< Nehemiah 5 >
1 And it was cry of distress of the people and wives their great against countrymen their 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.
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.
4 And there [were those] who [were] saying we have borrowed money for [the] tribute of the king fields our and vineyards our.
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.
6 And it burned to me exceedingly when I heard outcry their and the words these.
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.
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.
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.
10 And also I brothers my and servants my [are] lending to them money and grain let us abandon please the usury this.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
19 Remember! to me O God my for good all that I have done on the people this.