1 وكان صراخ الشعب ونسائهم عظيما على اخوتهم اليهود.2 وكان من يقول بنونا وبناتنا نحن كثيرون. دعنا نأخذ قمحا فنأكل ونحيا.3 وكان من يقول حقولنا وكرومنا وبيوتنا نحن راهنوها حتى نأخذ قمحا في الجوع.4 وكان من يقول قد استقرضنا فضة لخراج الملك على حقولنا وكرومنا.5 والآن لحمنا كلحم اخوتنا وبنونا كبنيهم وها نحن نخضع بنينا وبناتنا عبيدا ويوجد من بناتنا مستعبدات وليس شيء في طاقة يدنا وحقولنا وكرومنا للآخرين6 فغضبت جدا حين سمعت صراخهم وهذا الكلام.7 فشاورت قلبي فيّ وبكّت العظماء والولاة وقلت لهم انكم تاخذون الربا كل واحد من اخيه واقمت عليهم جماعة عظيمة.8 وقلت لهم نحن اشترينا اخوتنا اليهود الذين بيعوا للامم حسب طاقتنا. وانتم ايضا تبيعون اخوتكم فيباعون لنا. فسكتوا ولم يجدوا جوابا.9 وقلت ليس حسنا الامر الذي تعملونه. أما تسيرون بخوف الهنا بسبب تعيير الامم اعدائنا.10 وانا ايضا واخوتي وغلماني اقرضناهم فضة وقمحا. فلنترك هذا الربا.11 ردّوا لهم هذا اليوم حقولهم وكرومهم وزيتونهم وبيوتهم والجزء من مئة الفضة والقمح والخمر والزيت الذي تاخذونه منهم ربا.12 فقالوا نرد ولا نطلب منهم. هكذا نفعل كما تقول. فدعوت الكهنة واستحلفتهم ان يعملوا حسب هذا الكلام.13 ثم نفضت حجري وقلت هكذا ينفض الله كل انسان لا يقيم هذا الكلام من بيته ومن تعبه وهكذا يكون منفوضا وفارغا. فقال كل الجماعة آمين وسبحوا الرب. وعمل الشعب حسب هذا الكلام14 وايضا من اليوم الذي اوصيت فيه ان اكون واليهم في ارض يهوذا من السنة العشرين الى السنة الثانية والثلاثين لارتحشستا الملك اثنتي عشرة سنة لم آكل انا ولا اخوتي خبز الوالي.15 ولكن الولاة الاولون الذين قبلي ثقلوا على الشعب واخذوا منهم خبزا وخمرا فضلا عن اربعين شاقلا من الفضة حتى ان غلمانهم تسلطوا على الشعب. واما انا فلم افعل هكذا من اجل خوف الله.16 وتمسكت ايضا بشغل هذا السور. ولم اشتر حقلا. وكان جميع غلماني مجتمعين هناك على العمل.17 وكان على مائدتي من اليهود والولاة مئة وخمسون رجلا فضلا عن الآتين الينا من الامم الذين حولنا.18 وكان ما يعمل ليوم واحد ثورا وستة خراف مختارة. وكان يعمل لي طيور وفي كل عشرة ايام كل نوع من الخمر بكثرة. ومع هذا لم اطلب خبز الوالي لان العبودية كانت ثقيلة على هذا الشعب.19 اذكر لي يا الهي للخير كل ما عملت لهذا الشعب

1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews.2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king' tribute, and that on our lands and vineyards.5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children: and, see, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought to bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.6 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said to them, You exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.8 And I said to them, We after our ability have redeemed our brothers the Jews, which were sold to the heathen; and will you even sell your brothers? or shall they be sold to us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.9 Also I said, It is not good that you do: ought you not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?10 I likewise, and my brothers, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.11 Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that you exact of them.12 Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as you say. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that performes 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.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 two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.15 But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable to the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants bore rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.16 Yes, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither to the work.17 Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came to us from among the heathen that are about us.18 Now that which was prepared for me daily 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 required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy on this people.19 Think on me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.