1 K atahi ka nui atu te karanga a te iwi, ratou ko a ratou wahine, he whakahe mo o ratou tuakana, teina, mo nga Hurai.

And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

2 I reira hoki etahi e mea ana, Ko matou, ko a matou tama, me a matou tamahine, he tokomaha; tatou ki te hoko witi, kia kai ai tatou, kia ora ai.

For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.

3 I reira hoki etahi e ki ana, Kua waiho o matou whenua, a matou mara waina, o matou whare hei taunaha; tatou ki te hoko witi mo te matekai.

Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.

4 M e etahi hoki e ki ana, Kua riro mai he moni tarewa i a matou hei takoha me te kingi; ko o matou whenua, ko a matou mara waina te tarewatanga.

There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

5 N a rite tonu o matou kikokiko ki nga kikokiko o o matou tuakana; rite tonu a matou tamariki ki a ratou tamariki: nana, e whakaponongatia ana e matou a matou tama me a matou tamahine, hei pononga, kua oti ano etahi o a matou tamahine te mea hei po nonga, kahore hoki a matou mea hei whakahoki mai; no te mea kei nga tangata ke o matou whenua, a matou mara waina.

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

6 N a nui atu toku riri i toku rongonga i ta ratou karanga, i enei kupu.

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

7 K atahi ka whakaaroaroa e toku ngakau i roto i ahau, a ka totohe ahau ki nga rangatira me nga tangata rarahi; i ki atu hoki ahau ki a ratou, E tangohia ana e koutou he moni whakatupu i tona teina, i tona teina. Na tu ana i ahau he hui nui hei whak ahe mo ratou.

Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.

8 I mea ano ahau ki a ratou, Kua poto ta matou hei whakahoki mai i o tatou teina, i nga Hurai, kua oti nei te hoko ki nga tauiwi, a ka hokona atu ano ranei e koutou o koutou tuakana, teina? ka hokona ranei ratou ki a tatou? Katahi ka whakarongo kau ratou, kihai hoki i kitea he kupu ma ratou.

And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.

9 I mea ano ahau, Ehara tena i te mea pai e mea na koutou; kaua ianei koutou e haere i runga i te wehi ki to tatou Atua? kaua ranei e whakaaro ki te tawai mai a o tatou hoariri, a nga tauiwi?

Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?

10 N a, ko ahau, ko oku teina, me aku tangata, e tuku ana he moni, he witi ki a ratou mo te moni whakatupu. Tena ra, kia whakarerea atu e tatou tenei mahi tango i te moni whakatupu.

I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

11 T ena, whakahokia atu ki a ratou i tenei ra nei ano o ratou whenua, a ratou mara waina, mara oriwa, me o ratou whare me te wahi whakarau o te moni, o te witi, o te waina, o te hinu, e tangohia nei e koutou i a ratou.

Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.

12 K atahi ratou ka ki mai, Me whakahoki atu e matou, e kore ano e tonoa e matou he mea i a ratou: ka rite ta matou e mea ai ki tau i ki mai na. Katahi ka karangatia e ahau nga tohunga, a ka meinga e ahau kia oati, mo tenei kupu kia mahia.

Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.

13 I ruperupea ano e ahau te uma o toku, me taku ki ano, Ko te tangata e kore e whakamana i tenei kupu, kia penei ta Ihowa ruperupe i a ia i roto i tona whare, i tana mahi; kia rite ano ia ki tenei te ruperupe, te takoto kau. A ka ki mai te huihui katoa, Amine; ka whakamoemiti ano ratou ki a Ihowa. Na pera tonu te mahi a te iwi.

Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord. And the people did according to this promise.

14 N o te ra ano i kiia ai ahau hei kawana mo ratou ki te whenua o Hura, no te rua tekau o nga tau, a tae noa ki te toru tekau ma rua o nga tau o Kingi Arataherehe, ara kotahi tekau ma rua tau, kahore ahau, oku teina ranei, i kai i te taro kawana.

Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.

15 O tiia ko nga kawana o mua, ko era i mua i ahau, he taimaha ta ratou ki te iwi: i tangohia hoki e ratou he taro, he waina, i a ratou, me etahi hekere hiriwa e wha tekau; ae ra, i whakatupu rangatira ano a ratou tangata ki te iwi: kihai ia ahau i pera, i wehi hoki ki te Atua.

But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.

16 I uaua tonu ano ahau ki te mahi i tenei taiepa, kihai hoki matou i hoko whenua mo matou; i huihuia atu ano hoki aku tangata katoa ki reira ki te mahi.

Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.

17 N a, kotahi rau e rima tekau i taku tepu, no nga Hurai, no nga rangatira, haunga era atu i haere mai nei ki a matou i roto i nga iwi i tetahi taha o matou, i tetahi taha.

Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.

18 N a, ko nga mea i taka maku i te ra kotahi, kotahi puru, e ono hipi, he mea pai; i taka ano etahi manu naku, a, kotahi i roto i nga ra kotahi tekau, ko nga tu waina katoa, tona nui; na ahakoa ko tenei katoa kihai ahau i mea ki te taro kawana, no te mea he taimaha rawa te hereherenga o tenei iwi.

Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

19 K ia mahara mai ki ahau, e toku Atua, mo te pai, kia rite ki aku mea katoa i mea ai ahau ki tenei iwi.

Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.