Nehemiah 2:2-4

New International Reader's Version

² So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You aren’t sick. You must be feeling very sad.”

I was really afraid. ³ 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.”

⁴ The king said to me, “What do you want?”

I prayed to the God of heaven.