1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
2 And there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many, and we must procure corn that we may eat and live.
3 And there were that said, We have had to pledge our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses, that we might procure corn in the dearth.
4 And there were that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute upon our fields and vineyards;
5 yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and behold, we must 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 the power of our hand {to redeem them}, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.
6 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
7 And I consulted with myself; and I remonstrated with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother! And I set a great assembly against them.
8 And I said to them, We, according to our ability, have redeemed our brethren the Jews, who were sold to the nations; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? And they were silent and found no answer.
9 And I said, The thing that ye do is not good. Ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, so as not to be the reproach of the nations our enemies?
10 I also, my brethren and my servants, we might exact usury of them, money and corn. I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
11 Restore, I pray you, to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive-gardens, and their houses, also the hundredth {part} of the money, and of the corn, the wine and the oil, that ye have exacted of them.
12 And they said, We will restore {them}, and will require nothing of them; so will we do, as thou hast said. And 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 earnings, that performeth not this promise: even thus be he shaken out and emptied! And all the congregation said, Amen! And they praised Jehovah. 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 thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
15 But the former governors that were before me had been chargeable to the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver: even their servants bore rule over the people. But I did not so, because of the fear of God.
16 Yea, also I applied myself to this work of the wall, and we bought no fields; and all my servants were gathered thither for the work.
17 And there were at my table a hundred and fifty of the Jews and the rulers, besides those that came to us from among the nations that were about us.
18 And that which was prepared daily was one ox {and} six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days all sorts of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I demanded not the bread of the governor; for the service was heavy upon this people.
19 Remember for me, my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.
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。"