1 And there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
1 Now there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
2 And there were that said: Our sons and daughters are very many: let us take corn for the price of them, and let us eat, & live.
2 And there were some that said: Our sons and our daughters are very many: let us take up corn for the price of them, and let us eat and live.
3 And there were that said: Let us pledge our fields, & vineyards, and our houses, and let us take corn in famine.
3 And there were some that said: Let us mortgage our lands, and our vineyards, and our houses, and let us take corn because of the famine.
4 And others said: Let us borrow money for the king's tributes, and let us give our fields and vineyards,
4 And others said: Let us borrow money for the king’s tribute, and let us give up our fields and vineyards:
5 and now as the flesh of our brethren, so is our flesh: and as their children so also our children. Behold we subdue our sons, and our daughters into bondage, and our daughters there are bond women, neither have we wherewith they may be redeemed, and our fields and our vineyards other men do possess.
5 And now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren: and our children as their children. Behold we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters, and some of our daughters are bondwomen already, neither have we wherewith to redeem them, and our fields and our vineyards other men possess.
6 And I was exceeding angry, when I had heard their cry according to these words.
6 And I was exceedingly angry when I heard their cry according to these words.
7 And my heart thought with myself: and I rebuked the Princes and magistrates, and said to them: Do you every one exact usuries of your brethren? And I gathered against them a great assembly.
7 And my heart thought with myself: and I rebuked the nobles and magistrates, and said to them: Do you everyone exact usury of your brethren? And I gathered together a great assembly against them,
8 and I said to them: We as you know, have redeemed our brethren the Jews, that were sold to the gentiles, according to our ability: & will you therefore sell your brethren, and shall we redeem them? And they held their peace, neither did they find what to answer.
8 And I said to them: We, as you know, have redeemed according to our ability our brethren the Jews, that were sold to the Gentiles: and will you then sell your brethren, for us to redeem them? And they held their peace, and found not what to answer.
9 And I said to them: The thing is not good, which you do: why walk you not in the fear of our God, lest we be upbraided with all the gentiles our enemies?
9 And I said to them: The thing you do is not good: why walk you not in the fear of our God, that we be not exposed to the reproaches of the Gentiles our enemies?
10 I also & my brethren, and my servants, have lent money and corn to very many: let us not ask this again in common, let us remit them the debt, that is due to us.
10 Both I and my brethren, and my servants, have lent money and corn to many: let us all agree not to call for it again; let us forgive the debt that is owing to us.
11 Restore ye to them their fields this day, and their vineyards, & their olivets, and their houses: yea the hundreth part also of money, corn, wine, and oil, which you were wont to exact of them, give it rather for them.
11 Restore ye to them this day their fields, and their vineyards, and their oliveyards, and their houses: and the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, which you were wont to exact of them, give it rather for them.
12 And they said: We will restore, and we will seek nothing of them: and we will do so as thou speakest. And I called the Priests, and adjured them to do according to that which I had said.
12 And they said: We will restore, and we will require nothing of them: and we will do as thou sayest. And I called the priests and took an oath of them, to do according to what I had said.
13 Moreover I shook my bosom, and said: God so shake every man, that shall not accomplish this word, out of his house, and out of his labours, so be he shaken out, and made empty. And all the multitude said: Amen. And they praised God. And the people did as it was said.
13 Moreover I shook my lap, and said: So may God shake every man that shall not accomplish this word, out of his house, and out of his labors, thus may he be shaken out, and become empty. And all the multitude said: Amen. And they praised God. And the people did according to what was said.
14 And from that day, wherein the king commanded me to the Duke in the land of Juda, from the twentieth year till the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, for twelve years, I and my brethren did not eat the yearly allowance, that was due to the Dukes.
14 And from the day, in which the king commanded me to be governor in the land of Juda, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, for twelve years, I and my brethren did not eat the yearly allowance that was due to the governors.
15 But the former Dukes, that had been before me, burdened the people, & took of them in bread, & wine, and money, every day forty sicles: yea & their officers oppressed the people. But I did not so for the fear of God.
15 But the former governors that had been before me, were chargeable to the people, and took of them in bread, and wine, and in money every day forty sicles: and their officers also oppressed the people. But I did not so for the fear of God.
16 Yea I builded rather in the work of the wall, and field I bought not, and all my servants were gathered together to the work.
16 Moreover I built in the work of the wall, and I bought no land, and all my servants were gathered together to the work.
17 The Jews also & the magistrates an hundred fifty men, and they that came to us out of the nations, that were round about us, were at the table.
17 The Jews also and the magistrates to the number of one hundred and fifty men, were at my table, besides them that came to us from among the nations that were round about us.
18 And there was prepared for me day by day one oxe, six chosen rams, beside fowls, and within ten days diverse wines, and many other things did I give. Moreover also the yearly allowance of my dukedom I sought not, for the people was very much impoverished.
18 And there was prepared for me day by day one ox, and six choice rams, besides fowls, and once in ten days I gave store of divers wines, and many other things: yet I did not require my yearly allowance as governor: for the people were very much impoverished.
19 Remember me my God to good, according to all things which I have done to this people.
19 Remember me, O my God, for good according to all that I have done for this people.