1[] Ητο δε μεγαλη κραυγη του λαου και των γυναικων αυτων κατα των αδελφων αυτων των Ιουδαιων.
1Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews.
2Διοτι ησαν τινες λεγοντες, Ημεις, οι υιοι ημων και αι θυγατερες ημων, ειμεθα πολλοι· οθεν ας λαβωμεν σιτον, δια να φαγωμεν και να ζησωμεν.
2For there were that said, “We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”
3Και ησαν τινες λεγοντες, Ημεις βαλλομεν ενεχυρον τους αγρους ημων, τους αμπελωνας ημων και τας οικιας ημων, δια να λαβωμεν σιτον εξ αιτιας της πεινης.
3Some also there were that said, “We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses. Let us get grain, because of the famine.”
4Ησαν ετι τινες λεγοντες, Ημεις εδανεισθημεν αργυρια δια τους φορους του βασιλεως επι τους αγρους και επι τους αμπελωνας ημων·
4There were also some who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral.
5τωρα δε η σαρξ ημων ειναι ως η σαρξ των αδελφων ημων, τα τεκνα ημων ως τα τεκνα αυτων· και ιδου, ημεις καθυποβαλλομεν εις δουλειαν τους υιους ημων και τας θυγατερας ημων δια να ηναι δουλοι, και τινες εκ των θυγατερων ημων εφερθησαν ηδη εις δουλειαν· και δεν ειναι ουδεν εις την εξουσιαν ημων, διοτι αλλοι εχουσι τους αγρους και τους αμπελωνας ημων.
5Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Behold, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. Neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards.”
6[] Και ηγανακτησα σφοδρα, ακουσας την κραυγην αυτων και τους λογους τουτους.
6I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
7Και εσκεφθην κατ' εμαυτον, και επεπληξα τους προκριτους και τους προεστωτας και ειπα προς αυτους, Σεις φορολογειτε εκαστος τον αδελφον αυτου. Και συνεκαλεσα κατ' αυτων συναξιν μεγαλην.
7Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, “You exact usury, everyone of his brother.” I held a great assembly against them.
8Και ειπα προς αυτους, Ημεις κατα την δυναμιν ημων εξηγορασαμεν τους αδελφους ημων Ιουδαιους, τους πωληθεντας εις τα εθνη· και σεις αυτοι θελετε πωλησει τους αδελφους σας; η θελουσι πωληθη εις ημας; Εκεινοι δε εσιωπων και δεν ευρηκαν αποκρισιν.
8I said to them, “We, after our ability, have redeemed our brothers the Jews that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us?” Then they held their peace, and found never a word.
9Και ειπα, Δεν ειναι καλον το πραγμα το οποιον σεις καμνετε· δεν πρεπει να περιπατητε εν τω φοβω του Θεου ημων, δια να μη ονειδιζωσιν ημας τα εθνη, οι εχθροι ημων;
9Also I said, “The thing that you do is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?
10και εγω ετι και οι αδελφοι μου και οι δουλοι μου εδανεισαμεν εις αυτους χρηματα και σιτον· ας αφησωμεν, παρακαλω, την απαιτησιν ταυτην·
10I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury.
11επιστρεψατε λοιπον εις αυτους, ταυτην την ημεραν, τους αγρους αυτων, τους αμπελωνας αυτων, τους ελαιωνας αυτων και τους οικους αυτων και το εκατοστον του αργυριου και του σιτου, του οινου και του ελαιου, το οποιον απαιτειτε παρ' αυτων.
11Please restore to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that you are charging them.”
12Τοτε ειπον, Θελομεν αποδωσει ταυτα και δεν θελομεν ζητησει ουδεν παρ' αυτων· ουτω θελομεν καμει, καθως συ λεγεις. Τοτε εκαλεσα τους ιερεις και ωρκισα αυτους, οτι θελουσι καμει κατα τον λογον τουτον.
12Then they said, “We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do, even as you say.” Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.
13Εξετιναξα ετι τον κολπον μου, λεγων, Ουτω να εκτιναξη ο Θεος παντα ανθρωπον απο του οικου αυτου και απο του κοπου αυτου, οστις δεν εκτελεση τον λογον τουτον, και ουτω να ηναι εκτετιναγμενος και κενος. Και ειπον πασα η συναξις, Αμην, και εδοξασαν τον Κυριον. Και εκαμεν ο λαος κατα τον λογον τουτον.
13Also I shook out my lap, and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that doesn’t perform this promise; even thus be he shaken out, and emptied.” All the assembly said, “Amen,” and praised Yahweh. The people did according to this promise.
14[] Αφ' ης δε ημερας προσεταχθην να ημαι κυβερνητης αυτων εν τη γη Ιουδα, απο του εικοστου ετους εως του τριακοστου δευτερου ετους Αρταξερξου του βασιλεως, δωδεκα ετη, εγω και οι αδελφοι μου δεν εφαγομεν τον αρτον του κυβερνητου.
14Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.
15Οι προτεροι ομως κυβερνηται, οι προ εμου, κατεβαρυνον τον λαον, και ελαμβανον παρ' αυτων αρτον και οινον, εκτος τεσσαρακοντα σικλων αργυριου· ετι και οι δουλοι αυτων εξουσιαζον τον λαον· αλλ' εγω δεν εκαμνον ουτω, φοβουμενος τον Θεον.
15But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, besides forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people: but I didn’t do so, because of the fear of God.
16Και μαλιστα ενισχυθην εις το εργον τουτου του τειχους, και αγρον δεν ηγορασαμεν· και παντες οι δουλοι μου ησαν συνηγμενοι εκει εις το εργον.
16Yes, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered there to the work.
17Ησαν ετι εις την τραπεζαν μου εκατον πεντηκοντα ανδρες εκ των Ιουδαιων και των προεστωτων, και οι ερχομενοι προς ημας εκ των εθνων των περιξ ημων.
17Moreover there were at my table, of the Jews and the rulers, one hundred fifty men, besides those who came to us from among the nations that were around us.
18Το δε καθ' ημεραν ετοιμαζομενον δι' εμε ητο εις βους και εξ εκλεκτα προβατα· και πτηνα ητοιμαζοντο δι' εμε, και απαξ εις δεκα ημερας αφθονια απο παντος ειδους οινου· και ομως δεν εζητησα τον αρτον του κυβερνητου· διοτι η δουλεια ητο βαρεια επι τουτον τον λαον.
18Now 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 didn’t demand the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy on this people.
19Μνησθητι μου, Θεε μου, επ' αγαθω, κατα παντα οσα εγω εκαμον υπερ του λαου τουτου.
19Remember to me, my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.