Nehemiæ 5
1 Et factus est clamor populi, et uxorum eius magnus adversus fratres suos Iudaeos.
About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.
2 Et erant qui dicerent: Filii nostri, et filiae nostrae multae sunt nimis: accipiamus pro pretio eorum frumentum, et comedamus, et vivamus.
Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”
3 Et erant qui dicerent: Agros nostros, et vineas, et domus nostras opponamus, et accipiamus frumentum in fame.
Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.”
4 Et alii dicebant: Mutuo sumamus pecunias in tributa regis, demusque agros nostros et vineas:
Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.
5 et nunc sicut carnes fratrum nostrorum, sic carnes nostrae sunt: et sicut filii eorum, ita et filii nostri. ecce nos subiugamus filios nostros, et filias nostras in servitutem, et de filiabus nostris sunt famulae, nec habemus unde possint redimi, et agros nostros et vineas nostras alii possident.
We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
6 Et iratus sum nimis cum audissem clamorem eorum secundum verba haec:
When I heard their outcry and these complaints, I became extremely angry,
7 cogitavitque cor meum mecum: et increpavi optimates et magistratus, et dixi eis: Usurasne singuli a fratribus vestris exigitis? Et congregavi adversum eos concionem magnam,
and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” So I called a large assembly against them
8 et dixi eis: Nos, ut scitis, redemimus fratres nostros Iudaeos, qui venditi fuerant gentibus secundum possibilitatem nostram: et vos igitur vendetis fratres vestros, et redimemus eos? Et siluerunt, nec invenerunt quid responderent.
and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say.
9 Dixique ad eos: Non est bona res, quam facitis: quare non in timore Dei nostri ambulastis, ne exprobretur nobis a gentibus inimicis nostris?
So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our foreign enemies?
10 Et ego, et fratres mei, et pueri mei commodavimus plurimis pecuniam et frumentum: non repetamus in commune istud, aes alienum concedamus, quod debetur nobis.
I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending the people money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury.
11 Reddite eis hodie agros suos, et vineas suas, et oliveta sua, et domos suas: quin potius et centesimum pecuniae, frumenti, vini et olei, quam exigere soletis ab eis, date pro illis.
Please restore to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and oil that you have been assessing them.”
12 Et dixerunt: Reddemus, et ab eis nihil quaeremus: sicque faciemus ut loqueris. Et vocavi Sacerdotes, et adiuravi eos, ut facerent iuxta quod dixeram.
“We will restore it,” they replied, “and will require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” So I summoned the priests and required of the nobles and officials an oath that they would do what they had promised.
13 Insuper excussi sinum meum, et dixi: Sic excutiat Deus omnem virum, qui non compleverit verbum istud, de domo sua, et de laboribus suis: sic excutiatur, et vacuus fiat. Et dixit universa multitudo: Amen. Et laudaverunt Deum. Fecit ergo populus sicut erat dictum.
I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake out of His house and possession every man who does not keep this promise. May such a man be shaken out and have nothing!” The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.
14 A die autem illa, qua praeceperat rex mihi ut essem dux in terra Iuda, ab anno vigesimo usque ad annum trigesimum secundum Artaxerxis regis per annos duodecim, ego et fratres mei annonas, quae ducibus debebantur, non comedimus.
Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from his twentieth year until his thirty-second year (twelve years total), neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.
15 Duces autem primi, qui fuerant ante me, gravaverunt populum, et acceperunt ab eis in pane, et vino, et pecunia quotidie siclos quadraginta: sed et ministri eorum depresserunt populum. Ego autem non feci ita propter timorem Dei:
The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people, but I did not do this because of my fear of God.
16 quin potius in opere muri aedificavi, et agrum non emi, et omnes pueri mei congregati ad opus erant.
Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall, and all my servants were gathered there for the work; we did not acquire any land.
17 Iudaei quoque et magistratus centum quinquaginta viri, et qui veniebant ad nos de gentibus, quae in circuitu nostro sunt, in mensa mea erant.
There were 150 Jews and officials at my table, besides the guests from the surrounding nations.
18 Parabatur autem mihi per dies singulos bos unus, arietes sex electi, exceptis volatilibus, et inter dies decem vina diversa, et alia multa tribuebam: insuper et annonas ducatus mei non quaesivi: valde enim attenuatus erat populus.
Each day one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine was provided. But I did not demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.
19 Memento mei Deus meus in bonum secundum omnia, quae feci populo huic.
Remember me favorably, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.
