Nehemiah 5

1 Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews.

And there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

2 For there were some who said, “We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”

And there were some that said, Our sons, and our daughters, [and] ourselves are many; and we must buy corn, that we may eat, and live.

3 There were also some who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses. Let us get grain, because of the famine.”

And others there were that said, We must pledge our fields, our vineyards, and our houses, that we may buy corn, in the famine.

4 There were also some who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral.

And others there were that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and vineyards.

5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Behold, we bring our sons and our daughters into bondage to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. It is also not in our power to help it, because other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

Yet now our flesh is like the flesh of our brethren, our children are like their children: and, lo, we must force our sons and our daughters to become servants, and some of our daughters are forced [to become so], and our hand is powerless; and our fields and our vineyards belong to others.

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

And it displeased me greatly when I heard their complaint and these words.

7 Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, “You exact usury, everyone of his brother.” I held a great assembly against them.

Then did I consult with my heart, and I upbraided the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, “Ye exact usury, every one of his brother!” And I brought together a great assembly against them.

8 I said to them, “We, after our ability, have redeemed our brothers the Jews that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us?” Then they held their peace, and found not a word to say.

And I said unto them, We have indeed ransomed our brethren the Jews, who had been sold unto the various nations, as far as our means went: and will ye yourselves even sell your brethren, so that they will be sold again unto us? And they remained silent, and found no answer.

9 Also I said, “The thing that you do is not good. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?

Then said I, The thing is not good which ye are doing: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the taunting of the nations, our enemies?

10 I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury.

And also I, my brothers, and my young men, have lent them money and corn: I pray you, let us relinquish this loan.

11 Please restore to them, even today, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that you are charging them.”

Give back to them, I pray you, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye have lent them.

12 Then they said, “We will restore them, and will require nothing of them. We will do so, even as you say.” Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.

Then said they, We will give [all] back, and of them will we require nothing: so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and made them swear, that they would do in accordance with this promise.

13 Also I shook out my lap, and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that doesn’t perform this promise; even may he be shaken out and emptied like this.” All the assembly said, “Amen,” and praised Yahweh. The people did according to this promise.

Also my lap did I shake out, and said, So may God shake out every man that performeth not this promise, from his house and of his toil-gotten wealth, and so let him remain shaken out, and empty. And all the assembly said, Amen, and they praised the Lord. And the people did according to this promise.

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 thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.

Moreover from the day that [the king] had enjoined on me to be governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year up to the two and thirtieth year of king Artaxerxes, [full] twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food of the governor.

15 But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, plus forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people, but I didn’t do so, because of the fear of God.

But the former governors that had been before me had made it heavy for the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver: yea, even their young men ruled over the people; but I myself did not act so, because of the fear of God.

16 Yes, I also continued in the work of this wall. We didn’t buy any land. All my servants were gathered there to the work.

And in the work of this wall also did I labor actively; and we bought not any fields; and all my young men were assembled there by the work.

17 Moreover there were at my table, of the Jews and the rulers, one hundred fifty men, in addition to those who came to us from among the nations that were around us.

Moreover of the Jews and rulers, one hundred and fifty men, besides those that came unto us from the nations that are about us, [ate] at my table.

18 Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days a store of all sorts of wine. Yet for all this, I didn’t demand the governor’s pay, because the bondage was heavy on this people.

And that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep; also birds were prepared for me, and once in ten days all sorts of wine in abundance: yet with all this I required not the food of the governor; because the service lay heavily upon this people.

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

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