Nehemia 5

1 Ŋutsuwo kple wo srɔ̃wo tsitre ɖe wo nɔvi Yudatɔwo ŋu.

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

2 Ɖewo le gbɔgblɔm be, “Míawo, mía viŋutsuwo kple mía vinyɔnuwo sɔ gbɔ ŋutɔ, gake be míakpɔ nu aɖu, atsi agbe la, ele na mí be míadi bli.”

For there were that said: 'We, our sons and our daughters, are many; let us get for them corn, that we may eat and live.'

3 Bubuwo hã le gbɔgblɔm be, “Míetsɔ míaƒe agblewo, waingblewo kple míaƒe aƒewo ɖo awɔbae be míaxɔ bli le dɔŋɔli sia.”

Some also there were that said: 'We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses; let us get corn, because of the dearth.'

4 Ame bubuwo hã le gbɔgblɔm be, “Ele na mí be míado ga axe adzɔgae na fia la ɖe míaƒe agblewo kple waingblewo ta.”

There were also that said: 'We have borrowed money for the king's tribute upon our fields and our vineyards.

5 Ame daheawo gblɔ be, “Wo nɔviwo míenye, eye mía viwo le ko abe woawo hã tɔwo ke ene. Ke ele be míadzra mía viŋutsuwo kple mía vinyɔnuwo hafi ate ŋu aɖu nu. Míedzra mía vinyɔnu aɖewo xoxo, eye míagate ŋu axɔ wo o, elabena míetsɔ míaƒe agblewo ɖo awɔbae na ame siawo ke!”

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 into bondage already; neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards.'

6 Esi mese nya sia la, medo dɔmedzoe vevie.

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

7 Esi mebu nu siawo katã ŋuti vɔ la, mebu fɔ bubumewo kple dɔnunɔlawo. Megblɔ na wo be, “Miele miawo ŋutɔ mia nɔviwo bam!” Ale meyɔ takpekpe gã aɖe na ame hahoawo ne maɖɔ nya sia ɖo.

Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said unto them: 'Ye lend upon pledge, every one to his brother.' And I held a great assembly against them.

8 Meka mo na wo be, “Abe ale si ke ŋutete le mía si ene ko la, miegbugbɔ mía nɔvi Yudatɔ siwo wodzra ɖe dukɔ bubuwo me la ƒle. Ke azɔ la, miegale wo dzram ale be woagbugbɔ wo agadzra na mi!” Wo katã wozi ɖoɖoe, elabena womekpɔ nya aɖeke agblɔ o.

And I said unto them: 'We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, that sold themselves unto the heathen; and would ye nevertheless sell your brethren, and should they sell themselves unto us?' Then held they their peace, and found never a word.

9 Meyi edzi gblɔ na wo be, “Nu si wɔm miele la nye nu vɔ̃. Ɖe miazɔ le mawuvɔvɔ̃ me oa? Ɖe futɔ, siwo le didim be yewoatsrɔ̃ mí la mesɔ gbɔ le mía ŋuti le dukɔ siwo ƒo xlã mí la me xoxo oa?

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

10 Mí ame bubuawo ya míele ga kple nuɖuɖu dom na mía nɔvi Yudatɔwo, eye míele deme aɖeke xɔm o. Meɖe kuku na mi, bubumewo, midzudzɔ amebaba sia tɔgbi!

And I likewise, my brethren and my servants, have lent them money and corn. I pray you, let us leave off this exaction.

11 Migbugbɔ ame daheawo ƒe agblewo, waingblewo, amitigblewo kple aƒewo na wo egbe sia, eye deme alafa ɖekalia si miexɔna ɖe ga, bli, wain yeye kple ami dzi la natɔ.”

Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundred pieces of silver, and the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.'

12 Wolɔ̃ ɖe nya sia dzi, eye wodo ŋugbe be yewoakpe ɖe yewo nɔviwo ŋuti, eye yewomagana be woatsɔ woƒe anyigbawo aɖo awɔba, eye woadzra wo viwo na amewo o. Ale meyɔ Osɔfowo, bubumewo kple dɔnunɔlawo, eye mena kesinɔtɔ siawo ɖe adzɔgbe be yewoawɔ yewoƒe ŋugbedodo dzi.

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

13 Meʋuʋu nye awutoga hegblɔ na wo be, “Alea kee Mawu aʋuʋu ame sia ame si mawɔ ɖe ŋugbedodo sia dzi o la, ado goe le eya ŋutɔ ƒe aƒe me, hekpe ɖe eƒe nunɔamesiwo ŋu, eya ta nenem ƒe ame ma woatrɔe akɔ ɖi, eye woaɖi gbɔloe!” Esi megblɔ esia vɔ la, ame haho la katã xɔ ɖe edzi be, “Amen.” Wo katã wokafu Yehowa, eye ameawo wɔ abe ale si wodo ŋugbee ene.

Also I shook out 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 Le ƒe wuieve siwo me menye mɔmefia na Yuda, tso Artazerses ƒe fiaɖuɖu ƒe ƒe blaevelia me va se ɖe ƒe blaetɔ̃-vɔ-evelia me la, nye kple nye kpeɖeŋutɔwo siaa míexɔ fetu aɖeke alo kpekpeɖeŋu aɖeke tso Israelviwo gbɔ o.

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 Esia to vovo sãa tso mɔmefia siwo do ŋgɔ nam la ƒe wɔnawo gbɔ. Woawo xɔa nuɖuɖu kple wain kple klosaloga blaene gbe sia gbe le dukɔa si. Wotsɔ ameawo de asi na woƒe kpeɖeŋutɔwo, eye wowɔa fu ameawo. Ke nye la, mevɔ̃a Mawu, eye nyemewɔ nenema o.

But the former governors that were before me laid burdens upon the people, and took of them for bread and wine above forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants lorded over the people; but so did not I, because of the fear of God.

16 Mekpe asi ɖe gli la ɖoɖo ŋu, eye nyemedi anyigba aɖeke be maƒle na ɖokuinye o. Mena nye kpeɖeŋutɔwo hã kpe asi ɖe gli la ɖoɖo ŋu.

Yea, also I set hand to the work of this wall, neither bought we any land; and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.

17 Mewɔ esiawo katã togbɔ be menaa nuɖuɖu Yudatɔ alafa ɖeka kple blaatɔ̃ gbe sia gbe kpe ɖe amedzro siwo tsoa anyigba bubuwo dzi ŋu hã.

Moreover there were at my table of the Jews and the rulers a hundred and fifty men, beside those that came unto us from among the nations that were round about us.

18 Nu siwo mehiãna gbe sia gbe la woe nye nyitsu ɖeka, alẽ dami ade kple koklo geɖewo, eye le ŋkeke ewo ɖe sia ɖe me la, mehiãa wain lita geɖe. Ke nyemeda nudzɔdzɔ tɔxɛ ɖe ameawo dzi o, elabena nuwo nɔ sesẽm na wo xoxo.

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 store of all sorts of wine; yet for all this I demanded not the bread of the governor, because the service was heavy upon this people.

19 O! Nye Mawu, ɖo ŋku nu siwo katã mewɔ na ame siawo la dzi, eye nàyram ɖe wo ta.

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