UNehemiya 5

1 Kwasekusiba khona ukukhala okukhulu kwabantu labomkabo bemelene labafowabo amaJuda.

And there is a great cry of the people and their wives, concerning their brethren the Jews,

2 Ngoba kwaba khona abathi: Thina, amadodana ethu lamadodakazi ethu sibanengi; ngakho sithethe amabele ukuze sidle siphile.

yea, there are who are saying, 'Our sons, and our daughters, we — are many, and we receive corn, and eat, and live.'

3 Njalo kwaba khona abathi: Sibambisa amasimu ethu lezivini zethu lezindlu zethu ukuze sithenge amabele endlaleni.

And there are who are saying, 'Our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses, we are pledging, and we receive corn for the famine.'

4 Njalo kwaba khona abathi: Seboleke imali yomthelo wenkosi ngamasimu ethu lezivini zethu.

And there are who are saying, 'We have borrowed money for the tribute of the king, [on] our fields, and our vineyards;

5 Khathesi-ke, inyama yethu injengenyama yabafowethu, abantwana bethu banjengabantwana babo; khangela-ke sehlisele phansi amadodana ethu lamadodakazi ethu abe yizigqili; kukhona-ke emadodakazini ethu asehliselwe phansi, njalo isandla sethu kasilamandla, ngoba abanye balamasimu ethu lezivini zethu.

and now, as the flesh of our brethren [is] our flesh, as their sons [are] our sons, and lo, we are subduing our sons and our daughters for servants, and there are of our daughters subdued, and our hand hath no might, and our fields and our vineyards [are] to others.'

6 Ngathukuthela kakhulu nxa ngisizwa ukukhala kwabo lalamazwi.

And it is very displeasing to me when I have heard their cry and these words,

7 Inhliziyo yami isicabangile phakathi kwami, ngasengilwisana lezikhulu lababusi, ngathi kubo: Libhadalisa inzuzo, ngulowo kumfowabo. Ngabamisela umhlangano omkhulu.

and my heart reigneth over me, and I strive with the freemen, and with the prefects, and say to them, 'Usury one upon another ye are exacting;' and I set against them a great assembly,

8 Ngasengisithi kibo: Thina ngamandla akithi sihlenge abafowethu amaJuda ababethengiswe ezizweni; lani selizathengisa abafowethu, kumbe bazathengiswa kithi yini? Basebethula, kabatholanga mpendulo.

and say to them, 'We have acquired our brethren the Jews, those sold to the nations, according to the ability that [is] in us, and ye also sell your brethren, and they have been sold to us!' and they are silent, and have not found a word.

9 Ngasengisithi: Into eliyenzayo kayilunganga. Belingehambe yini ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu wethu ngenxa yehlazo lezizwe, izitha zethu?

And I say, 'Not good [is] the thing that ye are doing; in the fear of our God do ye not walk, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?

10 Ngitsho lami, abafowethu, lenceku zami, besikweledisa imali lamabele. Asiyekeleni inzuzo lezi.

And also, I, my brethren, and my servants, are exacting of them silver and corn; let us leave off, I pray you, this usury.

11 Ake libabuyisele lalamuhla amasimu abo, izivini zabo, izihlahla zabo zemihlwathi, lezindlu zabo, lokwekhulu kwemali lokwamabele lokwewayini elitsha lokwamafutha elibabhadalisa khona.

Give back, I pray you, to them, as to-day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive-yards, and their houses, and the hundredth [part] of the money, and of the corn, of the new wine, and of the oil, that ye are exacting of them.'

12 Basebesithi: Sizabuyisela, singabizi lutho kubo. Sizakwenza njalo njengokutsho kwakho. Ngasengibiza abapristi, ngabafungisa ukuthi benze njengalelilizwi.

And they say, 'We give back, and of them we seek nothing; so we do as thou art saying.' And I call the priests, and cause them to swear to do according to this thing;

13 Ngasengithintitha ithangazi lami ngathi: Ngokunjalo uNkulunkulu kathintithe wonke umuntu asuke endlini yakhe lemsebenzini wakhe ongasoze amise lelilizwi; langokunjalo kathintithwe angabi lalutho. Lebandla lonke lathi: Ameni. Bayidumisa iNkosi. Abantu basebesenza njengalelilizwi.

also, my lap I have shaken, and I say, 'Thus doth God shake out every man, who doth not perform this thing, from his house, and from his labour; yea, thus is he shaken out and empty;' and all the assembly say, 'Amen,' and praise Jehovah; and the people do according to this thing.

14 Futhi kusukela ngosuku angilaya ngalo ukuthi ngibe ngumbusi wabo elizweni lakoJuda, kusukela emnyakeni wamatshumi amabili kuze kube semnyakeni wamatshumi amathathu lambili kaAthakisekisi inkosi, iminyaka elitshumi lambili, mina labafowethu kasidlanga isinkwa sombusi.

Also, from the day that he appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the thirty and second year of Artaxerxes the king — twelve years — I, and my brethren, the bread of the governor have not eaten:

15 Kodwa ababusi bamandulo ababengaphambi kwami babathwalisa nzima abantu, bethatha kibo isinkwa lewayini, emva kwalokhu amashekeli esiliva angamatshumi amane; lenceku zabo zabusa nzima phezu kwabantu; kodwa mina kangenzanga njalo ngenxa yokwesaba uNkulunkulu.

the former governors who [are] before me have made themselves heavy on the people, and take of them in bread and wine, besides in silver forty shekels; also, their servants have ruled over the people — and I have not done so, because of the fear of God.

16 Phezu kwalokho-ke ngaqina emsebenzini walumduli, njalo kasithenganga insimu; lenceku zami zonke zabuthana lapho emsebenzini.

And also, in the work of this wall I have done mightily, even a field we have not bought, and all my servants are gathered there for the work;

17 Lamadoda alikhulu lamatshumi amahlanu kumaJuda lakubabusi, lalabo abeza kithi bevela ezizweni ezisihanqileyo, babesetafuleni lami.

and of the Jews, and of the prefects, a hundred and fifty men, and those coming in unto us of the nations that [are] round about us, [are] at my table;

18 Lalokhu okwakulungiselwe usuku olulodwa kwakuyinkabi eyodwa, izimvu ezikhethiweyo eziyisithupha, lezinyoni zazilungiselwe mina, njalo phakathi kwensuku ezilitshumi okwalo lonke iwayini ngobunengi. Langalokhu kangizanga ngidinge isinkwa sombusi, ngoba ubugqili babunzima phezu kwalababantu.

and that which hath been prepared for one day [is] one ox, six fat sheep, also fowls have been prepared for me, and once in ten days of all wines abundantly, and with this, the bread of the governor I have not sought, for heavy is the service on this people.

19 Ngikhumbule, Nkulunkulu wami, ngokuhle, konke engikwenzele lababantu.

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