尼希米记 5
1 百姓和他们的妻大大呼号，埋怨他们的弟兄犹大人。
Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews.
2 有的说：“我们和儿女人口众多，要去得粮食度命”；
For there were who said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain that we may eat and live.
3 有的说：“我们典了田地、葡萄园、房屋，要得粮食充饥”；
There were some also who said, We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses. Let us get grain because of the dearth.
4 有的说：“我们已经指着田地、葡萄园，借了钱给王纳税。
There were also who said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute upon our fields and our vineyards.
5 我们的身体与我们弟兄的身体一样；我们的儿女与他们的儿女一般。现在我们将要使儿女作人的仆婢，我们的女儿已有为婢的；我们并无力拯救，因为我们的田地、葡萄园已经归了别人。”
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our sons as their sons. And, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already. Neither is it in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.
6 我听见他们呼号说这些话，便甚发怒。
And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
7 我心里筹划，就斥责贵胄和官长说：“你们各人向弟兄取利！”于是我招聚大会攻击他们。
Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the ranking men and the rulers, and said to them, Ye exact usury, everyone of his brother. And I held a great assembly against them.
8 我对他们说：“我们尽力赎回我们弟兄，就是卖与外邦的犹大人；你们还要卖弟兄，使我们赎回来吗？”他们就静默不语，无话可答。
And I said to them, According to our ability we have redeemed our brothers the Jews, who were sold to the nations, and would ye even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us? Then they were silent, and found not a word.
9 我又说：“你们所行的不善！你们行事不当敬畏我们的 神吗？不然，难免我们的仇敌外邦人毁谤我们。
Also I said, The thing that ye do is not good. Ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?
10 我和我的弟兄与仆人也将银钱粮食借给百姓；我们大家都当免去利息。
And I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
11 如今我劝你们将他们的田地、葡萄园、橄榄园、房屋，并向他们所取的银钱、粮食、新酒，和油，百分之一的利息都归还他们。”
Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.
12 众人说：“我们必归还，不再向他们索要，必照你的话行。”我就召了祭司来，叫众人起誓，必照着所应许的而行。
Then they said, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them, so will we do, even as thou say. Then I called the priests, and took an oath from them that they would do according to this promise.
13 我也抖着胸前的衣襟，说：“凡不成就这应许的，愿 神照样抖他离开家产和他劳碌得来的，直到抖空了。”会众都说：“阿们！”又赞美耶和华。百姓就照着所应许的去行。
Also I shook out my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, who does not perform this promise, even thus be he shaken out and emptied. And all the assembly said, Truly, and praised Jehovah. And the people did according to this promise.
14 自从我奉派作犹大地的省长，就是从亚达薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我与我弟兄都没有吃省长的俸禄。
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.
15 在我以前的省长加重百姓的担子，每日索要粮食和酒，并银子四十舍客勒，就是他们的仆人也辖制百姓；但我因敬畏 神不这样行。
But the former governors who were before me charged the people, and took bread and wine from them, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people. But I did not so, because of the fear of God.
16 并且我恒心修造城墙，并没有置买田地；我的仆人也都聚集在那里做工。
Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither did we buy any land. And all my servants were gathered there to the work.
17 除了从四围外邦中来的犹大人以外，有犹大平民和官长一百五十人在我席上吃饭。
Moreover there were at my table, of the Jews and the rulers, a hundred and fifty men, besides those who came to us from among the nations that were round about us.
18 每日预备一只公牛，六只肥羊，又预备些飞禽；每十日一次，多预备各样的酒。虽然如此，我并不要省长的俸禄，因为百姓服役甚重。
Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep, also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine. Yet for all this I did not demand the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
19 我的 神啊，求你记念我为这百姓所行的一切事，施恩与我。
Remember to me, O my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.
