¹And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

¹窮人的呼喊那時，民眾和他們的妻子大聲呼冤，控告自己的同胞猶大人。

²For 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.

²有些人說：“我們和兒女人口眾多，給我們五穀餬口，可以存活。”

³Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.

³有些人說：“我們抵押了自己的田地、葡萄園和房屋，為要在饑荒中買到五穀。”

⁴There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

⁴有些人說：“我們為了要借錢向王納稅，只好抵押了我們的田地和葡萄園。

⁵Yet 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.

⁵雖然我們的身體與我們同胞的身體一樣，我們的兒女與他們的兒女也相同，可是我們卻要強迫自己的兒女去作僕婢，而且我們的女兒有些已經作了奴婢，我們卻無能為力，因為我們的田地和葡萄園已經屬於別人了。”

⁶And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.

⁶尼希米怒斥官長與領袖我聽見他們的哀叫和所講的這些事，就十分忿怒。

⁷Then 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.

⁷我心中籌算一番以後，就譴責貴族和官長，對他們說：“你們各人向自己的同胞貸款，竟然索取高利！”於是我召開大會攻擊他們。

⁸And 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.

⁸我對他們說：“我們已盡了我們的能力，把那些賣了給外族人的同胞猶大人買贖回來，而你們還想要出賣你們的同胞，好讓我們再把他們買回來嗎？”他們都默不作聲，無話可說。

⁹Also 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?

⁹我又說：“你們這事作得不對。你們豈不應懷著敬畏我們　神的心行事為人，免遭我們的仇敵外族人的毀謗嗎？

¹⁰I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

¹⁰現在我和我的兄弟，以及我的僕人要把銀錢和五穀借給他們。讓我們大家都放棄放債取利吧！

¹¹Restore, 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.

¹¹請你們今天就把他們的田地、葡萄園、橄欖園、房屋，以及你們向他們索取的利息：百分之一的利錢、五穀、新酒和新油，都歸還給他們。”

¹²Then 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.

¹²他們就說：“我們必定歸還，不再向他們要求利息了，你怎麼說，我們願意照著你說的去行。”我就把祭司們召了來，叫眾人起誓必照著這話去行。

¹³Also 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.

¹³我抖著胸前的衣襟說：“不履行這話的，願　神也是這樣抖他離開他的家和產業，直到抖空。”全體會眾都說：“阿們！”又讚美耶和華。眾人都照著這話去行。

¹⁴Moreover 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.

¹⁴尼希米清廉樸實自從我奉命在猶大地作他們省長的日子以來，就是從亞達薛西王二十年，直到三十二年，共十二年，我和我的兄弟都沒有吃過省長的俸祿。

¹⁵But 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.

¹⁵在我們以先的前任省長，重壓人民，每日都向他們索取糧食和酒，以及四百五十六克銀子。連他們的僕人也轄制人民，但我因為敬畏　神，就不這樣行。

¹⁶Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.

¹⁶我堅持只重修城牆的工程；所以我們不購置田產，我所有的僕人也都聚集在那裡工作。

¹⁷Moreover 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.

¹⁷在我桌上吃飯的，有一百五十個猶大人和官長，還有那些從我們四圍外族來到我們這裡的人；

¹⁸Now 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.

¹⁸每天預備牛一頭、肥羊六隻，又為我預備一些飛禽；每十天供應大量各類的酒。雖然這樣，我仍然沒有索取省長的俸祿，因為這些人服役已經負擔沉重。

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

¹⁹“我的　神啊，求你記念我，記念我為這人民所作的一切事，施恩給我。”