Nehemiah 5

1 And there is a great cry of the people and their wives, concerning their brothers the Jews,

AND there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

2 indeed, there are [those] who are saying, “Our sons, and our daughters, we—are many, and we receive grain, and eat, and live.”

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.

3 And there are [those] who are saying, “Our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses, we are pledging, and we receive grain for the famine.”

Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.

4 And there are [those] who are saying, “We have borrowed money for the tribute of the king, [on] our fields, and our vineyards;

There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

5 and now, as the flesh of our brothers [is] our flesh, as their sons [are] our sons, and behold, we are subduing our sons and our daughters for servants, and there are [those] of our daughters subdued, and our hand has no might, and our fields and our vineyards [are] to others.”

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.

6 And it is very displeasing to me when I have heard their cry and these words,

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

7 and my heart reigns over me, and I strive with the nobles, and with the prefects, and say to them, “You are exacting usury on one another”; and I set against them a great assembly,

Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.

8 and say to them, “We have acquired our brothers the Jews, those sold to the nations, according to the ability that [is] in us, and you also sell your brothers, and they have been sold to us!” And they are silent, and have not found a word.

And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.

9 And I say, “The thing that you are doing [is] not good; do you not walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?

Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?

10 And also, I, my brothers, and my servants, are exacting silver and grain on them; please let us leave off this usury.

I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

11 Please give back to them, as today, their fields, their vineyards, their olive-yards, and their houses, and the hundredth [part] of the money, and of the grain, of the new wine, and of the oil, that you are exacting of them.”

Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.

12 And they say, “We give back, and we seek nothing from them; so we do as you are saying.” And I call the priests, and cause them to swear to do according to this thing;

Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.

13 also, I have shaken my lap, and I say, “Thus God shakes out every man from his house and from his labor who does not perform this thing; indeed, thus is he shaken out and empty”; and all the assembly says, “Amen,” and praises YHWH; and the people do according to this thing.

Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth 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.

14 Also, from the day that he appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king—twelve years—I, and my brothers, have not eaten the bread of the governor:

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.

15 the former governors who [are] before me have made themselves heavy on the people, and take of them in bread and wine, besides forty shekels in silver; also, their servants have ruled over the people—and I have not done so, because of the fear of God.

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.

16 And also, in the work of this wall I have done mightily, even a field we have not bought, and all my servants are gathered there for the work;

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.

17 and of the Jews, and of the prefects, one hundred and fifty men, and those coming to us of the nations that [are] around us, [are] at my table;

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.

18 and that which has been prepared for one day [is] one ox, six fat sheep, also birds have been prepared for me, and once in ten days of all wines abundantly, and with this, the bread of the governor I have not sought, for heavy is the service on this people.

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.

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

Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.