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 domos 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 sicut filii eorum ita 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 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 increpui optimates et magistratus et dixi eis usurasne singuli a fratribus vestris exigatis et congregavi adversus eos contionem 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 vendite fratres vestros et emimus 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 ambulatis 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 vineas suas oliveta sua et domos suas quin potius et centesimam 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 reddimus et ab eis nihil quaerimus 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 et sinum meum excussi et dixi sic excutiat Deus omnem virum qui non conpleverit 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 dictum erat
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 mihi ut essem dux in terra Iuda ab anno vicesimo usque ad annum tricesimum secundum Artarxersis 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 vino et pecunia cotidie siclos quadraginta sed et ministri eorum depresserant 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 erat adtenuatus 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.
