ネヘミヤ 記 5

1 茲に民その妻とともにその兄弟なるユダヤ人にむかひて大に叫べり

And there occurred a great outcry of the people and their wives against their brothers, the Jews.

2 或人言ふ我儕および我らの男子女子は多し我ら穀物を得食ふて生ざるべからず

And there were those who were saying: “Our sons and our daughters are very many. Let us receive grain as a price for them, and then we may eat and live.”

3 或人は言ふ我らは我らの田畑葡萄園および家をも質となすなり既に飢に迫れば我らに穀物を獲させよ

And there were those who were saying: “Let us offer up our fields and vineyards, and our houses, and then we may receive grain during the famine.”

4 或は言ふ我らは我らの田畝および葡萄園をもて金を貸て王の租税を納む

And others were saying: “Let us borrow money for the tribute of the king, and let us surrender our fields and vineyards.”

5 然ど我らの肉も我らの兄弟の肉と同じく我らの子女も彼らの子女と同じ視よ我らは男子女子を人に伏從はせて奴隷となす我らの女子の中すでに人に伏從せし者もあり如何とも爲ん方法なし其は我らの田畝および葡萄園は別の人の有となりたればなりと

“And now, as is the flesh of our brothers, so is our flesh; and as are their sons, so also are our sons. Behold, we have subjugated our sons and our daughters into servitude, and some of our daughters are slaves, nor do we have the ability to redeem them, for others possess our fields and our vineyards.”

6 我は彼らの叫および是等の言を聞て大に怒れり

And when I had heard their outcry in these words, I was exceedingly angry.

7 是において我心に思ひ計り貴き人々および牧伯等を責てこれに言けるは汝らは各々その兄弟より利息を取るなりと而して我かれらの事につきて大會を開き

And my heart considered within me. And I rebuked the nobles and the magistrates, and I said to them, “Have you each been exacting usury from your brothers?” And I gathered together a great assembly against them.

8 彼らに言けるは我らは異邦人の手に売れたる我らの兄弟ユダヤ人を我らの力にしたがひて贖へり然るにまた汝等は己の兄弟を売んとするやいかで之をわれらの手に売るべけんやと彼らは黙して言なかりき

And I said to them: “As you know, in accord with what was possible for us, we have redeemed our brothers, the Jews, who had been sold to the Gentiles. And yet you now sell your brothers, and we must redeem them?” And they were silent, nor did they find anything to answer.

9 我また言けるは汝らの爲すところ善らず汝らは我らの敵たる異邦人の誹膀をおもひて我儕の神を畏れつつ事をなすべきに非ずや

And I said to them: “The thing that you are doing is not good. Why are you not walking in the fear of our God, so that there may be no reproach against us from our enemies, the Gentiles?

10 我もわが兄弟および僕等も同じく金と穀物とを貸て利息を取ことをなす願くは我らこの利息を廃ん

Both I and my brothers, with my servants, have lent money and grain to many. Let us agree not to ask for its return. Let us forgive the other money that is owed to us.

11 請ふ汝ら今日にも彼らの田畝葡萄園橄欖園および家を彼らに還しまた彼らに貸あたへて金穀物および酒油などの百分の一を取ることを廃よと

On this day, restore their fields, and their vineyards, and their olive groves, and their houses to them. Then, too, the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, wine, and oil, which you usually exact from them, give it to them.”

12 彼ら即ち言けるは我ら之を還すべし彼らに何をも要めざらん汝の言るごとく我ら然なすべしと是に於て我祭司を呼び彼らをして此言のごとく行なふといふ誓を立しめたり

And they said: “We will restore it, and we will require nothing from them. And we will do just as you say.” And I called the priests, and I had them swear an oath, so that they would act in accord with what I had said.

13 而して我わが胸懐を打拂ひて言ふ是言を行はざる者をば臨くは神是のごとく凡て打拂ひてその家およびその業を離れさせたまへ即ちその人は斯打拂はれて空しくなれかしと時に會衆みなアーメンと言てヱホバを讃美せり而して民はこの言のごとくに行へり

Moreover, I shook out my lap, and I said: “So may God shake out every man, who does not fulfill this word. From his house and from his labors, so may he be shaken out and become empty.” And the entire multitude said, “Amen.” And they praised God. Therefore, the people acted in accord with what was said.

14 且また我がユダの地の総督に任ぜられし時より即ちアルタシヤユタ王の二十年より三十二年まで十二年の間は我もわが兄弟も総督の受べき禄を食ざりき

Now from that day, on which the king had ordered me to be governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of king Artaxerxes, for twelve years, I and my brothers did not eat the yearly allowance that was owed to the governors.

15 わが以前にありし旧の総督等は民に重荷を負せてパンと酒とを是より取り其外にまた銀四十シケルを取れり然のみならずその僕等も亦民を圧せり然ども我は神を畏るるに因て然せざりき

But the former governors, the ones who had been before me, were a burden to the people, and they took from them bread and wine, and forty shekels of money each day. And their officials also oppressed the people. But I did not do so, out of fear of God.

16 我は反てこの石垣の工事に身を委ね我儕は何の田地をも買しこと無し我僕は皆かしこに集りて工事をなせり

In fact, I preferred to build in the work of the wall, and I bought no land, and all my servants were gathered to do the work.

17 且また我席にはユダヤ人および牧伯等百五十人あり其外にまた我らの周圍の異邦人の中より我らに來れる者等もありき

Likewise, the Jews and the magistrates, one hundred and fifty men, were at my table, with those who came to us from among the Gentiles that are around us.

18 是をもて一日に牛一匹肥たる羊六匹を備へ亦鶏をも許多備へ十日に一回種々の酒を多く備へたり是ありしかどもこの民の役おもきに因て我は総督の受くべき禄を要めざりき

Now there was prepared for me, on each day, one ox and six choice rams, along with poultry. And once every ten days, I distributed diverse wines and many other things. Yet I did not require my yearly allowance as governor. For the people were greatly impoverished.

19 わが神よ我が此民のために爲る一切の事を憶ひ仁慈をもて我をあしらひ給へ

Remember me, O my God, for good, in accord with all that I have done for this people.