Nehemiæ 5
1 et factus est clamor populi et uxorum eius magnus adversus fratres suos iudaeos
Then came there to be a great outcry of the people and 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 who were saying, Our sons and our daughters, are we pledging, —that we may obtain corn, and eat, and keep ourselves alive.
3 et erant qui dicerent agros nostros et vineas et domos nostras opponamus et accipiamus frumentum in fame
And there were some who were saying, Our fields and our vineyards and our houses, are we pledging, —that we may obtain corn in the dearth.
4 et alii dicebant mutuo sumamus pecunias in tributa regis demusque agros nostros et vineas
And there were others who were saying, We have borrowed silver, for the king’s tribute, —[upon] our lands and our 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
Now, therefore, as is the flesh of our brethren, so is our flesh, as are their children, so are our children. Yet lo! we are putting in subjection our sons and our daughters, for bondservants, yea there are some of our daughters already trodden down, and we are powerless, and, our fields and our vineyards, belong to others.
6 et iratus sum nimis cum audissem clamorem eorum secundum verba haec
And it angered me greatly, —when I heard their outcry, 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
So my heart took counsel unto me and I contended with the nobles and with the deputies, and said to them, A loan on interest—every man to his brother, are ye making, —So I appointed over 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 unto them, We, have bought our brethren the Jews, who had sold themselves unto the nations, according to our ability, and will, ye, even sell your brethren, or shall they sell themselves unto 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
Then said I, Not good, is the thing which ye are doing, —ought ye not, in the fear of God, to walk, because of the reproach of the nations, 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
I too, then, my brethren and my young men, might be lending unto them on interest silver and corn! I pray you, let us leave off this lending on interest!
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, I pray you, unto them this very day, their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, —also the hundredth of silver and corn, new wine and oil, for which ye have been lending to 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
And they said, We will restore them, and, from them, will we require nothing, so, will we do, as thou, art saying. Then called I the priests, and put them on oath, to do according to this promise.
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
Also, my lap, shook I out, and said—Thus and thus, may God shake out every man who shall not confirm this promise, out of his house and out of his labour, yea, thus and thus, let him be shaken out and empty, —And all the convocation said, Amen! and praised Yahweh, and the people did according to this promise.
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
Moreover, from the day I was commanded to become their pasha in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year, even unto the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, I and my brethren, pasha’s bread, have not eaten;
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
whereas, the former pashas, who were before me, suffered themselves to be a burden upon the people, and took from them in bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver, even, their young men, bare rule 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
Moreover also, in this work of the wall, I repaired, and, no field, did we buy, —though, all my young men, were gathered thither unto 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, Jews and deputies, a hundred and fifty men, and they who were coming in unto us from among the nations which were round about us, [depended] upon 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
Now, that which was prepared for a single day, was—one ox, six choice sheep, also, fowls, were prepared for me, and, apportioned unto ten days, of every sort of wine, in abundance, —yet, in spite of this, the bread of the pasha, demanded I not, because heavy was the bondage upon this people.
19 memento mei Deus meus in bonum secundum omnia quae feci populo huic
Remember unto me, O my God, for good, —all that I have done for this people.
