Nehemiah 5

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

百姓和他们的妻大大呼号，埋怨他们的弟兄犹大人。

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.”

有的说：“我们和儿女人口众多，要去得粮食度命”；

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.”

有的说：“我们典了田地、葡萄园、房屋，要得粮食充饥”；

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

有的说：“我们已经指着田地、葡萄园，借了钱给王纳税。

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.”

我们的身体与我们弟兄的身体一样；我们的儿女与他们的儿女一般。现在我们将要使儿女作人的仆婢，我们的女儿已有为婢的；我们并无力拯救，因为我们的田地、葡萄园已经归了别人。”

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

我听见他们呼号说这些话，便甚发怒。

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.

我心里筹划，就斥责贵胄和官长说：“你们各人向弟兄取利！”于是我招聚大会攻击他们。

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.

我对他们说：“我们尽力赎回我们弟兄，就是卖与外邦的犹大人；你们还要卖弟兄，使我们赎回来吗？”他们就静默不语，无话可答。

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?

我又说：“你们所行的不善！你们行事不当敬畏我们的 神吗？不然，难免我们的仇敌外邦人毁谤我们。

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

我和我的弟兄与仆人也将银钱粮食借给百姓；我们大家都当免去利息。

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.”

如今我劝你们将他们的田地、葡萄园、橄榄园、房屋，并向他们所取的银钱、粮食、新酒，和油，百分之一的利息都归还他们。”

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.

众人说：“我们必归还，不再向他们索要，必照你的话行。”我就召了祭司来，叫众人起誓，必照着所应许的而行。

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

我也抖着胸前的衣襟，说：“凡不成就这应许的，愿 神照样抖他离开家产和他劳碌得来的，直到抖空了。”会众都说：“阿们！”又赞美耶和华。百姓就照着所应许的去行。

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.

自从我奉派作犹大地的省长，就是从亚达薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我与我弟兄都没有吃省长的俸禄。

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.

在我以前的省长加重百姓的担子，每日索要粮食和酒，并银子四十舍客勒，就是他们的仆人也辖制百姓；但我因敬畏 神不这样行。

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.

并且我恒心修造城墙，并没有置买田地；我的仆人也都聚集在那里做工。

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

除了从四围外邦中来的犹大人以外，有犹大平民和官长一百五十人在我席上吃饭。

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.

每日预备一只公牛，六只肥羊，又预备些飞禽；每十日一次，多预备各样的酒。虽然如此，我并不要省长的俸禄，因为百姓服役甚重。

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

我的 神啊，求你记念我为这百姓所行的一切事，施恩与我。