Nehemia 5

1Now there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

2And there were some that said: Our sons and our daughters are very many: Yet us take up corn for the price of them, and let us eat and live.

3And there were some that said: Let us mortgage our lands, and our vineyards, and our houses, and let us take corn because of the famine.

4And others said: Let us borrow money for the king’s tribute, and let us give up our fields and vineyards:

5And now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren: and our children as their children. Behold we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters, and some of our daughters are bondwomen already, neither have we wherewith to redeem them, and our fields and our vineyards other men possess.

6And I was exceedingly angry when I heard their cry according to these words.

7And my heart thought with myself: and I rebuked the nobles and magistrates, and said to them: Do you every one exact usury of your brethren? And I gathered together a great assembly against them,

8And I said to them: We, as you know, have redeemed according to our ability our brethren the Jews, that were sold to the Gentiles: and will you then sell your brethren, for us to redeem them? And they held their peace, and found not what to answer.

9And I said to them: The thing you do is not good: why walk you not in the fear of our God, that we be not exposed to the reproaches of the Gentiles our enemies?

10Both I and my brethren, and my servants, have lent money and corn to many: let us all agree not to call for it again; let us forgive the debt that is owing to us.

11Restore ye to them this day their fields, and their vineyards, and their oliveyards, and their houses: and the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, which you mere wont to exact of them, give it rather for them.

12And they said: We will restore, and we will require nothing of them: and we will do as thou sayest. And I called the priests and took an oath of them, to do according to what I had said.

13Moreover I shook my lap, and said: So may God shake every man that shall not accomplish this word, out of his house, and out of his labours, thus may he be shaken out, and become empty. And all the multitude said: Amen. And they praised God. And the people did according to what was said.

14And from the day, in which the king commanded me to be governor in the land of Juda, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, for twelve years, I and my brethren did not eat the yearly allowance that was due to the governors.

15But the former governors that had been before me, were chargeable to the people, and took of them in bread, and wine, and in money every day forty sides: and their officers also oppressed the people. But I did not so for the fear of God.

16Moreover I built in the work of the wall, and I bought no land, and all my servants were gathered together to the work.

17The Jews also and the magistrates to the number of one hundred and fifty men, were at my table, besides them that came to us from among the nations that were round about us.

18And there was prepared for me day by day one ox, and six choice rams, besides fowls, and once in ten days I gave store of divers wines, and many other things: yet I did not require my yearly allowance as governor: for the people were very much impoverished.

19Remember me, O my God, for good according to all that I have done for this people.

1Et factus est clamor populi et uxorum ejus magnus adversus fratres suos Judæos.

2Et erant qui dicerent: Filii nostri et filiæ nostræ multæ sunt nimis: accipiamus pro pretio eorum frumentum, et comedamus, et vivamus.

3Et erant qui dicerent: Agros nostros, et vineas, et domus nostras opponamus, et accipiamus frumentum in fame.

4Et alii dicebant: Mutuo sumamus pecunias in tributa regis, demusque agros nostros et vineas:

5et nunc sicut carnes fratrum nostrorum, sic carnes nostræ sunt: et sicut filii eorum, ita et filii nostri: ecce nos subjugamus filios nostros et filias nostras in servitutem, et de filiabus nostris sunt famulæ, nec habemus unde possint redimi: et agros nostros et vineas nostras alii possident.

6Et iratus sum nimis cum audissem clamorem eorum secundum verba hæc:

7cogitavitque cor meum mecum, et increpavi optimates et magistratus, et dixi eis: Usurasne singuli a fratribus vestris exigitis? Et congregavi adversum eos concionem magnam,

8et dixi eis: Nos, ut scitis, redemimus fratres nostros Judæos, qui venditi fuerant gentibus secundum possibilitatem nostram: et vos igitur vendetis fratres vestros, et redimemus eos? Et siluerunt, nec invenerunt quid responderent.

9Dixique ad eos: Non est bona res quam facitis: quare non in timore Dei nostri ambulastis, ne exprobretur nobis a gentibus inimicis nostris?

10Et ego, et fratres mei, et pueri mei commodavimus plurimis pecuniam et frumentum. Non repetamus in commune istud: æs alienum concedamus quod debetur nobis.

11Reddite eis hodie agros suos, et vineas suas, et oliveta sua, et domos suas: quin potius et centesimum pecuniæ, frumenti, vini et olei, quam exigere soletis ab eis, date pro illis.

