Nehemiah 5

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

百姓和他們的妻大大呼號，埋怨他們的弟兄猶大人。

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.”

有的說：「我們和兒女人口眾多，要去得糧食度命」；

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.”

有的說：「我們典了田地、葡萄園、房屋，要得糧食充飢」；

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

有的說：「我們已經指着田地、葡萄園，借了錢給王納稅。

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.”

我們的身體與我們弟兄的身體一樣；我們的兒女與他們的兒女一般。現在我們將要使兒女作人的僕婢，我們的女兒已有為婢的；我們並無力拯救，因為我們的田地、葡萄園已經歸了別人。」

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

我聽見他們呼號說這些話，便甚發怒。

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.

我心裏籌劃，就斥責貴冑和官長說：「你們各人向弟兄取利！」於是我招聚大會攻擊他們。

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.

我對他們說：「我們盡力贖回我們弟兄，就是賣與外邦的猶大人；你們還要賣弟兄，使我們贖回來嗎？」他們就靜默不語，無話可答。

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?

我又說：「你們所行的不善！你們行事不當敬畏我們的上帝嗎？不然，難免我們的仇敵外邦人毀謗我們。

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

我和我的弟兄與僕人也將銀錢糧食借給百姓；我們大家都當免去利息。

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.”

如今我勸你們將他們的田地、葡萄園、橄欖園、房屋，並向他們所取的銀錢、糧食、新酒，和油，百分之一的利息都歸還他們。」

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.

眾人說：「我們必歸還，不再向他們索要，必照你的話行。」我就召了祭司來，叫眾人起誓，必照着所應許的而行。

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，說：「凡不成就這應許的，願上帝照樣抖他離開家產和他勞碌得來的，直到抖空了。」會眾都說：「阿們！」又讚美耶和華。百姓就照着所應許的去行。

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.

自從我奉派作猶大地的省長，就是從亞達薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我與我弟兄都沒有吃省長的俸祿。

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.

在我以前的省長加重百姓的擔子，每日索要糧食和酒，並銀子四十舍客勒，就是他們的僕人也轄制百姓；但我因敬畏上帝不這樣行。

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.

並且我恆心修造城牆，並沒有置買田地；我的僕人也都聚集在那裏做工。

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.

除了從四圍外邦中來的猶大人以外，有猶大平民和官長一百五十人在我席上吃飯。

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.

每日預備一隻公牛，六隻肥羊，又預備些飛禽；每十日一次，多預備各樣的酒。雖然如此，我並不要省長的俸祿，因為百姓服役甚重。

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

我的上帝啊，求你記念我為這百姓所行的一切事，施恩與我。