Nehemiah 5

1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

Pea naʻe lāunga lahi ʻae kakai mo honau ngaahi uaifi ki honau ngaahi kāinga ko e kakai Siu.

2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, [are] many: therefore we take up corn [for them], that we may eat, and live.

He naʻe ai ʻae niʻihi naʻe lea ʻo pehē, “Ko kimautolu, ko homau ngaahi foha, mo homau ngaahi ʻofefine ʻoku mau tokolahi: ko ia ʻoku mau toʻo hake ai ʻae uite maʻanautolu, koeʻuhi ke mau kai, pea moʻui.”

3 [Some] also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.

Naʻe ai mo e niʻihi naʻa nau lea, [ʻo pehē], “Kuo mau maʻu paʻanga koeʻuhi ko homau ngaahi fonua, mo e ngoue vaine, mo e ngaahi fale, koeʻuhi ke mau fakatau ʻae uite, ko e meʻa ʻi he honge.”

4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, [and that upon] our lands and vineyards.

Pea naʻe ʻi ai ʻae niʻihi foki naʻe pehē, “Kuo mau nō ʻae ngaahi paʻanga maʻae tukuhau ʻae tuʻi, pea fakamoʻua ki ai homau ngaahi fonua mo e ngoue vaine.

5 Yet now our flesh [is] as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and [some] of our daughters are brought to bondage [already]: neither [is it] in our power [to redeem them]; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

Ka ko eni ko homau kakano ʻoku tatau mo e kakano ʻo homau kāinga, mo ʻemau fānau ʻoku hangē ko ʻenau fānau: pea vakai, ʻoku mau fakapōpulaʻi homau ngaahi foha, mo homau ngaahi ʻofefine ke hoko ko e kau tamaioʻeiki, pea ko e niʻihi ʻo homau ʻofefine kuo fakahoko ni ki he fakapōpula: pea ʻoku ʻikai temau mafai ke huhuʻi ʻakinautolu; he ko e kau tangata kehe kuo maʻu homau fonua mo ʻemau ngoue vaine.”

6 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.

Pea ne u ʻita lahi ʻi heʻeku fanongo ki heʻenau tangi mo e ngaahi lea ni.

7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said to them, Ye exact interest, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.

Pea ne u fakalaulauloto, pea u valoki ʻae ngaahi houʻeiki, mo e kau pule, pea u pehē kiate kinautolu, ʻOku mou maʻu totongi lahi, taki taha mei hono tokoua. Pea ne u fokotuʻu hake ʻae fuʻu tokolahi ke taʻofi kiate kinautolu.

8 And I said to them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, who were sold to the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold to us? Then they held their peace, and found nothing [to answer].

Pea ne u pehē kiate kinautolu, “Kuo fai ʻekimautolu ʻo fakatatau mo ʻemau mafai, ʻae huhuʻi ʻo homau kāinga ko e kakai Siu, ʻaia naʻe fakatau ki he kakai hiteni; pea temou fakatau koā ʻa homou ngaahi kāinga? Pe ʻe fakatau koā ʻakinautolu kiate kimautolu?” Pea naʻa nau longo pe, ʻo ʻikai ʻilo ha meʻa ke lea ʻaki.

9 Also I said, That [is] not good which ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?

Pea ne u pehē foki, “Ko ia ʻoku mou fai ʻoku ʻikai lelei: ʻikai ʻoku ngali ke mou ʻalu pe ʻi he manavahē ki hotau ʻOtua telia ʻae manuki ʻoe hiteni ko hotau ngaahi fili?

10 I likewise, my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

‌ʻE totonu foki ka ne ko au mo hoku kāinga mo ʻeku kau tamaioʻeiki, ke mau tala totongi kiate kinautolu ʻi he paʻanga mo e uite: ʻoku ou kole kiate kimoutolu ketau tuku muʻa ʻae tangi totongi ni.

11 Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive-yards, and their houses, also the hundredth [part] of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.

