1 Algum tempo depois, muitas pessoas, tanto homens como mulheres, começaram a reclamar contra os seus patrícios judeus. 2 Alguns diziam:

— As nossas famílias são grandes, e precisamos de trigo para nos alimentarmos e continuarmos vivos.

3 Outros diziam:

— Para não morrermos de fome, nós tivemos de penhorar os nossos campos, as nossas plantações de uvas e as nossas casas a fim de comprar trigo.

4 E outros, ainda, disseram:

— Tivemos de pedir dinheiro emprestado para pagar ao rei os impostos sobre os nossos campos e plantações de uvas. 5 Acontece que nós somos da mesma raça dos nossos patrícios judeus, e os nossos filhos são tão bons como os deles. No entanto, nós temos de fazer com que os nossos filhos trabalhem como escravos. Algumas das nossas filhas já foram vendidas como escravas. Não podemos fazer nada para evitar isso, pois os nossos campos e as nossas plantações de uvas foram tomados de nós.

6 Quando eu, Neemias, ouvi essas queixas, fiquei zangado 7 e resolvi fazer alguma coisa. Repreendi as autoridades do povo e os oficiais e disse:

— Vocês estão explorando os seus irmãos!

Depois de pensar nisso, eu reuni todo o povo a fim de tratar desse problema 8 e disse:

— De acordo com as nossas posses, nós temos comprado dos estrangeiros os nossos patrícios judeus que tiveram de se vender a eles como escravos. E agora vocês, que são judeus, estão forçando os seus próprios patrícios a se venderem a vocês!

As autoridades ficaram caladas e não acharam nada para responder.

9 Então eu disse:

— O que vocês estão fazendo é errado! Vocês deviam temer a Deus e fazer o que é direito, em vez de dar aos nossos inimigos, os não judeus, razão para caçoar de nós. 10 Eu, e os meus companheiros, e os homens que trabalham para mim temos emprestado dinheiro e trigo ao povo. E agora vamos perdoar essa dívida. 11 Portanto, vocês também, perdoem todas as dívidas deles — dinheiro, vinho ou azeite. E devolvam agora mesmo os seus campos, as suas plantações de uvas e de oliveiras e as suas casas!

12 As autoridades responderam:

— Está bem. Nós vamos fazer o que você está dizendo. Vamos devolver as propriedades e não vamos cobrar as dívidas.

Então eu chamei os sacerdotes e fiz as autoridades jurarem que cumpririam essa promessa. 13 Depois tirei a faixa que usava na cintura e a sacudi. E disse:

— É assim que Deus vai sacudir qualquer um de vocês que não cumprir a sua promessa. Deus tirará dele a sua casa e tudo o que ele tem e o deixará sem nada.

E todos os que estavam ali disseram:

— Amém! Que assim seja!

Aí louvaram a Deus, o Senhor. E cumpriram a promessa que haviam feito.

14 Durante os doze anos em que fui governador da terra de Judá, desde o ano vinte do reinado de Artaxerxes até o ano trinta e dois, nem eu nem os meus parentes comemos a comida a que eu tinha direito como governador. 15 Antes de mim, os governadores tinham sido uma carga para o povo e haviam exigido que o povo pagasse quarenta barras de prata por dia a fim de comprar comida e vinho. Até os seus empregados exploravam o povo. Mas eu agi de modo diferente porque temia a Deus. 16 Trabalhei com todas as minhas forças na reconstrução da muralha e não comprei nenhuma propriedade. E todos os meus empregados ajudaram na reconstrução. 17 Também hospedei na minha casa cento e cinquenta judeus e os seus chefes, além de todas as pessoas das nações vizinhas que vinham à minha casa. 18 Todos os dias eu mandava preparar um boi, seis ovelhas das melhores e muitas galinhas. E cada dez dias eu mandava vir uma nova remessa de vinho. Mas eu sabia que o povo tinha de trabalhar no pesado; por isso, não pedi o dinheiro da comida a que eu, como governador, tinha direito.

19 "Ó Deus, eu te peço que leves em conta tudo o que fiz por este povo."