12Et dixerunt: Reddemus, et ab eis nihil quæremus: sicque faciemus ut loqueris. Et vocavi sacerdotes, et adjuravi eos ut facerent juxta quod dixeram.

13Insuper excussi sinum meum, et dixi: Sic excutiat Deus omnem virum qui non compleverit verbum istud, de domo sua, et de laboribus suis: sic excutiatur, et vacuus fiat. Et dixit universa multitudo: Amen: et laudaverunt Deum. Fecit ergo populus sicut erat dictum.

14A die autem illa, qua præceperat rex mihi ut essem dux in terra Juda, ab anno vigesimo usque ad annum trigesimum secundum Artaxerxis regis per annos duodecim, ego et fratres mei annonas quæ ducibus debebantur non comedimus.

15Duces autem primi, qui fuerant ante me, gravaverunt populum, et acceperunt ab eis in pane, et vino, et pecunia, quotidie siclos quadraginta: sed et ministri eorum depresserunt populum. Ego autem non feci ita propter timorem Dei:

16quin potius in opere muri ædificavi, et agrum non emi, et omnes pueri mei congregati ad opus erant.

17Judæi quoque et magistratus centum quinquaginta viri, et qui veniebant ad nos de gentibus quæ in circuitu nostro sunt, in mensa mea erant.

18Parabatur autem mihi per dies singulos bos unus, arietes sex electi, exceptis volatilibus, et inter dies decem vina diversa, et alia multa tribuebam: insuper et annonas ducatus mei non quæsivi: valde enim attenuatus erat populus.

19Memento mei, Deus meus, in bonum, secundum omnia quæ feci populo huic.

1And there occurred a great outcry of the people and their wives against their brothers, the Jews.

2And there were those who were saying: “Our sons and our daughters are very many. Let us receive grain as a price for them, and then we may eat and live.”

3And there were those who were saying: “Let us offer up our fields and vineyards, and our houses, and then we may receive grain during the famine.”

4And others were saying: “Let us borrow money for the tribute of the king, and let us surrender our fields and vineyards.”

5“And now, as is the flesh of our brothers, so is our flesh; and as are their sons, so also are our sons. Behold, we have subjugated our sons and our daughters into servitude, and some of our daughters are slaves, nor do we have the ability to redeem them, for others possess our fields and our vineyards.”

6And when I had heard their outcry in these words, I was exceedingly angry.

7And my heart considered within me. And I rebuked the nobles and the magistrates, and I said to them, “Have you each been exacting usury from your brothers?” And I gathered together a great assembly against them.

8And I said to them: “As you know, in accord with what was possible for us, we have redeemed our brothers, the Jews, who had been sold to the Gentiles. And yet you now sell your brothers, and we must redeem them?” And they were silent, nor did they find anything to answer.

9And I said to them: “The thing that you are doing is not good. Why are you not walking in the fear of our God, so that there may be no reproach against us from our enemies, the Gentiles?

10Both I and my brothers, with my servants, have lent money and grain to many. Let us agree not to ask for its return. Let us forgive the other money that is owed to us.

11On this day, restore their fields, and their vineyards, and their olive groves, and their houses to them. Then, too, the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, wine, and oil, which you usually exact from them, give it to them.”

12And they said: “We will restore it, and we will require nothing from them. And we will do just as you say.” And I called the priests, and I had them swear an oath, so that they would act in accord with what I had said.

13Moreover, I shook out my lap, and I said: “So may God shake out every man, who does not fulfill this word. From his house and from his labors, so may he be shaken out and become empty.” And the entire multitude said, “Amen.” And they praised God. Therefore, the people acted in accord with what was said.

14Now from that day, on which the king had ordered me to be governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of king Artaxerxes, for twelve years, I and my brothers did not eat the yearly allowance that was owed to the governors.

15But the former governors, the ones who had been before me, were a burden to the people, and they took from them bread and wine, and forty shekels of money each day. And their officials also oppressed the people. But I did not do so, out of fear of God.

16In fact, I preferred to build in the work of the wall, and I bought no land, and all my servants were gathered to do the work.

17Likewise, the Jews and the magistrates, one hundred and fifty men, were at my table, with those who came to us from among the Gentiles that are around us.

18Now there was prepared for me, on each day, one ox and six choice rams, along with poultry. And once every ten days, I distributed diverse wines and many other things. Yet I did not require my yearly allowance as governor. For the people were greatly impoverished.

19Remember me, O my God, for good, in accord with all that I have done for this people.