尼希米記 5
1 百姓和他們的妻大大呼號，埋怨他們的弟兄猶大人。
And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
2 有的說：「我們和兒女人口眾多，要去得糧食度命」；
And there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many, and we must procure corn that we may eat and live.
3 有的說：「我們典了田地、葡萄園、房屋，要得糧食充飢」；
And there were that said, We have had to pledge our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses, that we might procure corn in the dearth.
4 有的說：「我們已經指着田地、葡萄園，借了錢給王納稅。
And there were that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute upon our fields and vineyards;
5 我們的身體與我們弟兄的身體一樣；我們的兒女與他們的兒女一般。現在我們將要使兒女作人的僕婢，我們的女兒已有為婢的；我們並無力拯救，因為我們的田地、葡萄園已經歸了別人。」
yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and behold, we must 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 the power of our hand [to redeem them], for other men have our fields and our vineyards.
6 我聽見他們呼號說這些話，便甚發怒。
And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
7 我心裏籌劃，就斥責貴冑和官長說：「你們各人向弟兄取利！」於是我招聚大會攻擊他們。
And I consulted with myself; and I remonstrated with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother! And I set a great assembly against them.
8 我對他們說：「我們盡力贖回我們弟兄，就是賣與外邦的猶大人；你們還要賣弟兄，使我們贖回來嗎？」他們就靜默不語，無話可答。
And I said to them, We, according to our ability, have redeemed our brethren the Jews, who were sold to the nations; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? And they were silent and found no answer.
9 我又說：「你們所行的不善！你們行事不當敬畏我們的上帝嗎？不然，難免我們的仇敵外邦人毀謗我們。
And I said, The thing that ye do is not good. Ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, so as not to be the reproach of the nations our enemies?
10 我和我的弟兄與僕人也將銀錢糧食借給百姓；我們大家都當免去利息。
I also, my brethren and my servants, we might exact usury of them, money and corn. I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
11 如今我勸你們將他們的田地、葡萄園、橄欖園、房屋，並向他們所取的銀錢、糧食、新酒，和油，百分之一的利息都歸還他們。」
Restore, I pray you, to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive-gardens, and their houses, also the hundredth [part] of the money, and of the corn, the wine and the oil, that ye have exacted of them.
12 眾人說：「我們必歸還，不再向他們索要，必照你的話行。」我就召了祭司來，叫眾人起誓，必照着所應許的而行。
And they said, We will restore [them], and will require nothing of them; so will we do, as thou hast said. And I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.
13 我也抖着胸前的衣襟，說：「凡不成就這應許的，願上帝照樣抖他離開家產和他勞碌得來的，直到抖空了。」會眾都說：「阿們！」又讚美耶和華。百姓就照着所應許的去行。
Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house and from his earnings, that performeth not this promise: even thus be he shaken out and emptied! And all the congregation said, Amen! And they praised Jehovah. And the people did according to this promise.
14 自從我奉派作猶大地的省長，就是從亞達薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我與我弟兄都沒有吃省長的俸祿。
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, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
15 在我以前的省長加重百姓的擔子，每日索要糧食和酒，並銀子四十舍客勒，就是他們的僕人也轄制百姓；但我因敬畏上帝不這樣行。
But the former governors that were before me had been chargeable to the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver: even their servants bore rule over the people. But I did not so, because of the fear of God.
16 並且我恆心修造城牆，並沒有置買田地；我的僕人也都聚集在那裏做工。
Yea, also I applied myself to this work of the wall, and we bought no fields; and all my servants were gathered thither for the work.
17 除了從四圍外邦中來的猶大人以外，有猶大平民和官長一百五十人在我席上吃飯。
And there were at my table a hundred and fifty of the Jews and the rulers, besides those that came to us from among the nations that were about us.
18 每日預備一隻公牛，六隻肥羊，又預備些飛禽；每十日一次，多預備各樣的酒。雖然如此，我並不要省長的俸祿，因為百姓服役甚重。
And that which was prepared daily was one ox [and] six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days all sorts of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I demanded not the bread of the governor; for the service was heavy upon this people.
19 我的上帝啊，求你記念我為這百姓所行的一切事，施恩與我。
Remember for me, my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.
