Nehemiah 5

1 About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.

1 那时，民众和他们的妻子都抱怨他们的犹太同胞。

2 Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”

2 有的说：“我们和儿女人口众多，需要粮食来活命。”

3 Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.”

3 有的说：“因为饥荒的缘故，我们要将田地、葡萄园和房屋作抵押来获取粮食。”

4 Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.

4 有的说：“我们要借钱才能缴纳王对我们的田地和葡萄园征收的税。

5 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.”

5 我们和他们是同胞，我们的孩子就像他们的孩子。但现在我们的儿女要被迫成为仆婢，甚至我们的女儿有些已经沦为奴婢。我们却无能为力，因为我们的田地和葡萄园已经归别人了。”

6 When I heard their outcry and these complaints, I became extremely angry,

6 听到他们的怨声载道后，我非常愤怒。

7 and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” So I called a large assembly against them

7 经过深思熟虑后，我便斥责贵族和官员，说：“你们竟然向同胞放高利贷！”于是我召开大会处理他们的问题。

8 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 to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say.

8 我对他们说：“我们在尽力赎回那些被卖到外邦的犹太同胞，你们却要卖他们为奴，好让我们再赎回他们吗？”他们都沉默不语，无言以对。

9 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?

9 我继续说：“你们的所作所为实在不对。难道你们不应该敬畏上帝，以免我们的仇敌凌辱我们吗？

10 I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending the people money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury.

10 我和我的兄弟及仆人都借钱、借粮给民众，现在我们要停止收取利息。

11 Please restore to them 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 them.”

11 你们今天就要归还他们的田地、葡萄园、橄榄园和房屋，以及你们向他们所收的五谷、新酒和油的利息。”

12 “We will restore it,” they replied, “and will require nothing more from them. 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.

12 他们说：“我们会照你的话去做，把东西还给他们，不再向他们索债。”于是，我召来祭司，让这些人起誓遵守自己的诺言。

13 I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake out of his house and possessions 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.

13 我抖着衣服说：“如果你们不守誓言，愿上帝也这样抖掉你们的家园和你们劳碌得来的，使你们一无所有。”全体会众都说：“阿们！”他们赞美耶和华，民众都遵照誓言去行。

14 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.

14 从亚达薛西王二十年至三十二年，也就是我奉派为犹大省长的十二年间，我和我的弟兄都没有吃省长的俸禄。

15 The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them 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.

15 在我之前的省长使民众负担沉重，天天索取食物、酒及十两银子。他们的仆人也欺压民众，但我因敬畏上帝就没有这样做。

16 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.

16 我全心修筑城墙，没有购置田产，我的仆人也都参与修建城墙的工作。

17 There were 150 Jews and officials at my table, besides the guests from the surrounding nations.

17 除了从周围外邦来到我们这里的人之外，还有一百五十名犹太人和官员与我一同吃饭。

18 Each day one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me, 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.

18 我每天需要预备一头公牛、六只肥羊和飞禽；每十天还要大量供应各样酒品。即使这样，我仍然没有吃省长的俸禄，因为民众已经负担沉重。

19 Remember me favorably, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.

19 我的上帝啊，求你记念我为这些民众所做的一切，施恩于我。