Nehemiah 5

1 Nowe there was a great crie of the people, and of their wiues against their brethren the Iewes.

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

2 For there were that said, We, our sonnes and our daughters are many, therefore we take vp corne, that we may eate and liue.

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 And there were that saide, We must gage our landes, and our vineyardes, and our houses, and take vp corne for 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 that said, We haue borowed money for the Kings tribute vpon our landes and our vineyardes.

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

5 And nowe our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, and our sonnes as their sonnes: and lo, we bring into subiection our sonnes and our daughters, as seruants, and there be of our daughters nowe in subiection, and there is no power in our handes: for other men haue our landes and our vineyardes.

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 Then was I very angrie when I heard their crie and these wordes.

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

7 And I thought in my minde, and I rebuked the princes, and the rulers, and saide vnto them, You lay burthens euery one vpon his brethren: and I set a great assemblie 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 And I said vnto them, We (according to our abilitie) haue redeemed our brethren the Iewes, which were solde vnto the heathen: and will you sell your brethren againe, or shall they be solde vnto vs? Then helde they their peace, and could not answere.

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 I said also, That which ye do, is not good. Ought ye not to walke in the feare of our God, for the reproche of the heathen 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 For euen I, my brethren, and my seruants doe lende them money and corne: I pray you, let vs leaue off this burden.

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 Restore, I pray you, vnto them this day their landes, their vineyardes, their oliues, and their houses, and remit the hundreth part of the siluer and of the corne, of the wine, and of the oyle that ye exact of 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 said they, We will restore it, and will not require it of them: we will doe as thou hast said. Then I called the Priestes, and caused them to sweare, that they shoulde doe 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 So I shooke my lappe, and said, So let God shake out euery man that wil not perfourme this promise from his house, and from his labour: euen thus let him be shaken out, and emptied. And all the Cogregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord: and 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 And from the time that the King gaue me charge to be gouernour in the lande of Iudah, from the twentieth yeere, euen vnto the two and thirtieth yeere of King Artahshashte, that is, twelue yeere, I, and my brethren haue not eaten the bread of the gouernour.

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 For the former gouernours that were before me, had bene chargeable vnto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides fourtie shekels of siluer: yea, and their seruants bare rule ouer the people: but so did not I, because of the feare 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 But rather I fortified a portion in the worke of this wall, and we bought no lande, and all my seruants came thither together vnto the worke.

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 Moreouer there were at my table an hundreth and fiftie of the Iewes, and rulers, which came vnto vs from among the heathen that are about vs.

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 And there was prepared daily an oxe, and sixe chosen sheepe, and birdes were prepared for me, and within ten dayes wine for all in abundance. Yet for all this I required not the bread of the gouernour: for the bondage was grieuous vnto 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, O my God, in goodnesse, according to all that I haue done for this people.

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