Nehemiah 5

1 Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews.

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

2 For there were some who said, “We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”

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

3 There were also some who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses. Let us get grain, because of 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 There were also some who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral.

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

5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Behold, we bring our sons and our daughters into bondage to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. It is also not in our power to help it, because other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

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

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

7 Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, “You exact usury, everyone of his brother.” I held a great assembly against them.

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 I said to them, “We, after our ability, have redeemed our brothers the Jews that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us?” Then they held their peace, and found not a word to say.

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 Also I said, “The thing that you do is not good. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?

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 I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury.

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

11 Please restore to them, even today, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that you are charging 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 Then they said, “We will restore them, and will require nothing of them. We will do so, even as you say.” Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.

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 I shook out my lap, and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that doesn’t perform this promise; even may he be shaken out and emptied like this.” All the assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the LORD. The people did according to this promise.

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 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.

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 But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, plus forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people, but I didn’t do so, 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 Yes, I also continued in the work of this wall. We didn’t buy any land. All my servants were gathered there to 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 Moreover there were at my table, of the Jews and the rulers, one hundred and fifty men, in addition to those who came to us from amongst the nations that were around us.

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 Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days a store of all sorts of wine. Yet for all this, I didn’t demand the governor’s pay, because the bondage was heavy on this people.

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 me, my God, for all the good that I have done for this people.

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