Nehemiah 5

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

Then came there to be a great outcry of the people and their wives, —against their brethren the Jews.

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

And there were some who were saying, Our sons and our daughters, are we pledging, —that we may obtain corn, and eat, and keep ourselves alive.

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

And there were some who were saying, Our fields and our vineyards and our houses, are we pledging, —that we may obtain corn in the dearth.

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

And there were others who were saying, We have borrowed silver, for the king’s tribute, —[upon] our lands and our vineyards.

5 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.”

Now, therefore, as is the flesh of our brethren, so is our flesh, as are their children, so are our children. Yet lo! we are putting in subjection our sons and our daughters, for bondservants, yea there are some of our daughters already trodden down, and we are powerless, and, our fields and our vineyards, belong to others.

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

And it angered me greatly, —when I heard their outcry, and these words.

7 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.

So my heart took counsel unto me and I contended with the nobles and with the deputies, and said to them, A loan on interest—every man to his brother, are ye making, —So I appointed over them a great assembly;

8 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.

and I said unto them, We, have bought our brethren the Jews, who had sold themselves unto the nations, according to our ability, and will, ye, even sell your brethren, or shall they sell themselves unto us? And they were silent, and found no answer.

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

Then said I, Not good, is the thing which ye are doing, —ought ye not, in the fear of God, to walk, because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?

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

I too, then, my brethren and my young men, might be lending unto them on interest silver and corn! I pray you, let us leave off this lending on interest!

11 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.”

Restore, I pray you, unto them this very day, their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, —also the hundredth of silver and corn, new wine and oil, for which ye have been lending to them.

12 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.

And they said, We will restore them, and, from them, will we require nothing, so, will we do, as thou, art saying. Then called I the priests, and put them on oath, to do according to this promise.

13 Also I shook out my lap, and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that does not 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.

Also, my lap, shook I out, and said—Thus and thus, may God shake out every man who shall not confirm this promise, out of his house and out of his labour, yea, thus and thus, let him be shaken out and empty, —And all the convocation said, Amen! and praised Yahweh, and the people did according to this promise.

14 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.

Moreover, from the day I was commanded to become their pasha in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year, even unto the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, I and my brethren, pasha’s bread, have not eaten;

15 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 did not do so, because of the fear of God.

whereas, the former pashas, who were before me, suffered themselves to be a burden upon the people, and took from them in bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver, even, their young men, bare rule over the people, —but, I, did not so, because of the fear of God.

16 Yes, I also continued in the work of this wall. We did not buy any land. All my servants were gathered there to the work.

Moreover also, in this work of the wall, I repaired, and, no field, did we buy, —though, all my young men, were gathered thither unto the work.

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

And, Jews and deputies, a hundred and fifty men, and they who were coming in unto us from among the nations which were round about us, [depended] upon my table.

18 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 did not demand the governor’s pay, because the bondage was heavy on this people.

Now, that which was prepared for a single day, was—one ox, six choice sheep, also, fowls, were prepared for me, and, apportioned unto ten days, of every sort of wine, in abundance, —yet, in spite of this, the bread of the pasha, demanded I not, because heavy was the bondage upon this people.

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

Remember unto me, O my God, for good, —all that I have done for this people.