Nehemias 5

1 Der lød nu højrøstede Klager fra Folket og deres Kvinder mod deres Brødre, Jøderne.

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

2 Nogle sagde: »Vore Sønner og Døtre maa vi give i Pant for at faa Korn til Livets Ophold!«

For there were some who said, “We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”

3 Andre sagde: »Vore Marker, Vingaarde og Huse maa vi give i Pant for at faa Korn under Hungersnøden!«

There were also some who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses. Let us get grain, because of the famine.”

4 Atter andre sagde: »Vi har maattet laane paa vore Marker og Vingaarde for at kunne udrede de kongelige Skatter!

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

5 Og vore Legemer er dog lige saa gode som vore Brødres og vore Sønner lige saa gode som deres; men vi er nødt til at give vore Sønner og Døtre hen til at blive Trælle, ja, nogle af vore Døtre er det allerede, og det stod ikke i vor Magt at hindre det, eftersom vore Marker og Vingaarde tilhører andre!«

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Behold, we bring our sons and our daughters into bondage to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. It is also not in our power to help it, because other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

6 Da jeg hørte deres Klager og disse deres Ord, blussede Vreden heftigt op i mig;

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

7 og efter at have tænkt over Sagen gik jeg i Rette med de store og Forstanderne og sagde til dem: I driver jo Aager over for eders Næste! Saa kaldte jeg en stor Folkeforsamling sammen 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 sagde til dem: Saa vidt vi var i Stand dertil, har vi frikøbt vore jødiske Brødre, der maatte sælge sig til Hedningerne; og I sælger eders Brødre, saa de maa 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 not a word to say.

9 Men jeg fortsatte: Det er ikke ret af eder at handle saaledes! Skulde I ikke vandre i Frygt for vor Gud af Hensyn til Hedningerne, vore Fjenders Spot?

Also I said, “The thing that you do is not good. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?

10 Ogsaa jeg og mine Brødre og mine Folk har laant dem Penge og Korn; men lad os nu eftergive dem, hvad de skylder!

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

11 Giv dem straks deres Marker, Vingaarde, Oliventræer og Huse tilbage og eftergiv dem Pengene, Kornet, Mosten og Olien, som I har laant dem!

Please restore to them, even today, 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 svarede de: Ja, vi vil give det tilbage og ikke afkræve dem noget; som du siger, vil vi gøre! Jeg lod da Præsterne kalde og lod dem sværge paa, at de vilde handle saaledes.

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

13 Og jeg rystede min Brystfold og sagde: Enhver, der ikke holder dette Ord, vil Gud saaledes ryste ud af hans Hus og Ejendom; ja, saaledes skal han blive udrystet og tømt! Da sagde hele Forsamlingen: Amen! Og de lovpriste HERREN; og Folket handlede efter sit Løfte.

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

14 Desuden skal det nævnes, at fra den Dag Kong Artaxerxes bød mig være deres Statholder i Judas Land, fra Kong Artaxerxes's tyvende til hans to og tredivte Regeringsaar, hele tolv Aar, spiste hverken jeg eller mine Brødre det Brød, der tilkom Statholderen,

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 medens mine Forgængere, de tidligere Statholdere, lagde Tynge paa Folket og for Brød og Vin daglig afkrævede dem fyrretyve Sekel Sølv, ligesom ogsaa deres Tjenere optraadte som Folkets Herrer. Det undlod jeg at gøre af Frygt for Gud.

But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, plus forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people, but I didn’t do so, because of the fear of God.

16 Og desuden tog jeg selv fat ved Arbejdet paa denne Mur, skønt vi ingen Mark havde købt, og alle mine Folk var samlet der ved Arbejdet.

Yes, I also continued in the work of this wall. We didn’t buy any land. All my servants were gathered there to the work.

17 Og Jøderne, baade Forstanderne, 150 Mand, og de, der kom til os fra de omboende Hedningefolk, spiste ved mit Bord;

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

18 og hvad der daglig lavedes til, et Stykke Hornkvæg, seks udsøgte Faar og Fjerkræ, afholdt jeg Udgifterne til; dertil kom hver tiende Dag en Masse Vin af alle Sorter. Men alligevel krævede jeg ikke det Brød, der tilkom Statholderen, fordi Arbejdet tyngede haardt paa Folket.

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 a store of all sorts of wine. Yet for all this, I didn’t demand the governor’s pay, because the bondage was heavy on this people.

19 Kom i Hu alt, hvad jeg har gjort for dette Folk, og regn mig det til gode, min Gud!

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