose aroundus.
Then she arosewith her daughters-in-lawthat she might returnfrom the landof Moab,for she had heardin the landof Moabthat the LORDhad visitedHis peoplein givingthem food.