1 [Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, March 1829, at the request of Martin Harris. HC 1: 28-31.] BEHOLD, I say unto you, that as my servant Martin Harris has desired a witness at my hand, that you, my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., have got the plates of which you have testified and borne record that you have received of me;2 And now, behold, this shall you say unto him-he who spake unto you, said unto you: I, the Lord, am God, and have given these things unto you, my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and have commanded you that you should stand as a witness of these things;3 And I have caused you that you should enter into a covenant with me, that you should not show them except to those persons to whom I commanded you; and you have no power over them except I grant it unto you.4 And you have a gift to translate the plates; and this is the first gift that I bestowed upon you; and I have commanded that you should pretend to no other gift until my purpose is fulfilled in this; for I will grant unto you no other gift until it is finished.5 Verily, I say unto you, that woe shall come unto the inhabitants of the earth if they will not hearken unto my words;6 For hereafter you shall be ordained and go forth and deliver my words unto the children of men.7 Behold, if they will not believe my words, they would not believe you, my servant Joseph, if it were possible that you should show them all these things which I have committed unto you.8 Oh, this unbelieving and stiffnecked generation-mine anger is kindled against them.9 Behold, verily I say unto you, I have reserved those things which I have entrusted unto you, my servant Joseph, for a wise purpose in me, and it shall be made known unto future generations;10 But this generation shall have my word through you;11 And in addition to your testimony, the testimony of three of my servants, whom I shall call and ordain, unto whom I will show these things, and they shall go forth with my words that are given through you.12 Yea, they shall know of a surety that these things are true, for from heaven will I declare it unto them.13 I will give them power that they may behold and view these things as they are;14 And to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same testimony among this generation, in this the beginning of the rising up and the coming forth of my church out of the wilderness-clear as the moon, and fair as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.15 And the testimony of three witnesses will I send forth of my word.16 And behold, whosoever believeth on my words, them will I visit with the manifestation of my Spirit; and they shall be born of me, even of water and of the Spirit-17 And you must wait yet a little while, for ye are not yet ordained-18 And their testimony shall also go forth unto the condemnation of this generation if they harden their hearts against them;19 For a desolating scourge shall go forth among the inhabitants of the earth, and shall continue to be poured out from time to time, if they repent not, until the earth is empty, and the inhabitants thereof are consumed away and utterly destroyed by the brightness of my coming.20 Behold, I tell you these things, even as I also told the people of the destruction of Jerusalem; and my word shall be verified at this time as it hath hitherto been verified.21 And now I command you, my servant Joseph, to repent and walk more uprightly before me, and to yield to the persuasions of men no more;22 And that you be firm in keeping the commandments wherewith I have commanded you; and if you do this, behold I grant unto you eternal life, even if you should be slain.23 And now, again, I speak unto you, my servant Joseph, concerning the man that desires the witness-24 Behold, I say unto him, he exalts himself and does not humble himself sufficiently before me; but if he will bow down before me, and humble himself in mighty prayer and faith, in the sincerity of his heart, then will I grant unto him a view of the things which he desires to see.25 And then he shall say unto the people of this generation: Behold, I have seen the things which the Lord hath shown unto Joseph Smith, Jun., and I know of a surety that they are true, for I have seen them, for they have been shown unto me by the power of God and not of man.26 And I the Lord command him, my servant Martin Harris, that he shall say no more unto them concerning these things, except he shall say: I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God; and these are the words which he shall say.27 But if he deny this he will break the covenant which he has before covenanted with me, and behold, he is condemned.28 And now, except he humble himself and acknowledge unto me the things that he has done which are wrong, and covenant with me that he will keep my commandments, and exercise faith in me, behold, I say unto him, he shall have no such views, for I will grant unto him no views of the things of which I have spoken.29 And if this be the case, I command you, my servant Joseph, that you shall say unto him, that he shall do no more, nor trouble me any more concerning this matter.30 And if this be the case, behold, I say unto thee Joseph, when thou hast translated a few more pages thou shalt stop for a season, even until I command thee again; then thou mayest translate again.31 And except thou do this, behold, thou shalt have no more gift, and I will take away the things which I have entrusted with thee.32 And now, because I foresee the lying in wait to destroy thee, yea, I foresee that if my servant Martin Harris humbleth not himself and receive a witness from my hand, that he will fall into transgression;33 And there are many that lie in wait to destroy thee from off the face of the earth; and for this cause, that thy days may be prolonged, I have given unto thee these commandments.34 Yea, for this cause I have said: Stop, and stand still until I command thee, and I will provide means whereby thou mayest accomplish the thing which I have commanded thee.35 And if thou art faithful in keeping my commandments, thou shalt be lifted up at the last day. Amen.