Nehemiah 5
1 And there is a great cry of the people and their wives, concerning their brethren the Jews,
百姓和他們的妻大大呼號，埋怨他們的弟兄猶大人。
2 yea, there are who are saying, 'Our sons, and our daughters, we — are many, and we receive corn, and eat, and live.'
有的說：「我們和兒女人口眾多，要去得糧食度命」；
3 And there are who are saying, 'Our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses, we are pledging, and we receive corn for the famine.'
有的說：「我們典了田地、葡萄園、房屋，要得糧食充飢」；
4 And there are who are saying, 'We have borrowed money for the tribute of the king, [on] our fields, and our vineyards;
有的說：「我們已經指着田地、葡萄園，借了錢給王納稅。
5 and now, as the flesh of our brethren [is] our flesh, as their sons [are] our sons, and lo, we are subduing our sons and our daughters for servants, and there are of our daughters subdued, and our hand hath no might, and our fields and our vineyards [are] to others.'
我們的身體與我們弟兄的身體一樣；我們的兒女與他們的兒女一般。現在我們將要使兒女作人的僕婢，我們的女兒已有為婢的；我們並無力拯救，因為我們的田地、葡萄園已經歸了別人。」
6 And it is very displeasing to me when I have heard their cry and these words,
我聽見他們呼號說這些話，便甚發怒。
7 and my heart reigneth over me, and I strive with the freemen, and with the prefects, and say to them, 'Usury one upon another ye are exacting;' and I set against them a great assembly,
我心裏籌劃，就斥責貴冑和官長說：「你們各人向弟兄取利！」於是我招聚大會攻擊他們。
8 and say to them, 'We have acquired our brethren the Jews, those sold to the nations, according to the ability that [is] in us, and ye also sell your brethren, and they have been sold to us!' and they are silent, and have not found a word.
我對他們說：「我們盡力贖回我們弟兄，就是賣與外邦的猶大人；你們還要賣弟兄，使我們贖回來嗎？」他們就靜默不語，無話可答。
9 And I say, 'Not good [is] the thing that ye are doing; in the fear of our God do ye not walk, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?
我又說：「你們所行的不善！你們行事不當敬畏我們的上帝嗎？不然，難免我們的仇敵外邦人毀謗我們。
10 And also, I, my brethren, and my servants, are exacting of them silver and corn; let us leave off, I pray you, this usury.
我和我的弟兄與僕人也將銀錢糧食借給百姓；我們大家都當免去利息。
11 Give back, I pray you, to them, as to-day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive-yards, and their houses, and the hundredth [part] of the money, and of the corn, of the new wine, and of the oil, that ye are exacting of them.'
如今我勸你們將他們的田地、葡萄園、橄欖園、房屋，並向他們所取的銀錢、糧食、新酒，和油，百分之一的利息都歸還他們。」
12 And they say, 'We give back, and of them we seek nothing; so we do as thou art saying.' And I call the priests, and cause them to swear to do according to this thing;
眾人說：「我們必歸還，不再向他們索要，必照你的話行。」我就召了祭司來，叫眾人起誓，必照着所應許的而行。
13 also, my lap I have shaken, and I say, 'Thus doth God shake out every man, who doth not perform this thing, from his house, and from his labour; yea, thus is he shaken out and empty;' and all the assembly say, 'Amen,' and praise Jehovah; and the people do according to this thing.
我也抖着胸前的衣襟，說：「凡不成就這應許的，願上帝照樣抖他離開家產和他勞碌得來的，直到抖空了。」會眾都說：「阿們！」又讚美耶和華。百姓就照着所應許的去行。
14 Also, from the day that he appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the thirty and second year of Artaxerxes the king — twelve years — I, and my brethren, the bread of the governor have not eaten:
自從我奉派作猶大地的省長，就是從亞達薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我與我弟兄都沒有吃省長的俸祿。
15 the former governors who [are] before me have made themselves heavy on the people, and take of them in bread and wine, besides in silver forty shekels; also, their servants have ruled over the people — and I have not done so, because of the fear of God.
在我以前的省長加重百姓的擔子，每日索要糧食和酒，並銀子四十舍客勒，就是他們的僕人也轄制百姓；但我因敬畏上帝不這樣行。
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;
並且我恆心修造城牆，並沒有置買田地；我的僕人也都聚集在那裏做工。
17 and of the Jews, and of the prefects, a hundred and fifty men, and those coming in unto us of the nations that [are] round about us, [are] at my table;
除了從四圍外邦中來的猶大人以外，有猶大平民和官長一百五十人在我席上吃飯。
18 and that which hath been prepared for one day [is] one ox, six fat sheep, also fowls 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.
每日預備一隻公牛，六隻肥羊，又預備些飛禽；每十日一次，多預備各樣的酒。雖然如此，我並不要省長的俸祿，因為百姓服役甚重。
19 Remember for me, O my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.
我的上帝啊，求你記念我為這百姓所行的一切事，施恩與我。
