Neemi 5

1 Alò, te gen yon gwo kriye a moun sa yo avèk madanm pa yo kont frè Jwif parèy yo.

Nowe there was a great crie of the people, and of their wiues against their brethren the Iewes.

2 Paske te gen nan yo ki te di: “Nou menm, fis nou yo avèk fi nou yo anpil; pou sa, kite nou jwenn sereyal pou nou kab manje e viv.”

For there were that said, We, our sonnes and our daughters are many, therefore we take vp corne, that we may eate and liue.

3 Te gen lòt ki te di: “Nou ap prete kòb kont chan nou yo, chan rezen yo, avèk kay nou yo pou nou kab twouve sereyal pou nou manje akoz gwo grangou a.”

And there were that saide, We must gage our landes, and our vineyardes, and our houses, and take vp corne for the famine.

4 Anplis, te gen ki te di: “Nou te prete lajan kont chan nou avèk chan rezen nou yo pou peye taks a wa a sou chan avèk chan rezen yo.

There were also that said, We haue borowed money for the Kings tribute vpon our landes and our vineyardes.

5 Alò, chè nou se menm ak chè a frè nou yo, pitit pa nou yo kon pa yo. Sepandan, nou ap fòse fè fis nou yo avèk fi nou yo vin esklav, gen nan yo ki deja mare ladann e nou san sekou, akoz chan nou avèk chan rezen nou yo vin pou yon lòt moun.”

And nowe our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, and our sonnes as their sonnes: and lo, we bring into subiection our sonnes and our daughters, as seruants, and there be of our daughters nowe in subiection, and there is no power in our handes: for other men haue our landes and our vineyardes.

6 Epi mwen te byen fache lè mwen te tande kriye ak pawòl sila yo.

Then was I very angrie when I heard their crie and these wordes.

7 Mwen te konsilte avèk tèt mwen, e mwen te kanpe fèm ak gwo chèf yo, avèk gwo moun yo epi te di yo: “Nou ap egzije enterè, soti nan men frè nou yo!” Akoz sa, mwen te reyini yon gran asanble kont yo.

And I thought in my minde, and I rebuked the princes, and the rulers, and saide vnto them, You lay burthens euery one vpon his brethren: and I set a great assemblie against them,

8 Mwen te di yo: “Nou menm, selon kapasite nou, te rachte Jwif frè parèy nou yo ki te vann a lòt nasyon yo; alò koulye a, èske nou ta menm vann frè nou yo pou yo ta kab vin vann a nou menm?” Yo te rete an silans e pa t kab twouve yon pawòl pou pale.

And I said vnto them, We (according to our abilitie) haue redeemed our brethren the Iewes, which were solde vnto the heathen: and will you sell your brethren againe, or shall they be solde vnto vs? Then helde they their peace, and could not answere.

9 Ankò, mwen te di: “Bagay ke n ap fè a pa bon! Èske nou pa ta dwe mache nan lakrent Bondye nou an pou evite repwòch a lòt nasyon yo, lènmi nou yo?

I said also, That which ye do, is not good. Ought ye not to walke in the feare of our God, for the reproche of the heathen our enemies?

10 Epi anplis, mwen menm ak frè mwen yo ap prete yo lajan avèk sereyal. Souple, sispann mande enterè sa a.

For euen I, my brethren, and my seruants doe lende them money and corne: I pray you, let vs leaue off this burden.

11 Souple, remèt yo nan menm jou sa a, chan yo, chan rezen yo, chan oliv yo, avèk kay yo, avèk santyèm pati nan lajan, nan sereyal, diven nèf, avèk lwil ke nou ap egzije de yo.”

Restore, I pray you, vnto them this day their landes, their vineyardes, their oliues, and their houses, and remit the hundreth part of the siluer and of the corne, of the wine, and of the oyle that ye exact of them.

12 Epi yo te di: “Nou va remèt li e nou p ap mande yo anyen. N ap fè ojis tout sa ke ou di yo.” Konsa, mwen te rele prèt yo e te pran yon sèman soti nan yo pou yo ta fè selon sa ke yo te pwomèt yo.

Then said they, We will restore it, and will not require it of them: we will doe as thou hast said. Then I called the Priestes, and caused them to sweare, that they shoulde doe according to this promise.

13 Anplis, mwen te souke pati devan vètman mwen epi te di; “Se konsa ke Bondye ta souke retire sou chak moun oswa se lakay li, oswa byen pa li, sila ki pa akonpli pwomès sa a; menm konsa pou l ta souke vide.” Epi tout asanble a te di: “Amen!” Epi yo te fè lwanj a SENYÈ a. Konsa, pèp la te fè selon sa yo te pwomèt yo.

So I shooke my lappe, and said, So let God shake out euery man that wil not perfourme this promise from his house, and from his labour: euen thus let him be shaken out, and emptied. And all the Cogregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord: and the people did according to this promise.

14 Anplis, soti nan jou sa a mwen te chwazi kon gouvènè sou yo nan peyi Juda, soti nan ventyèm ane a jis rive nan trann-dezyèm ane a Wa Artexarxès la, pandan douzan, ni mwen ni moun fanmi parèy a mwen, yo pa t manje nan pati nan manje prevwa pou gouvènè a.

And from the time that the King gaue me charge to be gouernour in the lande of Iudah, from the twentieth yeere, euen vnto the two and thirtieth yeere of King Artahshashte, that is, twelue yeere, I, and my brethren haue not eaten the bread of the gouernour.

15 Men gouvènè ki te avan mwen yo te konn mete chaj sou pèp la e te pran soti nan men yo pen avèk diven plis karant sik ajan; menm sèvitè pa yo te konn vin kon chèf sou moun. Men mwen pa t fè sa akoz lakrent Bondye.

For the former gouernours that were before me, had bene chargeable vnto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides fourtie shekels of siluer: yea, and their seruants bare rule ouer the people: but so did not I, because of the feare of God.

16 Anplis, mwen te aplike mwen a travay sou miray la. Nou pa t achte okenn teren e sèvitè pa m yo te toujou rasanble la pou travay la.

But rather I fortified a portion in the worke of this wall, and we bought no lande, and all my seruants came thither together vnto the worke.

17 Toujou te gen sou tab mwen san-senkant Jwif avèk chèf yo, anplis, sila ki te vin kote nou soti nan nasyon ki te antoure nou yo.

Moreouer there were at my table an hundreth and fiftie of the Iewes, and rulers, which came vnto vs from among the heathen that are about vs.

18 Alò, sa ki te prepare chak jou yo se te yon gwo bèf avèk sis mouton nan meyè kalite, zwazo ki te prepare pou mwen; epi yon fwa chak di jou, tout kalite diven an abondans. Men pou tout sa, mwen pa t mande nan taks prevwa pou gouvènè a, akoz chaj la te lou sou pèp sa a.

And there was prepared daily an oxe, and sixe chosen sheepe, and birdes were prepared for me, and within ten dayes wine for all in abundance. Yet for all this I required not the bread of the gouernour: for the bondage was grieuous vnto this people.

19 Sonje mwen, O Bondye mwen avèk bonte Ou, pou tout sa ke m te fè pou pèp sa a.

Remember me, O my God, in goodnesse, according to all that I haue done for this people.