Textorah

Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

And the cry of the people and their wives [was] great against their brethren the Jews.

For there were that said: 'We, our sons and our daughters, are many; let us get for them corn, that we may eat and live.'

And some said, We [are] numerous with our sons and our daughters; so we will take corn, and eat, and live.

Some also there were that said: 'We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses; let us get corn, because of the dearth.'

And some said, [As to] our fields and vineyards and houses, let us pledge [them], and we will take corn, and eat.

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

And some said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tributes—our fields, and our vineyards, and houses [are pledged].

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 into bondage already; neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards.'

And now our flesh [is] as the flesh of our brethren, our children [are] as their children: yet, behold, we are reducing our sons and our daughters to slavery, and some of our daughters are enslaved: and there is no power of our hands, for our fields and our vineyards [belong] to the nobles.

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

And I was much grieved as I heard their cry and these words.

Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said unto them: 'Ye lend upon pledge, every one to his brother.' And I held a great assembly against them.

And my heart took counsel within me, and I contended against the nobles, and the princes, and I said to them, Should every man demand of his brother what ye demand? And I appointed against them a great assembly,

And I said unto them: 'We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, that sold themselves unto the heathen; and would ye nevertheless sell your brethren, and should they sell themselves unto us?' Then held they their peace, and found never a word.

and I said to them, We of our free will have redeemed our brethren the Jews that were sold to the Gentiles; and do ye sell your brethren? and shall they be delivered to us? And they were silent, and found no answer.

Also I said: 'The thing that ye do is not good; ought ye not to walk in the fear of our G-d, because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?

And I said, The thing which ye do [is] not good; ye will not so walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the Gentiles our enemies.

And I likewise, my brethren and my servants, have lent them money and corn. I pray you, let us leave off this exaction.

Both my brethren, and my acquaintances, and I, have lent them money and corn: let us now leave off this exaction.

Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundred pieces of silver, and the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.'

Restore to them, I pray, as at this day, their fields, and their vineyards, and their olive yards, and their houses, and bring forth to them corn and wine and oil of the money.

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

And they said, We will restore, and we will not exact of them; we will do thus as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and bound them by oath to do according to this word.

Also I shook out my lap, and said: 'So G-d 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 HaShem. And the people did according to this promise.

And I shook out my garment, and said, So may God shake out every man who shall not keep to this word, from his house, and from his labors, he shall be even thus shaken out, as an outcast and empty. And all the congregation said, Amen, and they praised the Lord: and the people did this thing.

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.

From the day that he charged me to be their ruler in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, twelve years, I and my brethren ate not [provision] extorted from them.

But the former governors that were before me laid burdens upon the people, and took of them for bread and wine above forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants lorded over the people; but so did not I, because of the fear of G-d.

But as for the former acts of extortion wherein [those who were] before me oppressed them, they even took of them their last money, forty didrachmas for bread and wine; and the [very] outcasts of them exercised authority over the people: but I did not so, because of the fear of God.

Yea, also I set hand to the work of this wall, neither bought we any land; and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.

Also in the work of the wall I treated them not with rigor, I bought not land: and all that were gathered together [came] thither to the work.

Moreover there were at my table of the Jews and the rulers a hundred and fifty men, beside those that came unto us from among the nations that were round about us.

And the Jews, to [the number of] a hundred and fifty men, besides those coming to us from the nations round about, [were] at my table.

Now that which was prepared for one day 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 I demanded not the bread of the governor, because the service was heavy upon this people.

And there came [to me] for one day one calf, and I had six choice sheep and a goat; and every ten days wine in abundance of all sorts: yet with these I required not the bread of extortion, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

Remember unto me, O my G-d, for good, all that I have done for this people.

Remember me, O God, for good, [in] all that I have done to this people.