Nehemias 5

1 Og der rejste sig et stort Skrig af Folket og deres Hustruer imod deres Brødre, Jøderne.

Around this time some people and their wives started a tremendous argument with the other Jews.

2 Thi der var nogle, som sagde: Vi med vore Sønner og vore Døtre ere mange; saa lader os da faa Korn, at vi maa æde og leve.

They were complaining, “Our families are so large we need more food so we can eat and live.”

3 Der var og dem, som sagde: Vi have pantsat vore Agre og vore Vingaarde og vore Huse; lader os da faa Korn i denne Hungersnød!

Others added, “We've had to mortgage our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to buy food during the famine.”

4 Og der var dem, som sagde: Vi have laant Penge paa vore Agre og vore Vingaarde for at betale Kongen Skat.

Still more said, “We've had to borrow money on our fields and vineyards to pay the king's tax.

5 Nu er dog vort Legeme saa godt som vore Brødres Legeme og vore Børn som deres Børn; men se, vi maa give vore Sønner og vore Døtre hen som Trælle, ja, der er nogle af vore Døtre alt givne hen og ere ikke i vore Hænders Magt, medens vore Agre og vore Vingaarde tilhøre andre.

Even though we are the same people as our creditors and though our children are the same as their children, yet we going to have to turn our sons and daughters into slaves. In fact some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we can't do anything about it, because our fields and our vineyards are now owned by others.”

6 Og min Vrede optændtes saare, der jeg hørte deres Skrig og disse Ord.

I became very angry when I heard them protesting their grievances.

7 Og jeg overvejede Sagen i mit Hjerte, og jeg trættede med de ypperste og Forstanderne og sagde til dem: I trykke den ene den anden med Gæld! og jeg stillede en stor Forsamling imod dem,

I thought it over and then I went to argue with the nobles and officials, telling them, “You are charging your own brothers interest!” So I called a large meeting to deal with them.

8 Og jeg sagde til dem: Vi have løskøbt vore Brødre, Jøderne, som vare solgte til Hedningerne, efter vor Formue, og I, I ville derimod sælge eders Brødre, og skulle de sælge sig til os? Da tav de og fandt intet at svare.

There I told them, “We have done as much as we can to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers as slaves! Are you expecting to sell them back to us?” They kept quiet because they couldn't think of anything to say.

9 Fremdeles sagde jeg: Det er ikke en god Ting, som I gøre; skulde I ikke vandre i vor Guds Frygt for Hedningernes, vore Fjenders, Forsmædelses Skyld?

“What you're doing isn't right,” I told them. “Don't you think you should respect our God so that enemy nations don't criticize us?

10 Og jeg, mine Brødre og mine Tjenere, vi have betroet dem Penge og Korn; lader os dog eftergive denne Gæld!

I, as well as my brothers and my men have been have been lending the people money and food. Please, let's stop this business of charging interest!

11 Kære, tilbagegiver dem paa denne Dag deres Agre, deres Vingaarde, deres Oliegaarde og deres Huse, og den hundrede Part af Pengene og Kornet, Mosten og Olien, som I have betroet dem.

Give them back right now their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses, along with the one percent interest on the money, grain, new wine, and olive oil that you have been charging them.”

12 Da sagde de: Vi ville give det tilbage og intet kræve af dem, saaledes ville vi gøre, ligesom du har sagt; og jeg kaldte ad Præsterne og tog en Ed af dem, at de skulde gøre efter dette Ord.

“We will give it back,” they replied, “and we won't demand anything more from them. We'll do as you say.” So I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials swear an oath that they'd do what they had promised.

13 Jeg udrystede ogsaa min Kjortelflig og sagde: Saaledes udryste Gud hver Mand fra sit Hus og fra sit Arbejde, naar han ikke holder dette Ord, og han blive saa udrystet og tom! Og den ganske Forsamling sagde: Amen! og de lovede Herren, og Folket gjorde efter dette Ord.

I shook out the folds of my robe and said, “This is how my God will shake you out of your homes and out of your possessions if you don't keep your promise! If you don't, you'll be shaken out and end up with nothing!” Everyone there said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. The people did what they'd promised.

14 Ogsaa fra den Dag, da Kongen befalede mig at være deres Landshøvding i Judas Land, som var fra det tyvende Aar og indtil Kong Artakserkses's to og tredivte Aar, det er tolv Aar, aad jeg og mine Brødre ikke det Landshøvdingen tilkommende Brød.

In addition to this, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me as governor in the land of Judah, which was from his twentieth year until his thirty-second year, a total of twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food which was allocated to the governor.

15 Og de forrige Landshøvdinger, som havde været før mig, havde besværet Folket og taget Brød og Vin af dem og derefter fyrretyve Sekel Sølv, ogsaa deres Tjenere herskede over Folket; men jeg gjorde ikke saa for Guds Frygts Skyld.

But the governors before me had placed a heavy burden on the people, taking forty shekels of silver from them as well as food and wine. Their assistants also extorted the people. But because of my respect for God I didn't act like that.

16 Tilmed lagde jeg Haand paa Arbejdet med denne Mur, og vi købte ingen Agre; og alle mine Tjenere maatte forsamle sig der til Arbejdet.

I also made rebuilding the wall my top priority, and I assigned all my workers to help with that. We didn't acquire any land for ourselves.

17 Tilmed vare af Jøderne og Forstanderne hundrede og halvtredsindstyve Mænd, og de, som kom til os fra Hedningerne, der vare trindt omkring os, ved mit Bord.

I had 150 Jews and officials eating at my table, as well as visitors from nearby countries.

18 Og det, som blev lavet til een Dag, var een Okse, seks udvalgte Faar samt Fugle, som bleve lavede til mig, og een Gang i Løbet af ti Dage var der Vin af al Slags i Overflødighed; desuagtet krævede jeg ikke det Landshøvdingen tilkommende Brød, thi Arbejdet laa svart paa dette Folk.

Every day I paid for one ox, six good sheep, and poultry. Every ten days I paid for a large supply of all kinds of wine. But I never demanded the governor's food allowance, because the people were already carrying a heavy burden.

19 Min Gud! kom i Hu, mig til det gode, alt det, som jeg har gjort for dette Folk!

Please remember me positively, my God, for all that I've done for this people.