Nehemiah 2:2-4

New American Standard Bible

² So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, though you are not ill? ^(A)This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid. ³ And I said to the king, “^(B)May the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad ^(C)when the city, the ^[a]site of my fathers’ tombs, is desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?” ⁴ Then the king said to me, “^[b]What would you request?” ^(D)So I prayed to the God of heaven.