1 那时， 民众和他们的妻子大声呼冤， 控告自己的同胞犹大人。 2 有些人说： "我们和儿女人口众多， 给我们五谷糊口， 可以存活。" 3 有些人说： "我们抵押了自己的田地、葡萄园和房屋， 为要在饥荒中买到五谷。" 4 有些人说： "我们为了要借钱向王纳税， 只好抵押了我们的田地和葡萄园。 5 虽然我们的身体与我们同胞的身体一样， 我们的儿女与他们的儿女也相同， 可是我们却要强迫自己的儿女去作仆婢， 而且我们的女儿有些已经作了奴婢， 我们却无能为力， 因为我们的田地和葡萄园已经属于别人了。" 6 我听见他们的哀叫和所讲的这些事， 就十分忿怒。 7 我心中筹算一番以后， 就谴责贵族和官长， 对他们说： "你们各人向自己的同胞贷款， 竟然索取高利！ "于是我召开大会攻击他们。 8 我对他们说： "我们已尽了我们的能力， 把那些卖了给外族人的同胞犹大人买赎回来， 而你们还想要出卖你们的同胞， 好让我们再把他们买回来吗？"他们都默不作声， 无话可说。 9 我又说： "你们这事作得不对。你们岂不应怀着敬畏我们 神的心行事为人， 免遭我们的仇敌外族人的毁谤吗？ 10 现在我和我的兄弟， 以及我的仆人要把银钱和五谷借给他们。让我们大家都放弃放债取利吧！ 11 请你们今天就把他们的田地、葡萄园、橄榄园、房屋， 以及你们向他们索取的利息： 百分之一的利钱、五谷、新酒和新油， 都归还给他们。" 12 他们就说： "我们必定归还， 不再向他们要求利息了， 你怎么说， 我们愿意照着你说的去行。"我就把祭司们召了来， 叫众人起誓必照着这话去行。 13 我抖着胸前的衣襟说： "不履行这话的， 愿 神也是这样抖他离开他的家和产业， 直到抖空。"全体会众都说： "阿们！ "又赞美耶和华。众人都照着这话去行。 14 自从我奉命在犹大地作他们省长的日子以来， 就是从亚达薛西王二十年， 直到三十二年， 共十二年， 我和我的兄弟都没有吃过省长的俸禄。 15 在我们以先的前任省长， 重压人民， 每日都向他们索取粮食和酒， 以及四百五十六克银子。连他们的仆人也辖制人民， 但我因为敬畏 神， 就不这样行。 16 我坚持只重修城墙的工程； 所以我们不购置田产， 我所有的仆人也都聚集在那里工作。 17 在我桌上吃饭的， 有一百五十个犹大人和官长， 还有那些从我们四围外族来到我们这里的人； 18 每天预备牛一头、肥羊六只， 又为我预备一些飞禽； 每十天供应大量各类的酒。虽然这样， 我仍然没有索取省长的俸禄， 因为这些人服役已经负担沉重。 19 "我的 神啊， 求你记念我， 记念我为这人民所作的一切事， 施恩给我。"

1 And there is a great cry of the people and their wives, concerning their brethren the Jews,2 yea, there are who are saying, `Our sons, and our daughters, we -- are many, and we receive corn, and eat, and live.`3 And there are who are saying, `Our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses, we are pledging, and we receive corn for the famine.`4 And there are who are saying, `We have borrowed money for the tribute of the king, [on] our fields, and our vineyards;5 and now, as the flesh of our brethren [is] our flesh, as their sons [are] our sons, and lo, we are subduing our sons and our daughters for servants, and there are of our daughters subdued, and our hand hath no might, and our fields and our vineyards [are] to others.`6 And it is very displeasing to me when I have heard their cry and these words,7 and my heart reigneth over me, and I strive with the freemen, and with the prefects, and say to them, `Usury one upon another ye are exacting;` and I set against them a great assembly,8 and say to them, `We have acquired our brethren the Jews, those sold to the nations, according to the ability that [is] in us, and ye also sell your brethren, and they have been sold to us!` and they are silent, and have not found a word.9 And I say, `Not good [is] the thing that ye are doing; in the fear of our God do ye not walk, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?10 And also, I, my brethren, and my servants, are exacting of them silver and corn; let us leave off, I pray you, this usury.11 Give back, I pray you, to them, as to-day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive-yards, and their houses, and the hundredth [part] of the money, and of the corn, of the new wine, and of the oil, that ye are exacting of them.`12 And they say, `We give back, and of them we seek nothing; so we do as thou art saying.` And I call the priests, and cause them to swear to do according to this thing;13 also, my lap I have shaken, and I say, `Thus doth God shake out every man, who doth not perform this thing, from his house, and from his labour; yea, thus is he shaken out and empty;` and all the assembly say, `Amen,` and praise Jehovah; and the people do according to this thing.14 Also, from the day that he appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the thirty and second year of Artaxerxes the king -- twelve years -- I, and my brethren, the bread of the governor have not eaten:15 the former governors who [are] before me have made themselves heavy on the people, and take of them in bread and wine, besides in silver forty shekels; also, their servants have ruled over the people -- and I have not done so, because of the fear of God.16 And also, in the work of this wall I have done mightily, even a field we have not bought, and all my servants are gathered there for the work;17 and of the Jews, and of the prefects, a hundred and fifty men, and those coming in unto us of the nations that [are] round about us, [are] at my table;18 and that which hath been prepared for one day [is] one ox, six fat sheep, also fowls have been prepared for me, and once in ten days of all wines abundantly, and with this, the bread of the governor I have not sought, for heavy is the service on this people.19 Remember for me, O my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.