Nehemias 5

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

Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the 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.

For there were that said, "We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may 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!

Some also there were that said, "We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses. Let us get grain, because of the famine."

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

There were also some who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral.

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.

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Look, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. Neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards."

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

I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.

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,

Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, "You exact usury, everyone of his brother." I held a great assembly against 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.

I said to them, "We, after our ability, have redeemed our brothers the Jews that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us?" Then they held their peace, and found never a word.

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?

Also I said, "The thing that you do is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God, to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?

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

I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury.

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.

Please restore to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that you are 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.

Then they said, "We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do, even as you say." Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.

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.

Also I shook out my lap, and said, "So may God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that doesn't perform this promise; even thus be he shaken out, and emptied." All the assembly said, "Amen," and praised the LORD. The people did according to this promise.

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.

Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artachshasta the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of 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 former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, besides forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people: but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.

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.

Yes, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered there to the work.

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.

Moreover there were at my table, of the Jews and the rulers, one hundred fifty men, besides those who came to us from among the nations that were around us.

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.

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 on this people.

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

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