尼希米記
CH. 5
1
百姓和他們的妻大大呼號、埋怨他們的弟兄猶大人。

Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their Jewish brothers.
2
有的說、我們和兒女人口眾多.要去得糧食度命。

Some were saying, "We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain."
3
有的說、我們典了田地、葡萄園、房屋.要得糧食充飢.

Others were saying, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine."
4
有的說、我們已經指著田地、葡萄園、借了錢、給王納稅。

Still others were saying, "We have had to borrow money to pay the king's tax on our fields and vineyards.
5
我們的身體、與我們弟兄的身體一樣、我們的兒女與他們的兒女一般.現在我們將要使兒女作人的僕婢、我們的女兒已有為婢的.我們並無力拯救.因為我們的田地、葡萄園、已經歸了別人。

Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our countrymen and though our sons are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others."
6
我聽見他們呼號、說這些話、便甚發怒。

When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry.
7
我心裡籌畫、就斥責貴冑、和官長、說、你們各人向弟兄取利。於是我招聚大會攻擊他們。

I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, "You are exacting usury from your own countrymen!" So I called together a large meeting to deal with them
8
我對他們說、我們盡力贖回我們弟兄、就是賣與外邦的猶大人、你們還要賣弟兄、使我們贖回來麼。他們就靜默不語、無話可答。

and said: "As far as possible, we have bought back our Jewish brothers who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your brothers, only for them to be sold back to us!" They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.
9
我又說、你們所行的不善.你們行事不當敬畏我們的 神麼.不然、難免我們的仇敵外邦人毀謗我們。

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 Gentile enemies?
10
我和我的弟兄、與僕人、也將銀錢糧食借給百姓.我們大家都當免去利息。

I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let the exacting of usury stop!
11
如今我勸你們將他們的田地、葡萄園、橄欖園、房屋、並向他們所取的銀錢、糧食、新酒、和油、百分之一的利息都歸還他們。

Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the usury you are charging them--the hundredth part of the money, grain, new wine and oil."
12
眾人說、我們必歸還、不再向他們索要、必照你的話行.我就召了祭司來、叫眾人起誓、必照著所應許的而行。

"We will give it back," they said. "And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say." Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised.
13
我也抖著胸前的衣襟說、凡不成就這應許的、願 神照樣抖他離開家產和他勞碌得來的、直到抖空了。會眾都說、阿們、又讚美耶和華。百姓就照著所應許的去行。

I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, "In this way may God shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. So may such a man be shaken out and emptied!" At this the whole assembly said, "Amen," and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.
14
自從我奉派作猶大地的省長、就是從亞達薛西王二十年、直到三十二年、共十二年之久、我與我弟兄都沒有喫省長的俸祿。

Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year--twelve years--neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.
15
在我以前的省長、加重百姓的擔子、每日索要糧食和酒、並銀子四十舍客勒、就是他們的僕人也轄制百姓.但我因敬畏 神、不這樣行。

But the earlier governors--those preceding me--placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that.
16
並且我恆心修造城牆、並沒有置買田地.我的僕人也都聚集在那裡作工。

Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land.
17
除了從四圍外邦中來的猶大人以外、有猶大平民和官長、一百五十人在我席上喫飯。

Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations.
18
每日豫備一隻公牛、六隻肥羊.又豫備些飛禽、每十日一次、多豫備各樣的酒.雖然如此、我並不要省長的俸祿.因為百姓服役甚重。

Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.
19
我的 神阿、求你記念我為這百姓所行的一切事、施恩與我。

Remember me with favor, O my God, for all I have done for these people.