Nehemías 5

1 Entonces hubo un gran clamor del pueblo y de sus mujeres contra sus hermanos judíos,

Then there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their countrymen the Jews.

2 porque algunos decían: Nosotros, nuestros hijos e hijas somos muchos, y necesitamos grano para comer y vivir.

For there were some who said, We, our sons and our daughters, are a great number: let us get grain, so that we may have food for our needs.

3 Y algunos decían: Empeñamos nuestros campos, viñas y casas para obtener grano durante la hambruna.

And there were some who said, We are giving our fields and our vine-gardens and our houses for debt: let us get grain because we are in need.

4 Otros decían: Tomamos dinero prestado para el tributo del rey y ofrecimos la garantía de nuestros campos y viñedos.

And there were others who said, We have given up our fields and our vine-gardens to get money for the king's taxes.

5 Ahora bien, nuestra carne es como la carne de nuestros hermanos, sus hijos como nuestros hijos, y así sometemos a esclavitud a nuestros hijos e hijas. Hay hijas nuestras ya esclavizadas, sin que nosotros podamos rescatarlas, puesto que nuestros campos y viñas ya son de otros.

But our flesh is the same as the flesh of our countrymen, and our children as their children: and now we are giving our sons and daughters into the hands of others, to be their servants, and some of our daughters are servants even now: and we have no power to put a stop to it; for other men have our fields and our vine-gardens.

6 Cuando escuché su clamor y esas palabras me airé muchísimo.

And on hearing their outcry and what they said I was very angry.

7 Mi corazón se turbó dentro de mí. Reprendí a los jefes y los oficiales: ¿Ustedes cobran interés, cada uno a su hermano? Y convoqué a una gran asamblea contra ellos

And after turning it over in my mind, I made a protest to the chiefs and the rulers, and said to them, Every one of you is taking interest from his countryman. And I got together a great meeting of protest.

8 y les dije: Nosotros, según nuestras posibilidades, rescatamos a nuestros hermanos judíos que tuvieron que venderse a los gentiles, y ustedes, ¿venderán a sus hermanos después de ser rescatados por nosotros? Y ellos callaron, porque no hallaron respuesta.

And I said to them, We have given whatever we were able to give, to make our brothers the Jews free, who were servants and prisoners of the nations: and would you now give up your brothers for a price, and are they to become our property? Then they said nothing, answering not a word.

9 Y agregué: No es bueno lo que hacen. ¿No deberían andar con el temor de nuestro ʼElohim, a causa del oprobio de nuestros enemigos gentiles?

And I said, What you are doing is not good: is it not the more necessary for you to go in the fear of our God, because of the shame which the nations may put on us?

10 También yo, mis hermanos y mis esclavos les prestamos dinero y grano. ¡Renunciamos ahora a esta usura!

Even I and my servants have been taking interest for the money and the grain we have let them have. So now, let us give up this thing.

11 Les ruego que les devuelvan hoy sus campos, viñas, olivares y casas. Renuncien al interés que les demandan por el dinero, el grano, el vino nuevo y el aceite.

Give back to them this very day their fields, their vine-gardens, their olive-gardens, and their houses, as well as a hundredth part of the money and the grain and the wine and the oil which you have taken from them.

12 Entonces respondieron: Lo devolveremos y ya no lo requeriremos. Haremos así como tú dices. Entonces convoqué a los sacerdotes y les hice jurar que harían según esta promesa.

Then they said, We will give them back, and take nothing for them; we will do as you say. Then I sent for the priests and made them take an oath that they would keep this agreement.

13 Sacudí mi ropa y dije: ¡Así sacuda ʼElohim de su Templo y de su beneficio a todo aquel que no cumpla esta promesa! ¡Así sea sacudido y vaciado! Y toda la congregación respondió: ¡Amén! Y alabaron a Yavé. El pueblo hizo según esta promesa.

And shaking out the folds of my robe, I said, So may God send out from his house and his work every man who does not keep this agreement; even so let him be sent out and made as nothing. And all the meeting of the people said, So be it, and gave praise to the Lord. And the people did as they had said.

14 Además, desde el día cuando fui designado gobernador de ellos en la tierra de Judá, desde el año 20 hasta el año 32 del rey Artajerjes, esto es, 12 años, ni yo ni mis hermanos comimos el pan correspondiente al gobernador.

Now from the time when I was made ruler of the people in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year till the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, for twelve years, I and my servants have never taken the food which was the right of the ruler.

15 Y aunque los gobernadores que fueron antes de mí subyugaban al pueblo y les cobraban más de 4,4 kilogramos de plata por el pan y el vino, y aun sus esclavos oprimían al pueblo, yo no hice así a causa del temor a ʼElohim.

But earlier rulers who were before me made the people responsible for their upkeep, and took from them bread and wine at the rate of forty shekels of silver; and even their servants were lords over the people: but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.

16 En cambio, tomé parte en la obra de este muro. No adquirí algún campo, y todos mis esclavos estuvieron reunidos para la obra.

And I kept on with the work of this wall, and we got no land for ourselves: and all my servants were helping with the work.

17 Además de los judíos y los oficiales, había en mi mesa 150 hombres, sin contar los que venían a nosotros de los países vecinos.

And more than this, a hundred and fifty of the Jews and the rulers were guests at my table, in addition to those who came to us from the nations round about us.

18 Lo que se preparaba para un solo día era un buey y seis ovejas escogidas. También me preparaban aves, y una vez cada diez días toda clase de vinos. A pesar de todo esto, nunca exigí el pan correspondiente al gobernador, porque el trabajo era pesado para este pueblo.

Now the food made ready for one day was one ox and six fat sheep, as well as fowls; and once in ten days a store of all sorts of wine: but all the same, I did not take the food to which the ruler had a right, because the people were crushed under a hard yoke.

19 Acuérdate de mí para bien, oh ʼElohim mío, a causa de todo lo que hice por este pueblo.

Keep in mind, O my God, for my good, all I have done for this people.