<t /><n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">These are the words of Nehemiah<n id="2" /> son of Hacaliah:p> <p class="bodytext">It so happened that in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year,<n id="3" /> I was in Susa<n id="4" /> the citadel.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought to me,<n id="1" /> I took the wine and gave it to the king. Previously<n id="2" /> I had not been depressed<n id="3" /> in the king&#8217;s presence.<n id="4" />

Please,<n id="1" /> O Lord, listen attentively<n id="2" /> to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who take pleasure in showing respect<n id="3" /> to your name. Grant your servant success today and show compassion to me<n id="4" /> in the presence of this man.&#8221;p> <p class="bodytext">Now<n id="5" /> I was cupbearer for the king.p>

<p class="bodytext">During all this time I was not in Jerusalem,<n id="1" /> for in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon, I had gone back to the king. After some time<n id="2" /> I had requested leave of the king,