Nehemiæ 5
1 et factus est clamor populi et uxorum eius magnus adversus fratres suos iudaeos
And the cry of the people and their wives [was] great 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 some said, We [are] numerous with our sons and our daughters; so we will take corn, and eat, and live.
3 et erant qui dicerent agros nostros et vineas et domos nostras opponamus et accipiamus frumentum in fame
And some said, [As to] our fields and vineyards and houses, let us pledge [them], and we will take corn, and eat.
4 et alii dicebant mutuo sumamus pecunias in tributa regis demusque agros nostros et vineas
And some said, We have borrowed money for the king's tributes: —our fields, and our vineyards, and houses [are pledged].
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
And now our flesh [is] as the flesh of our brethren, our children [are] as their children: yet, behold, we are reducing our sons and our daughters to slavery, and some of our daughters are enslaved: and there is no power of our hands, for our fields and our vineyards [belong] to the nobles.
6 et iratus sum nimis cum audissem clamorem eorum secundum verba haec
And I was much grieved as I heard their cry and these words.
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 my heart took counsel within me, and I contended against the nobles, and the princes, and I said to them, Should every man demand of his brother what you demand? And I appointed against them a great assembly,
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 I said to them, We of our free-will have redeemed our brethren the Jews that were sold to the Gentiles; and do you sell your brethren? and shall they be delivered to us? And they were silent, and found no answer.
9 dixique ad eos non est bona res quam facitis quare non in timore Dei nostri ambulatis ne exprobretur nobis a gentibus inimicis nostris
And I said, The thing which you do [is] not good; you will not so walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach 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 my brethren, and my acquaintances, and I, have lent them money and corn: let us now leave off this exaction.
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
Restore to them, I pray, as at this day, their fields, and their vineyards, and their olive yards, and their houses, and bring forth to them corn and wine and oil of the money.
12 et dixerunt reddimus et ab eis nihil quaerimus sicque faciemus ut loqueris et vocavi sacerdotes et adiuravi eos ut facerent iuxta quod dixeram
And they said, We will restore, and we will not exact of them; we will do thus as you say. Then I called the priests, and bound them by oath to do according to this word.
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
And I shook out my garment, and said, So may God shake out every man who shall not keep to this word, from his house, and from his labours, he shall be even thus shaken out, as an outcast and empty. And all the congregation said, Amen, and they praised the Lord: and the people did this thing.
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
From the day that he charged me to be their ruler in the land of Juda, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Arthasastha, twelve years, I and my brethren ate not [provision] extorted from them.
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
But as for the former acts of extortion wherein [those who were] before me oppressed them, they even took of them their last money, forty didrachmas for bread and wine; and the [very] outcasts of them exercised authority over the people: but I did not so, because of the fear of God.
16 quin potius in opere muri aedificavi et agrum non emi et omnes pueri mei congregati ad opus erant
Also in the work of the wall I treated them not with rigor, I bought not land: and all that were gathered together [came] there 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
And the Jews, to [the number of] a hundred and fifty men, besides those coming to us from the nations round about, [were] at my table.
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
And there came [to me] for one day one calf, and I had six choice sheep and a goat; and every ten days wine in abundance of all sorts: yet with these I required not the bread of extortion, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
19 memento mei Deus meus in bonum secundum omnia quae feci populo huic
Remember me, O God, for good, [in] all that I have done to this people.