‌ʻOku ou kole kiate kimoutolu, mou toe ʻatu kiate kinautolu he ʻaho ni, honau fonua, mo ʻenau ngoue vaine, mo ʻenau ngoue ʻolive, mo honau ngaahi fale, mo hono teau ʻoe vahe ʻo ʻenau ngaahi paʻanga, mo e uite, mo e uaine, mo e lolo, ʻaia ʻoku mou tangi ke maʻu mālohi ʻiate kinautolu.”

12 Then said they, We will restore [them], and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.

Pea naʻa nau pehē mai, “Te mau toe ʻatu, pea ʻe ʻikai te mau tala ha meʻa ʻe taha ki ai; ko ia te mau fai ʻo hangē ko hoʻo lea.” Pea ne u ui ke haʻu ʻae kau taulaʻeiki, pea u fakafuakava ʻakinautolu, koeʻuhi ke nau fai ʻo fakatatau ki he lea papau ni.

13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.

Pea naʻaku tupetupeʻi hoku kofu foki, ʻo pehē, “Ke tupetupeʻi pehē ʻe he ʻOtua ʻae tangata kotoa pē mei hono fale, pea mei heʻene ngāue, ʻaia ʻoku ʻikai fakamoʻoni ki he lea ni, ʻio, ke tupetupeʻi ia kituʻa, pea liʻaki.” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he fakataha kotoa pē, “ʻEmeni,” mo nau fakafetaʻi kia Sihova. Pea naʻe fai ʻe he kakai ʻo fakatatau ki he lea ni.

14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, [that is], twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.

Pea ko eni foki, talu ʻae kuonga ko ia naʻe fakanofo au ko honau pule ʻi he fonua ʻo Siuta, mei he taʻu ʻe uofulu ʻo hoko ki he taʻu ʻe tolungofulu ma ua ʻo ʻAtakisekisi ko e tuʻi, ʻaia ko e taʻu ʻe hongofulu ma ua, ko au mo hoku kāinga naʻe ʻikai te mau kai ʻae meʻakai ʻae pule.

15 But the former governors, that [had been] before me were chargeable to the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants bore rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.

Ka ko e ngaahi pule naʻe ʻi muʻa ʻiate au naʻe moʻua ki ai ʻae kakai, pea naʻa nau maʻu ʻiate kinautolu ʻae mā mo e uaine, mo e sikeli siliva ʻe fāngofulu; ʻio, ko ʻenau kau tamaioʻeiki naʻa nau pule ki he kakai: ka naʻe ʻikai te u pehē, ko e meʻa ʻi he manavahē ki he ʻOtua.

16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants [were] gathered thither to the work.

Ko e moʻoni ne u fai maʻu pe ʻi he ngāue ʻae ʻā maka ni, pea naʻe ʻikai te mau fakatau ha potu fonua: pea naʻe tānaki fakataha ʻa ʻeku kau tamaioʻeiki kotoa pē ʻi ai ki he ngāue.

17 Moreover, [there were] at my table a hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, besides those that came to us from among the heathen that [were] about us.

Pea naʻe ʻi heʻeku keinangaʻanga foki ʻae kau Siu ʻe toko teau mo e nimangofulu, mo e kau pule, kaeʻumaʻā ʻakinautolu naʻe haʻu kiate kimautolu mei he hiteni ʻoku tuʻu takatakai ʻiate kimautolu.

18 Now [that] which was prepared [for me] daily [was] one ox [and] six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days an abundance of all sorts of wine: yet for all this I required not the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

Pea ko eni ko e meʻa naʻe teu kiate au ʻi he ʻaho kotoa pē, ko e pulu ʻe taha mo e sipi lelei ʻe ono; pea mo e fanga moa naʻe teuʻi kiate au, pea tuʻo taha ʻi he ʻaho ʻe hongofulu naʻe ʻomi ʻae tokonaki ʻoe ngaahi uaine kehekehe: pea neongo ʻae meʻa lahi ni kotoa pē, naʻe ʻikai te u maʻu ʻae mangisi ʻae pule, koeʻuhi naʻe māfasia lahi ʻae kakai ni.

19 Think upon me, my God, for good, [according] to all that I have done for this people.

‌ʻE hoku ʻOtua, ke ke manatuʻi au ke u lelei ai, ʻo fakatatau ki he meʻa kotoa pē naʻaku fai mā ʻae kakai ni.