Nehemiah 5
1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
Saa ɛberɛ yi mu mmarima no bi ne wɔn yerenom nwiinwii tiaa wɔn mfɛfoɔ Yudafoɔ.
2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.
Wɔkaa sɛ, “Yɛwɔ mmusua a emu nnipa dɔɔso. Yɛhia sika a ɛdɔɔso kakra a yɛde bɛtɔ aduane adi anya ahoɔden.”
3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
Afoforɔ nso kaa sɛ, “Yɛde yɛn mfuo, bobe nturo ne yɛn afie asisi awowa sɛdeɛ yɛbɛnya aduane wɔ ɛkɔm ɛberɛ mu.”
4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
Afoforɔ nso kaa sɛ, “Yɛabɔ bosea a ɛne yɛn mfuo ne bobefuo ano boɔ yɛ pɛ, de atua yɛn apeatoɔ.
5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
Yɛfiri abusua korɔ mu, na yɛn mma te sɛ wɔn deɛ. Nanso, ɛsɛ sɛ yɛtɔn yɛn mma, de wɔn kɔ nkoasom mu ansa na yɛanya sika de ahwɛ yɛn ho. Yɛatɔn yɛn mmammaa bi dada, na yɛrentumi nyɛ ho hwee, ɛfiri sɛ, yɛde yɛn mfuo ne bobefuo asisi awowa ama afoforɔ.”
6 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
Metee wɔn anwiinwii no, me bo fuu yie.
7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, All of you exact interest, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.
Medwenee saa asɛm yi ho, na mekasa tiaa atitire ne adwumayɛfoɔ no. Meka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Monam nsiho a mogye firi mo ara mo nkurɔfoɔ bosea a wɔbɔ so no hyɛ wɔn so.” Na mefrɛɛ ɔmanfoɔ nhyiamu kaa ho asɛm.
8 And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will all of you even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.
Nhyiamu no ase, meka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Yɛn a yɛaka no, yɛrebɔ yɛn ho mmɔden sɛ yɛbɛtumi agye yɛn abusuafoɔ Yudafoɔ a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtɔn wɔn ho ma ahɔhoɔ abosonsomfoɔ. Nanso, moresan atɔn wɔn akɔ nkoasom mu bio. Ɛda biara na ɛsɛ sɛ yɛgye wɔn anaa?” Na wɔantumi anka asɛm biara anyi wɔn ho ano.
9 Also I said, It is not good that all of you do: ought all of you not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
Afei, mekɔɔ so kaa sɛ, “Deɛ moreyɛ no nyɛ. Ɛsɛ sɛ monante Onyamesuro mu, sɛdeɛ atamfoɔ aman no nnya kwan mfa mo nyɛ aseredeɛ.
10 I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this interest.
Mʼankasa ne me nuanom mmarima ne mʼadwumayɛfoɔ bɔ ɔmanfoɔ no sika ne atokoɔ bosea, nanso, afei momma yɛnnyae boseabɔ no.
11 Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive yards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that all of you exact of them.
Ɛnnɛ yi ara, ɛsɛ sɛ mode wɔn mfuo, bobeturo, ngo dua mfuo ne wɔn afie ma wɔn. Montua nsiho a mogyee wɔn wɔ sika, atokoɔ, nsã ne ngo bosea a mobɔɔ wɔn no ho mma wɔn.”
12 Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as you say. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.
Na wɔbuaa sɛ, “Yɛde biribiara bɛma na yɛremmisa biribiara mfiri nnipa no nkyɛn bio. Yɛbɛyɛ deɛ woka no.” Afei, mefrɛɛ asɔfoɔ no, na memaa atitire no ne adwumayɛfoɔ no kaa ntam sɛ, wɔbɛdi wɔn bɔhyɛ so.
13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performs not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.
Meporoo mʼabɔɔmu mu kaa sɛ, “Sɛ mobu ɛbɔ a moahyɛ no so a, Onyankopɔn mporo mo mfiri mo afie mu ne mo agyapadeɛ ho!” Badwa no gyee so sɛ, “Amen.” Na wɔkamfoo Awurade. Na nnipa no dii wɔn bɔhyɛ so.
14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
Na mepɛ sɛ meka sɛ, mfeɛ dumienu a ɛyɛ ɔhene Artasasta ahennie mfeɛ aduonu kɔsi mfeɛ aduasa mmienu so a meyɛɛ amrado wɔ Yuda no, me ne mʼadwumayɛfoɔ nnyee yɛn akɔnhomabɔdeɛ da.
15 But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
Yei ne nsonsonoeɛ kɛseɛ a ɛda yɛne amradofoɔ a wɔdii ɛkan no ntam, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔde asodie kɛseɛ too ɔmanfoɔ no so. Na daa wɔgye nnuane ne nsã ka a ɛkari gram ahanan ne aduosia ho firi nnipa no hɔ. Mpo, wɔn aboafoɔ faa ho didii ɔmanfoɔ no ho. Nanso, ɛsiane suro a na mesuro Onyankopɔn no enti, mamfa saa ɛkwan no so.
16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.
Mekum me ho maa ɔfasuo no ho adwumayɛ, na mampɛ sɛ mɛnya asase biara. Mehwɛɛ sɛ mʼadwumayɛfoɔ nyinaa de wɔn berɛ bɛyɛ adwuma wɔ ɔfasuo no ho.
17 Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.
Mammisa hwee, nso na ɛberɛ biara mema Yudafoɔ adwumayɛfoɔ ɔha aduonum didi wɔ me didipono so a, ahɔhoɔ a wɔfifiri nsase foforɔ so nka ho.
18 Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
Nneɛma a na ɛho hia me da biara a ɛyɛ mʼankasa me ka no yɛ nantwie baako, nnwan akɛseɛ nsia ne nkokɔ bebree. Na dadu biara, na ɛsɛ sɛ yɛnya nsã ahodoɔ nyinaa bi. Nanso, mannye amrado akɔnhomabɔdeɛ biara, ɛfiri sɛ, na ɔmanfoɔ no wɔ ahokyere mu dada.
19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.
Ao me Onyankopɔn, kae deɛ mayɛ ama nnipa yi, na hyira me.
