1 A nd there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brethren.

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

2 F or there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”

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

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

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

4 T here were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards.

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

5 Y et now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards.”

Yet 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.

6 A nd I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words.

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

7 A fter serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, “Each of you is exacting usury from his brother.” So I called a great assembly against them.

Then 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.

8 A nd I said to them, “According to our ability we have redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?” Then they were silenced and found nothing to say.

And 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.

9 T hen I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?

Also 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?

10 I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury!

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

11 R estore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them.”

Restore, 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.

12 S o they said, “We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we will do as you say.” Then I called the priests, and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise.

Then 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.

13 T hen I shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord. Then the people did according to this promise. The Generosity of Nehemiah

Also 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.

14 M oreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s provisions.

¶ 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.

15 B ut the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.

But 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.

16 I ndeed, I also continued the work on this wall, and we did not buy any land. All my servants were gathered there for the work.

In 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.

17 A nd at my table were one hundred and fifty Jews and rulers, besides those who came to us from the nations around us.

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.

18 N ow that which was prepared daily was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine. Yet in spite of this I did not demand the governor’s provisions, because the bondage was heavy on this people.

Now 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.

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

Remember me, my God, for good and all that I have done for this people.