Nehemiæ 5

1 Et factus est clamor populi, et uxorum eius magnus adversus fratres suos Iudaeos.

Now there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

2 Et erant qui dicerent: Filii nostri, et filiae nostrae multae sunt nimis: accipiamus pro pretio eorum frumentum, et comedamus, et vivamus.

And there were some that said: Our sons and our daughters are very many: Yet us take up corn for the price of them, and let us eat and live.

3 Et erant qui dicerent: Agros nostros, et vineas, et domus nostras opponamus, et accipiamus frumentum in fame.

And there were some that said: Let us mortgage our lands, and our vineyards, and our houses, and let us take corn because of the famine.

4 Et alii dicebant: Mutuo sumamus pecunias in tributa regis, demusque agros nostros et vineas:

And others said: Let us borrow money for the king’s tribute, and let us give up 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.

And now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren: and our children as their children. Behold we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters, and some of our daughters are bondwomen already, neither have we wherewith to redeem them, and our fields and our vineyards other men possess.

6 Et iratus sum nimis cum audissem clamorem eorum secundum verba haec:

And I was exceedingly angry when I heard their cry according to these words.

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 my heart thought with myself: and I rebuked the nobles and magistrates, and said to them: Do you every one exact usury of your brethren? And I gathered together a great 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 I said to them: We, as you know, have redeemed according to our ability our brethren the Jews, that were sold to the Gentiles: and will you then sell your brethren, for us to redeem them? And they held their peace, and found not what to answer.

9 Dixique ad eos: Non est bona res, quam facitis: quare non in timore Dei nostri ambulastis, ne exprobretur nobis a gentibus inimicis nostris?

And I said to them: The thing you do is not good: why walk you not in the fear of our God, that we be not exposed to the reproaches of the Gentiles our 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.

Both I and my brethren, and my servants, have lent money and corn to many: let us all agree not to call for it again; let us forgive the debt that is owing to us.

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.

Restore ye to them this day their fields, and their vineyards, and their oliveyards, and their houses: and the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, which you mere wont to exact of them, give it rather for 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.

And they said: We will restore, and we will require nothing of them: and we will do as thou sayest. And I called the priests and took an oath of them, to do according to what I had said.

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.

Moreover I shook my lap, and said: So may God shake every man that shall not accomplish this word, out of his house, and out of his labours, thus may he be shaken out, and become empty. And all the multitude said: Amen. And they praised God. And the people did according to what was said.

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.

And from the day, in which the king commanded me to be governor in the land of Juda, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, for twelve years, I and my brethren did not eat the yearly allowance that was due to the governors.

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:

But the former governors that had been before me, were chargeable to the people, and took of them in bread, and wine, and in money every day forty sides: and their officers also oppressed the people. But I did not so for the fear of God.

16 quin potius in opere muri aedificavi, et agrum non emi, et omnes pueri mei congregati ad opus erant.

Moreover I built in the work of the wall, and I bought no land, and all my servants were gathered together to the work.

17 Iudaei quoque et magistratus centum quinquaginta viri, et qui veniebant ad nos de gentibus, quae in circuitu nostro sunt, in mensa mea erant.

The Jews also and the magistrates to the number of one hundred and fifty men, were at my table, besides them that came to us from among the nations that were round about us.

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.

And there was prepared for me day by day one ox, and six choice rams, besides fowls, and once in ten days I gave store of divers wines, and many other things: yet I did not require my yearly allowance as governor: for the people were very much impoverished.

19 Memento mei Deus meus in bonum secundum omnia, quae feci populo huic.

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