1
And there was a great[H1419]cry[H6818] of the people[H5971] and of their wives[H802] against their brethren[H251] the Jews[H3064].
2
For there were[H3426] that said[H559], We, our sons[H1121], and our daughters[H1323], are many[H7227]: therefore we take up[H3947]corn[H1715] for them, that we may eat[H398], and live[H2421].
3
Some also there were[H3426] that said[H559], We have mortgaged[H6148] our lands[H7704], vineyards[H3754], and houses[H1004], that we might buy[H3947]corn[H1715], because of the dearth[H7458].
4
There were[H3426] also that said[H559], We have borrowed[H3867]money[H3701] for the king's tribute[H4060], and that upon our lands[H7704] and vineyards[H3754].
5
Yet now our flesh[H1320] is as the flesh[H1320] of our brethren[H251], our children[H1121] as their children[H1121]: and, lo, we bring into bondage[H3533] our sons[H1121] and our daughters[H1323] to be servants[H5650], and some of our daughters[H1323]are[H3426] brought unto bondage[H3533] already: neither is it in our power[H410] to redeem them; for other men[H312] have our lands[H7704] and vineyards[H3754].
6
And I was very[H3966]angry[H2734] when I heard[H8085] their cry[H2201] and these words[H1697].
7
Then I consulted[H4427] with myself[H3820], and I rebuked[H7378] the nobles[H2715], and the rulers[H5461], and said[H559] unto them, Ye exact[H5378]usury[H4855], every one[H376] of his brother[H251]. And I set[H5414] a great[H1419]assembly[H6952] against them.
8
And I said[H559] unto them, We after our ability[H1767] have redeemed[H7069] our brethren[H251] the Jews[H3064], which were sold[H4376] unto the heathen[H1471]; and will ye even sell[H4376] your brethren?[H251] or shall they be sold[H4376] unto us? Then held they their peace[H2790], and found[H4672]nothing[H1697] to answer.
9
Also I said[H559], It is not good[H2896]that[H1697] ye do[H6213]: ought ye not to walk[H3212] in the fear[H3374] of our God[H430] because of the reproach[H2781] of the heathen[H1471] our enemies?[H341]
10
I likewise, and my brethren[H251], and my servants[H5288], might exact[H5383] of them money[H3701] and corn[H1715]: I pray you, let us leave off[H5800] this usury[H4855].
11Restore[H7725], I pray you, to them, even this day[H3117], their lands[H7704], their vineyards[H3754], their oliveyards[H2132], and their houses[H1004], also the hundredth[H3967] part of the money[H3701], and of the corn[H1715], the wine[H8492], and the oil[H3323], that ye exact[H5383] of them.
12
Then said[H559] they, We will restore[H7725] them, and will require[H1245] nothing of them; so will we do[H6213] as thou sayest[H559]. Then I called[H7121] the priests[H3548], and took an oath[H7650] of them, that they should do[H6213] according to this promise[H1697].
13
Also I shook[H5287] my lap[H2684], and said[H559], So God[H430] shake out[H5287] every man[H376] from his house[H1004], and from his labour[H3018], that performeth[H6965] not this promise[H1697], even thus be he shaken out[H5287], and emptied[H7386]. And all the congregation[H6951]said[H559], Amen[H543], and praised[H1984] the LORD[H3068]. And the people[H5971]did[H6213] according to this promise[H1697].
14
Moreover from the time[H3117] that I was appointed[H6680] to be their governor[H6346] in the land[H776] of Judah[H3063], from the twentieth[H6242]year[H8141] even unto the two[H8147] and thirtieth[H7970]year[H8141] of Artaxerxes[H783] the king[H4428], that is, twelve[H8147]years[H8141], I and my brethren[H251] have not eaten[H398] the bread[H3899] of the governor[H6346].
15
But the former[H7223]governors[H6346] that had been before[H6440] me were chargeable[H3513] unto the people[H5971], and had taken[H3947] of them bread[H3899] and wine[H3196], beside[H310]forty[H705]shekels[H8255] of silver[H3701]; yea, even[H1571] their servants[H5288] bare rule[H7980] over the people[H5971]: but so did[H6213] not I, because[H6440] of the fear[H3374] of God[H430].
16
Yea, also I continued[H2388] in the work[H4399] of this wall[H2346], neither bought[H7069] we any land[H7704]: and all my servants[H5288] were gathered[H6908] thither unto the work[H4399].
17
Moreover there were at my table[H7979] an hundred[H3967] and fifty[H2572] of the Jews[H3064] and rulers[H5461], beside those that came[H935] unto us[H5439] from among the heathen[H1471] that are about us[H5439].
18
Now that which was prepared[H6213] for me daily[H3117] was one[H259]ox[H7794] and six[H8337]choice[H1305]sheep[H6629]; also fowls[H6833] were prepared[H6213] for me, and once in ten[H6235]days[H3117]store[H7235] of all[H5973] sorts of wine[H3196]: yet for all[H5973] this required[H1245] not I the bread[H3899] of the governor[H6346], because the bondage[H5656] was heavy[H3513] upon this people[H5971].
19Think[H2142] upon me, my God[H430], for good[H2896], according to all that I have done[H6213] for this people[H5971].