Neemi 5

1 Yon lè, moun pèp Izrayèl yo ansanm ak tout madanm yo konmanse plenyen sou do kèk chèf jwif parèy yo.

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

2 Genyen ki t'ap di: Nou gen anpil moun nan fanmi nou, anpil pitit gason ak anpil pitit fi. Nou bezwen manje pou n' manje pou n' pa mouri grangou.

For there were that said, "We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live."

3 Gen lòt ki t'ap di: Nou te gen yon sèl grangou ki t'ap bat nou, nou setoblije pran potèk sou jaden nou, sou pye rezen nou yo, sou kay nou pou n' ka jwenn manje pou n' manje.

Some also there were that said, "We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses. Let us get grain, because of the famine."

4 Gen lòt ankò ki t'ap di: Pou n' te ka peye taks kontribisyon pou wa a, nou te setoblije prete lajan sou jaden ak pye rezen nou yo.

There were also some who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral.

5 Nou menm ras ak lòt jwif yo. Pitit nou yo pa pi mal pase pa yo. Men, nou setoblije bay pitit fi nou ak pitit gason nou yo sèvi domestik lakay yo. Nou menm rive gen pitit fi nou k'ap fè restavèk! Nou pa ka fè anyen kont sa, paske jaden nou yo ak pye rezen nou yo pa pou nou ankò.

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Look, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. Neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards."

6 Lè mwen menm, Neemi, mwen tande tout plent sa yo, tout pawòl sa yo, mwen te fache anpil.

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

7 Lè m' fin kalkile bagay la byen nan kè m', mwen fè lide pa dòmi sou sa. Mwen denonse chèf yo, grannèg yo ak majistra yo. Mwen di yo se esplwate y'ap esplwate frè parèy yo. Mwen fè reyini tout moun pou diskite pwoblèm lan.

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.

8 Epi mwen di: -Nou fè sa nou te kapab pou nou te rachte frè jwif parèy nou yo ki te vann tèt yo bay moun lòt nasyon pou sèvi yo esklav. Koulye a, se nou menm jwif k'ap fòse jwif parèy nou vann tèt yo bay jwif parèy yo! Tout moun rete bouch pe, yo pa t' gen anyen pou reponn nan sa.

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 never a word.

9 Mwen di yo ankò: -Sa n'ap fè la a pa bon, tande! Se pou n' mache avèk krentif pou Bondye, pou nou pa bay moun lòt nasyon yo, lènmi nou yo, okazyon pase nou nan betiz.

Also I said, "The thing that you do is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God, to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?

10 Moun lakay mwen yo ansanm ak moun pa m' yo tou, ak mwen menm tou, nou te prete yo lajan ak ble. Nou p'ap mande yo pou yo renmèt nou sa yo dwe nou.

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

11 Renmèt yo jaden yo, pye rezen yo, pye oliv yo ak kay yo touswit. Kite tou sa yo dwe nou pou yo, kit se lajan, kit se ble, kit se diven, kit se lwil.

Please restore to them, even this day, 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."

12 Chèf yo reponn: -Wi! N'ap fè jan ou di l' la. N'ap renmèt yo tou sa yo te ban nou kenbe pou dèt yo. Nou p'ap mande yo pou yo peye nou sa yo dwe nou. Lè sa a, mwen fè rele prèt yo, epi mwen fè chèf yo sèmante y'ap fè sa yo sot pwomèt la.

Then they said, "We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do, even as you say." Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.

13 Apre sa, mwen pran ti sak ki te mare nan ren mwen an, mwen vire l' tèt anba, mwen souke l', epi mwen di: -Se pou Bondye pran nenpòt nan nou ki pa kenbe pwomès li, pou l' souke l' konsa tou. Bondye ap pran kay li ak tout lòt byen li genyen, l'ap kite l' san anyen. Tout moun ki te la yo reponn: -Amèn! Se sa menm! Se sa menm! Apre sa, yo fè lwanj Seyè a. Se konsa tout pèp la te kenbe pwomès yo te fè a.

Also I shook out my lap, and said, "So may God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that doesn't perform this promise; even thus be he shaken out, and emptied." All the assembly said, "Amen," and praised YHWH. The people did according to this promise.

14 Pandan tout douzan mwen pase gouvènè nan peyi Jida a, depi jou wa Atagzèsès te nonmen m' nan pòs sa a, lè sa a li t'ap mache sou ventan depi li te wa, rive sou tranndezan depi li t'ap gouvènen an, ni mwen ni ankenn moun lakay mwen, nou pa janm manyen lajan yo te dwe peye gouvènè a.

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 Artachshasta the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.

15 Gouvènè ki te la anvan m' yo te konn ap peze pèp la: chak jou yo te konn pran karant pyès an ajan pou pen ak diven. Ata moun ki t'ap travay avèk yo te konn ap peze pèp la tou. Men mwen menm, mwen pa t' fè sa, paske mwen te gen krentif Bondye.

But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, besides forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people: but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.

16 Mwen te mete men nan travay ranpa a tankou tout moun, mwen pa achte ankenn tè, epi tout moun ki t'ap travay avè m' yo te la tou nan travay miray la.

Yes, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered there to the work.

17 Chak jou mwen te gen sansenkant (150) moun ap manje sou menm tab avè m' lakay mwen: se te chèf yo ak majistra yo, san konte tout lòt moun ki te vin lakay mwen soti nan lòt peyi nan vwazinaj la.

Moreover there were at my table, of the Jews and the rulers, one hundred fifty men, besides those who came to us from among the nations that were around us.

18 Chak jou mwen te fè yo kwit pou mwen yon bèf, sis bon mouton byen gra ak anpil bèt volay. Se mwen menm ki te peye pou tout bagay sa yo ak lajan nan pòch mwen. Chak dis jou mwen fè yon pwovizyon diven fre. Men, malgre sa, mwen pa janm mande pou yo ban mwen sa pou yo bay gouvènè a pou manje l', paske pèp la te gen kont chay sou do li deja.

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 did not demand the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy on this people.

19 Bondye mwen, tanpri, pa bliye anyen nan tou sa mwen fè pou pèp sa a. Make sa yon kote pou mwen!

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