Nehemiah 5
1 And there occurred a great outcry of the people and their wives against their brothers, the Jews.
那時，在人民和他們的婦女中，發生了喊冤的大聲音，控告自己的猶太同胞。
2 And there were those who were saying: “Our sons and our daughters are very many. Let us receive grain as a price for them, and then we may eat and live.”
有人喊說：「我們應以我們的兒女作質，換取食糧，吃飯生活。」
3 And there were those who were saying: “Let us offer up our fields and vineyards, and our houses, and then we may receive grain during the famine.”
另有人喊說：「我們必須典當我們的田地、葡萄園和房屋，為在飢荒之中獲得食糧。」
4 And others were saying: “Let us borrow money for the tribute of the king, and let us surrender our fields and vineyards.”
還有人喊說：「我們應抵押我們的田地和葡萄園，去借錢給王納稅。
5 “And now, as is the flesh of our brothers, so is our flesh; and as are their sons, so also are our sons. Behold, we have subjugated our sons and our daughters into servitude, and some of our daughters are slaves, nor do we have the ability to redeem them, for others possess our fields and our vineyards.”
然而我們的肉體與我們同胞的肉體一樣，我們的孩子與他們的孩子也相同，但我們必須叫我們的兒女去作奴婢，且有些女兒已做了奴婢；我們現下一無所能，因為我們的田地和葡萄園，已屬於別人了。」
6 And when I had heard their outcry in these words, I was exceedingly angry.
我一聽了他們的哀訴和這樣的話，很是悲憤。
7 And my heart considered within me. And I rebuked the nobles and the magistrates, and I said to them, “Have you each been exacting usury from your brothers?” And I gathered together a great assembly against them.
我考慮之後，遂譴責那些權貴和長官，向他們說：「你們每人竟向告自己的同胞索取重利。」為譴責他們，我召集了大會，
8 And I said to them: “As you know, in accord with what was possible for us, we have redeemed our brothers, the Jews, who had been sold to the Gentiles. And yet you now sell your brothers, and we must redeem them?” And they were silent, nor did they find anything to answer.
向他們說：「我們已費盡力量，贖回來了那些被賣給異民作奴隸的猶太同胞，難道你們又要賣你們的同胞，叫我們贖回來嗎﹖」他們不出聲，也不知如何回答。
9 And I said to them: “The thing that you are doing is not good. Why are you not walking in the fear of our God, so that there may be no reproach against us from our enemies, the Gentiles?
我接著說：「你們作的這事實在不對! 為避免異民—我們仇敵的辱罵，你們豈不應懷著敬畏我們天主的心行事嗎﹖
10 Both I and my brothers, with my servants, have lent money and grain to many. Let us agree not to ask for its return. Let us forgive the other money that is owed to us.
我和我的兄弟以及我的僕人，也都借給了他們銀錢和食糧。好罷! 我們都免除他們這債務罷!
11 On this day, restore their fields, and their vineyards, and their olive groves, and their houses to them. Then, too, the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, wine, and oil, which you usually exact from them, give it to them.”
今天就應當歸還他們的田地、葡萄園、橄欖園和房屋，並歸還由借給他們的銀錢、食糧、酒、油所獲得的重利。」
12 And they said: “We will restore it, and we will require nothing from them. And we will do just as you say.” And I called the priests, and I had them swear an oath, so that they would act in accord with what I had said.
他們答說：「我們都歸還給他們，不向他們索求什麼；你怎麼說；我們就怎麼行。」接著我叫了司祭來，另那些人起誓，按這話去行。
13 Moreover, I shook out my lap, and I said: “So may God shake out every man, who does not fulfill this word. From his house and from his labors, so may he be shaken out and become empty.” And the entire multitude said, “Amen.” And they praised God. Therefore, the people acted in accord with what was said.
我又拂拭衣襟說道：「願天主把一切不守這諾言的人，由他的房舍和他的財產中如此拂拭下去，直到將他拂拭淨盡。」全會眾都答說：「阿們。」同時又稱頌了上主。人民都履行了諾言。
14 Now from that day, on which the king had ordered me to be governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of king Artaxerxes, for twelve years, I and my brothers did not eat the yearly allowance that was owed to the governors.
此外，自從我被任命為猶大省長之日起，即自阿塔薛西斯王二十年至三十二年，十二年之久，我和我的兄弟從未食過省長的俸祿。
15 But the former governors, the ones who had been before me, were a burden to the people, and they took from them bread and wine, and forty shekels of money each day. And their officials also oppressed the people. But I did not do so, out of fear of God.
但是，在我以先的前任省長，苛待民眾，每天由民眾取四十「協刻耳」銀子，作為俸祿，並且他們的臣僕還壓迫民眾；而我因敬畏天主，並未如此行事。
16 In fact, I preferred to build in the work of the wall, and I bought no land, and all my servants were gathered to do the work.
雖然我也從事修建城垣的工程，但並未購置過田產；我的僕人也都聚集在那裏工作。
17 Likewise, the Jews and the magistrates, one hundred and fifty men, were at my table, with those who came to us from among the Gentiles that are around us.
有一百五十個猶太人和官員，在我那裏吃飯，還有從我們四周異民中，來到我們這裏的人。
18 Now there was prepared for me, on each day, one ox and six choice rams, along with poultry. And once every ten days, I distributed diverse wines and many other things. Yet I did not require my yearly allowance as governor. For the people were greatly impoverished.
每一天應備辦一頭牛，六隻肥羊和各種飛禽，這些都由我負擔；每天又要備置大量的酒；雖然如此，我仍未索求省長的俸祿，服役的事已為這民眾夠重的了。
19 Remember me, O my God, for good, in accord with all that I have done for this people.
我的天主! 請記念我! 記念我為這民眾所行的一切，使我蒙福。
