About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.
- Some were saying , “ We (and) our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive. ”
- Others were saying , “ We are mortgaging our fields , our vineyards , and our homes to get grain during the famine. ”
- Still others were saying , “ We have borrowed money (to pay) the king’s tax (on) our fields and vineyards.
- - We and our children are just like our countrymen ... and their children , ... yet we are subjecting - our sons - and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved , but we are powerless (to redeem them) ... ... because our fields and vineyards belong to others. ”
When I heard - their outcry - and these complaints , I became extremely angry ,
and after serious thought I rebuked - the nobles ... and officials , saying “ vvv You are exacting usury from your own brothers ! ” So I called a large assembly against them
and said “ We have done our best - to buy back - our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners , but now you are selling - your own brothers , that they may be sold back But they remained silent , for they could find nothing to say.
So I continued , “ What you are doing is not right. ... Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our foreign enemies ?
I , as well as my brothers and my servants , have been lending money and grain. Please , - let us stop this usury.
Please restore immediately their fields , vineyards , olive groves , and houses , along with the percentage of the money , grain , new wine , and oil that you have been assessing
“ We will restore (it) , ” they replied , “ and will require ... nothing We will do as you say. ” So I summoned - the priests and required (of the nobles and officials) an oath that they would do what they had promised ....
I also shook out the folds of my robe and said , “ May God - likewise shake out of His house and possession ... every man who does not keep - this promise. May (such a man) be shaken out and have nothing ! ” The whole assembly said , “ Amen , ” and they praised - the LORD. And the people did as they had promised. ...
Furthermore , from the day - King Artaxerxes appointed me - to be their governor in the land of Judah , from his twentieth year until his thirty-second ... year ( twelve ... years total ), neither I nor my brothers ... ate the food allotted to the governor.
The governors ... - before me had heavily burdened ... the people , taking bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed ... the people , but I did not do this because of my fear of God.
Instead , I devoted myself to the construction of the wall , and all my servants were gathered there for the work ; we did not acquire any land.
There were 150 ... ... Jews and officials - at my table , besides the guests ... from the surrounding nations.
- - Each day one ox , six choice sheep , and some fowl were prepared and once every ten days an abundance ... of all kinds of wine (was provided). But I did not demand the food allotted to the governor , because the burden on the people ... was so heavy.
Remember favorably , O my God , for all that I have done for this people.