Nehemia 5

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

And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers 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: therefore we take up corn for them, 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 have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy 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, and that on our lands and 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 brothers, our children as their children: and, see, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought to bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and 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 I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said to them, You exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set 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 to them, We after our ability have redeemed our brothers the Jews, which were sold to the heathen; and will you even sell your brothers? or shall they be sold to us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.

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, It is not good that you do: should you 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!

I likewise, and my brothers, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

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 lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that you 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 as you say. 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 my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that performs 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 to the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers 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 had been before me were chargeable to the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants bore rule 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.

Yes, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither to 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 an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came to us from among the heathen that are 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 me daily 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 required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy on this people.

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

Think on me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.