1 ¶ Then there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren, the Jews.

Now there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brethren.

2 F or there were some that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many; therefore we have bought grain that we may eat and live.

For some said, We, our sons and daughters, are many; therefore allow us to take grain, that we may eat and live! If we are not given grain, let us take it!

3 T here were also some that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy grain because of the famine.

Also some said, We are mortgaging our lands, vineyards, and houses to buy grain because of the scarcity.

4 A nd there were some that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

Others said, We have borrowed money on our fields and vineyards to pay the king’s heavy tax.

5 Y et now, given that the flesh of our brethren is as our flesh and their sons as our sons, behold, we subject our sons and our daughters to slavery, and there are some of our daughters in bondage already; neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

Although our flesh is the same as that of our brethren and our children are as theirs, yet we are forced to sell our children as slaves; some of our daughters have already been thus sold, and we are powerless to redeem them, for others have our lands and vineyards.

6 ¶ And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.

I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.

7 T hen I meditated unto myself, and I rebuked the principals and the rulers and said unto them, Does each one of you exact usury of his brother? And I set a great assembly against them.

I thought it over and then rebuked the nobles and officials. I told them, You are exacting interest from your own kinsmen. And I held a great assembly against them.

8 A nd I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren, the Jews who had been sold unto the Gentiles; and will ye even sell your brethren? And shall they be sold unto us? Then they remained silent, for they had nothing to answer.

I said to them, We, according to our ability, have bought back our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations; but will you even sell your brethren, that they may be sold to us? Then they were silent and found not a word to say.

9 A lso I said, What you do is not good, do you not walk in the fear of our God, that ye not be the reproach of our enemies the Gentiles?

Also I said, What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts and reproach of the nations, our enemies?

10 I , likewise, and my brethren and my servants, have lent them money and grain; let us now release them from this burden.

I, my brethren, and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us stop this forbidden interest!

11 R estore, I pray you, to them, today, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, and even the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.

Return this very day to them their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses, and also a hundredth of all the money, grain, new wine, and oil that you have exacted from them.

12 T hen they said, We will return it and will require nothing of them; so we will do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests and caused them to sware that they should do according to this promise.

Then they said, We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say. Then I called the priests and took an oath of the lenders that they would do according to this promise.

13 A lso I shook my lap and said, Thus will God shake out each man from his house and from his labour, that does not perform this promise, even thus shall he be shaken out and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.

I shook out my lap and said, So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise! So may he be shaken out and emptied. And all the assembly said, Amen, and praised the Lord. And the people did according to this promise.

14 ¶ Moreover, from the day that I was appointed by the king to be their captain in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the captain.

Also, in the twelve years after I was appointed to be their governor in Judah, from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, neither I nor my kin ate the food allowed to the governor.

15 B ut the former captains that had been before me had charged the people and had taken of them for bread and wine, upon forty shekels of silver; and in addition to this their servants bore rule over the people; but I did not do so because of the fear of God.

But the former governors lived at the expense of the people and took from them food and wine, besides forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants assumed authority over the people. But I did not so because of my fear of God.

16 I n addition to this, I restored my part in the work of this wall, neither did we buy any inheritance; and all my servants were gathered together unto the work.

I also held fast to the work on this wall; and we bought no land. And all my servants were gathered there for the work.

17 I also had at my table one hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, besides those that came unto us from among the Gentiles that are around us.

And there were at my table 150 Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations about us.

18 N ow that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and every ten days wine in all abundance; yet with all this I did not require the bread of the captain because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

Now these were prepared for each day: one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days a store of all sorts of wine. Yet for all this, I did not demand the food allowed me as governor, for the bondage was heavy upon this people.

19 R emember me, my God, for good and all that I have done for this people.

O my God, remember me for good for all I have done for this people.