Nehemiah 5

1 And it was cry of distress of the people and wives their great against countrymen their the Jews.

And the cry of the people and their wives [was] great against their brethren the Jews.

2 And there [were those] who [were] saying sons our and daughters our we [are] many and let us get grain so we may eat and we may live.

And some said, We [are] numerous with our sons and our daughters; so we will take corn, and eat, and live.

3 And there [were those] who [were] saying fields our and vineyards our and houses our we [are] mortgaging and we will get grain in the famine.

And some said, [As to] our fields and vineyards and houses, let us pledge [them], and we will take corn, and eat.

4 And there [were those] who [were] saying we have borrowed money for [the] tribute of the king fields our and vineyards our.

And some said, We have borrowed money for the king's tributes: —our fields, and our vineyards, and houses [are pledged].

5 And now [is] like [the] flesh of countrymen our flesh our [are] like children their children our and there! we [are] bringing into bondage sons our and daughters our to slaves and there [are] some of daughters our being brought into bondage and there not [is] to [the] power of hand our and fields our and vineyards our [belong] to others.

And now our flesh [is] as the flesh of our brethren, our children [are] as their children: yet, behold, we are reducing our sons and our daughters to slavery, and some of our daughters are enslaved: and there is no power of our hands, for our fields and our vineyards [belong] to the nobles.

6 And it burned to me exceedingly when I heard outcry their and the words these.

And I was much grieved as I heard their cry and these words.

7 And it considered heart my with me and I contended! with the nobles and with the officials and I said! to them usury each on brother his you ([are] lending *Q(K)*) and I made on them an assembly great.

And my heart took counsel within me, and I contended against the nobles, and the princes, and I said to them, Should every man demand of his brother what you demand? And I appointed against them a great assembly,

8 And I said! to them we we have bought countrymen our the Jews who sold themselves to the nations according to [the] sufficiency in us and also you you sold countrymen your and they were sold to us and they were silent and not they found a word.

and I said to them, We of our free-will have redeemed our brethren the Jews that were sold to the Gentiles; and do you sell your brethren? and shall they be delivered to us? And they were silent, and found no answer.

9 (And I said *Q(K)*) not [is] good the thing which you [are] doing ¿ not in [the] fear of God our are you walking from [the] reproach of the nations enemies our.

And I said, The thing which you do [is] not good; you will not so walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the Gentiles our enemies.

10 And also I brothers my and servants my [are] lending to them money and grain let us abandon please the usury this.

Both my brethren, and my acquaintances, and I, have lent them money and corn: let us now leave off this exaction.

11 Return please to them as this day fields their vineyards their olive trees their and houses their and [the] hundred of the money and the grain the new wine and the fresh oil which you [are] lending to them.

Restore to them, I pray, as at this day, their fields, and their vineyards, and their olive yards, and their houses, and bring forth to them corn and wine and oil of the money.

12 And they said we will return [it] and from them not we will require [it] so we will do just as you [are] saying and I summoned the priests and I made swear an oath them to do according to the manner this.

And they said, We will restore, and we will not exact of them; we will do thus as you say. Then I called the priests, and bound them by oath to do according to this word.

13 Also bosom my I shook out and I said! thus may he shake out God every person who not he will carry out the word this from house his and from property his and thus may he be shaken out and empty and they said all the assembly amen and they praised Yahweh and it did the people according to the manner this.

And I shook out my garment, and said, So may God shake out every man who shall not keep to this word, from his house, and from his labours, he shall be even thus shaken out, as an outcast and empty. And all the congregation said, Amen, and they praised the Lord: and the people did this thing.

14 Also from [the] day - when someone appointed me to be governor their in [the] land of Judah from year twenty and until year thirty and two of Artaxerxes the king years two [plus] ten I and brothers my [the] food of the governor not I ate.

From the day that he charged me to be their ruler in the land of Juda, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Arthasastha, twelve years, I and my brethren ate not [provision] extorted from them.

15 And the governors former who [were] before me they made heavy on the people and they took from them food and wine after silver shekels forty also servants their they domineered over the people and I not I did thus because of [the] fear of God.

But as for the former acts of extortion wherein [those who were] before me oppressed them, they even took of them their last money, forty didrachmas for bread and wine; and the [very] outcasts of them exercised authority over the people: but I did not so, because of the fear of God.

16 And also on [the] work of the wall this I kept hold and a field not we acquired and all servants my [were] assembled there on the work.

Also in the work of the wall I treated them not with rigor, I bought not land: and all that were gathered together [came] there to the work.

17 And the Jews and the officials one hundred and fifty person[s] and the [ones who] came to us from the nations which [were] around us [were] at table my.

And the Jews, to [the number of] a hundred and fifty men, besides those coming to us from the nations round about, [were] at my table.

18 And [that] which it was made for a day one [was] an ox one sheep six chosen and poultry they were made for me and between ten days in all wine to abundance and beside this [the] food of the governor not I sought for it was heavy the service on the people this.

And there came [to me] for one day one calf, and I had six choice sheep and a goat; and every ten days wine in abundance of all sorts: yet with these I required not the bread of extortion, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

19 Remember! to me O God my for good all that I have done on the people this.

Remember me, O God, for good, [in] all that I have done to this people.