1Zvino kunyunyuta kukuru kwakamuka pakati pavanhu navakadzi vavo pamusoro pehama dzavo vaJudha.
1Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews.
2nekuti vamwe vakati, Isu navanakomana vedu tiri vazhinji; ngatipiwe zviyo, tidye, tirarame.
2For there were that said, “We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”
3Vamwezve vakati, Isu takaita minda yedu rubatso, neminda yedu yemizambiringa, nedzimba dzedu; ngatipiwe zviyo, nokuda kwenzara ino.
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.”
4Vamwezve vakati, Takakwereta mari, yokuripira nayo mutero wamambo, tikaita minda yedu rubatso, neminda yedu yemizambiringa.
4There were also some who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral.
5Kunyange zvakadaro zvino miviri yedu yakafanana nemiviri yehama dzedu, navana vedu vakafanana navana vavo; tarirai, tosunga vanakomana vedu navakunda vedu, vave varanda; vamwe vakunda vedu vatosungwa, isu hatine simba rokuzvidzivisa, nekuti minda yedu neminda yedu yemizambiringa yatova yavamwe.
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.”
6Ipapo ndakatsamwa kwazvo ndichinzwa kuchema kwavo namashoko iwayo.
6I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
7Zvino ndakarangarira mumoyo mangu, ndikaita nharo navakuru navarairi, ndikati kwavari, Imi munoreva mhindu, mumwe nomumwe pahama yake. Ipapo ndikakoka ungano huru pamusoro pavo.
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.
8Ndikati kwavari, Isu takadzikunura hama dzedu vaJudha dzakanga dzatengeswa kuvahedheni patakagona napo; zvino imwi moda kutengesa hama dzenyu, moda kuti dzitengeswe kwatiri here? Ipapo vakaramba vanyerere, vakashaiwa neshoko chose.
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.
9Ndikatiwo, Chinhu chamunoita chakaipa; ko hamufaniri kufamba muchitya Mwari wedu, kuti tirege kushorwa navavengi vedu vahedheni?
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?
10Neniwo nehama dzangu navaranda vangu, vakavapa chikwereti chemari nezviyo, tichireva mhindu. Haiwa, ngatirege mhindu iyo.
10I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury.
11Dzoserai henyu kwavari iko nhasi minda yavo, neminda yavo yemizambiringa, neminda yavo yemiorivhi, nedzimba dzavo, uye nomugove wezana wemari, nezviyo, newaini, namafuta, zvamakatora kwavari iri mhindu.
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.”
12Ipapo vakati, Tichazvidzosa, hatingarevi chinhu kwavari; sezvamunotaura, ndizvo zvatichaita. Zvino ndakadana vapristi, ndikavapikisa kuti vachaita izvozvo zvakapikirwa.
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.
13Ndikazuzawo nguvo dzangu, ndikati, Mwari ngaazuze mumwe nomumwe asingaiti izvozvo zvakapikirwa abve paimba yake napabasa rake; ngaazuzwe nokudururwa saizvozvo. Ipapo ungano yose yakati, Ameni! Vakarumbidza Jehovha. Vanhu vakaita izvozvo zvakapikirwa.
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.
14Uyezve, kubva panguva yandakaitwa mubati wavo panyika yaJudha, kubva pagore ramakumi maviri kusvikira pagore ramakumi matatu namaviri ramambo Aritashasita, iwo makore ane gumi namaviri, ini nehama dzangu hatina kudya zvokudya zvomubati.
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.
15Asi vabati vokutanga, vakanditangira, vairemedza vanhu, vachitora kwavari zvokudya newaini, uyewo mashekeri esirivha ana makumi mana; navaranda vavowo vaibata vanhu nehasha; asi ini handina kuita saizvozvo, nekuti ndakatya Mwari.
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.
16Uye, ndakarambira pabasa rorusvingo urwu, hatina kutongotenga nyika, navaranda vangu vose vakanga vakaunganawo pabasa.
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.
17Uye patafura yangu pakanga pana vaJudha navabati, varume vane zana namakumi mashanu, avo vaiuya kwatiri vachibva kuvahedheni vakanga vakatipoteredza vasingaverengwi.
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.
18Zvino zuva rimwe nerimwe kwaigadzirwa nzombe imwe, namakwai matanhatu akatsaurwa; ndaigadzirirwawo huku, uye kamwe pamazuva ane gumi waini zhinji yamarudzi ose; kunyange zvakadaro handina kukumbira zvokudya zvomubati, nekuti vanhu ava vakanga vachiremedzwa kwazvo nouranda.
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.
19Ndirangarirei, Mwari wangu, mundiitire zvakanaka nokuda kwezvose zvandakaitira rudzi urwu.
19Remember to me, my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.