Nehemiah 5

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

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

2 For there were that said: 'We, our sons and our daughters, are many; let us get for them corn, that we may eat and live.'

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

3 Some also there were that said: 'We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses; let us get corn, because of the dearth.'

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

4 There were also that said: 'We have borrowed money for the king's tribute upon our fields and our vineyards.

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

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 into bondage already; neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards.'

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

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

我は彼らの叫および是等の言を聞て大に怒れり

7 Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said unto them: 'Ye lend upon pledge, every one to his brother.' And I held a great assembly against them.

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

8 And I said unto them: 'We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, that sold themselves unto the heathen; and would ye nevertheless sell your brethren, and should they sell themselves unto us?' Then held they their peace, and found never a word.

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

9 Also I said: 'The thing that ye do is not good; ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?

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

10 And I likewise, my brethren and my servants, have lent them money and corn. I pray you, let us leave off this exaction.

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

11 Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundred pieces of silver, and the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.'

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

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

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

13 Also I shook out my lap, and said: 'So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, 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.

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

14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto 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.

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

15 But the former governors that were before me laid burdens upon the people, and took of them for bread and wine above forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants lorded over the people; but so did not I, because of the fear of God.

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

16 Yea, also I set hand to the work of this wall, neither bought we any land; and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.

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

17 Moreover there were at my table of the Jews and the rulers a hundred and fifty men, beside those that came unto us from among the nations that were round about us.

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

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 store of all sorts of wine; yet for all this I demanded not the bread of the governor, because the service was heavy upon this people.

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

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

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