Nehemiah 5
1 About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.
百姓和他們的妻大大呼號，埋怨他們的弟兄猶大人。
2 Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”
有的說：「我們和兒女人口眾多，要去得糧食度命」；
3 Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.”
有的說：「我們典了田地、葡萄園、房屋，要得糧食充飢」；
4 Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.
有的說：「我們已經指着田地、葡萄園，借了錢給王納稅。
5 We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
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。」
6 When I heard their outcry and these complaints, I became extremely angry,
我聽見他們呼號說這些話，便甚發怒。
7 and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” So I called a large assembly against them
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。
8 and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say.
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。
9 So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our foreign enemies?
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。
10 I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending the people money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury.
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。
11 Please restore to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and oil that you have been assessing them.”
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。」
12 “We will restore it,” they replied, “and will require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” So I summoned the priests and required of the nobles and officials an oath that they would do what they had promised.
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。
13 I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake out of His house and possession every man who does not keep this promise. May such a man be shaken out and have nothing!” The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.
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。
14 Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from his twentieth year until his thirty-second year (twelve years total), neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.
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。
15 The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people, but I did not do this because of my fear of God.
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。
16 Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall, and all my servants were gathered there for the work; we did not acquire any land.
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。
17 There were 150 Jews and officials at my table, besides the guests from the surrounding nations.
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。
18 Each day one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine was provided. But I did not demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.
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。
19 Remember me favorably, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.
我的上帝啊，求你記念我為這百姓所行的一切事，施恩與我。
