1 Many|strong="H1419" of|strong="H0802" the|strong="H0413" poor people|strong="H5971" began|strong="H1961" to|strong="H0413" complain against|strong="H0413" their|strong="H1961" fellow|strong="H0251" Jews|strong="H3064".
2 Some|strong="H7227" of|strong="H1121" them|strong="H0398" were|strong="H0834" saying|strong="H0559", “We|strong="H0587" have|strong="H0834" many|strong="H7227" children|strong="H1121". We|strong="H0587" must|strong="H1121" get|strong="H3947" some|strong="H7227" grain|strong="H1715" if|strong="H0834" we|strong="H0587" are|strong="H0834" going|strong="H3426" to|strong="H0559" eat|strong="H0398" and|strong="H1121" stay alive|strong="H2421".”
3 Other people|strong="H0834" were|strong="H0834" saying|strong="H0559", “This|strong="H0834" is|strong="H0834" a|strong="H3947" time of|strong="H1004" famine|strong="H7458". We|strong="H0587" have|strong="H0834" to|strong="H0559" use|strong="H3947" our|strong="H3947" fields|strong="H7704", vineyards|strong="H3754", and|strong="H1004" homes|strong="H1004" to|strong="H0559" pay for|strong="H1004" grain|strong="H1715".”
4 And|strong="H4428" still|strong="H0559" other people|strong="H0834" were|strong="H0834" saying|strong="H0559", “We|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" to|strong="H0559" pay|strong="H3701" the|strong="H0559" king’s|strong="H4428" tax on|strong="H3426" our|strong="H0834" fields|strong="H7704" and|strong="H4428" vineyards|strong="H3754". But|strong="H4428" we|strong="H0834" cannot afford to|strong="H0559" pay|strong="H3701", so|strong="H0834" we|strong="H0834" are|strong="H0834" borrowing money|strong="H3701" to|strong="H0559" pay|strong="H3701" the|strong="H0559" tax.
5 We|strong="H0587" are|strong="H3027" as|strong="H1121" good as|strong="H1121" the|strong="H0853" others|strong="H0312". Our|strong="H5650" sons|strong="H1121" are|strong="H3027" as|strong="H1121" good as|strong="H1121" their|strong="H0410" sons|strong="H1121". But|strong="H0369" we|strong="H0587" will|strong="H5650" have|strong="H0369" to|strong="H0369" sell our|strong="H5650" sons|strong="H1121" and|strong="H1121" daughters|strong="H1323" as|strong="H1121" slaves|strong="H5650". Some|strong="H2009" of|strong="H1121" us|strong="H3027" have|strong="H0369" already|strong="H6258" had|strong="H0369" to|strong="H0369" sell our|strong="H5650" daughters|strong="H1323" as|strong="H1121" slaves|strong="H5650". There|strong="H0369" is|strong="H0369" nothing|strong="H0369" we|strong="H0587" can|strong="H0369" do|strong="H3027". We|strong="H0587" have|strong="H0369" already|strong="H6258" lost our|strong="H5650" fields|strong="H7704" and|strong="H1121" vineyards|strong="H3754". Other|strong="H0312" people|strong="H1121" own them|strong="H0853" now|strong="H6258".”
6 When|strong="H0834" I|strong="H0834" heard|strong="H8085" their|strong="H8085" complaints|strong="H1697", I|strong="H0834" was|strong="H0834" very|strong="H3966" angry|strong="H2734".
7 I|strong="H5414" calmed myself|strong="H3820" down|strong="H5414", and|strong="H1419" then|strong="H0859" I|strong="H5414" went|strong="H0376" to|strong="H0559" the|strong="H0559" rich|strong="H1419" families and|strong="H1419" the|strong="H0559" officials|strong="H5461". I|strong="H5414" told|strong="H0559" them|strong="H5414", “You|strong="H0859" are|strong="H0376" forcing your|strong="H5414" own|strong="H0376" people|strong="H0376" to|strong="H0559" pay|strong="H5414" interest on|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0559" money you|strong="H0859" loan|strong="H5383" them|strong="H5414". You|strong="H0859" must stop doing that|strong="H0559"!” Then|strong="H0859" I|strong="H5414" called|strong="H0559" for|strong="H5921" all|strong="H1419" the|strong="H0559" people|strong="H0376" to|strong="H0559" meet together|strong="H5921"
8 and|strong="H0251" said|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0559" them|strong="H0853", “Our|strong="H7069" fellow|strong="H0251" Jews|strong="H3064" were|strong="H1697" sold|strong="H4376" as|strong="H1697" slaves to|strong="H0559" people|strong="H1471" in|strong="H1697" other|strong="H0251" countries. We|strong="H0587" did|strong="H3808" our|strong="H7069" best to|strong="H0559" buy|strong="H7069" them|strong="H0853" back and|strong="H0251" make|strong="H4376" them|strong="H0853" free. And|strong="H0251" now|strong="H1571", you|strong="H0859" are|strong="H1697" selling|strong="H4376" them|strong="H0853" like|strong="H3808" slaves again!”
9 So|strong="H6213" I|strong="H0834" continued|strong="H0559" speaking|strong="H0559". I|strong="H0834" said|strong="H0559", “What|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0859" people|strong="H1471" are|strong="H0834" doing|strong="H6213" is|strong="H0834" not|strong="H3808" right|strong="H2896"! You|strong="H0859" know that|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0859" should|strong="H0559" fear|strong="H3374" and|strong="H0430" respect our|strong="H0430" God|strong="H0430". You|strong="H0859" should|strong="H0559" not|strong="H3808" do|strong="H6213" the|strong="H0559" shameful things|strong="H1697" other people|strong="H1471" do|strong="H6213"!
10 My|strong="H2088" men|strong="H5288", my|strong="H2088" brothers|strong="H0251", and|strong="H3701" I|strong="H0589" are|strong="H1571" also|strong="H1571" lending|strong="H5383" money|strong="H3701" and|strong="H3701" grain|strong="H1715" to|strong="H0251" the|strong="H0853" people|strong="H5288". But|strong="H5800" let’s|strong="H4994" stop forcing them|strong="H0853" to|strong="H0251" pay|strong="H3701" interest on|strong="H1571" these|strong="H2088" loans.
11 You|strong="H0859" must give|strong="H7725" their|strong="H7725" fields|strong="H7704", vineyards|strong="H3754", olive|strong="H2132" fields|strong="H7704", and|strong="H3967" houses|strong="H1004" back|strong="H7725" to|strong="H7725" them|strong="H7725", right now|strong="H4994"! And|strong="H3967" you|strong="H0859" must give|strong="H7725" back|strong="H7725" the|strong="H0834" interest you|strong="H0859" charged them|strong="H7725". You|strong="H0859" charged them|strong="H7725" one|strong="H0834" percent for|strong="H1004" the|strong="H0834" money|strong="H3701", grain|strong="H1715", new|strong="H8492" wine|strong="H8492", and|strong="H3967" oil|strong="H3323" that|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0859" loaned|strong="H5383" them|strong="H7725".”
12 Then|strong="H2088" the|strong="H0853" rich people|strong="H0834" and|strong="H7725" the|strong="H0853" officials said|strong="H0559", “We|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0834" give|strong="H7725" it|strong="H7121" back|strong="H7725" and|strong="H7725" not|strong="H3808" demand|strong="H1245" anything|strong="H1697" more|strong="H3651" from|strong="H7725" them|strong="H1992". Nehemiah, we|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0834" do|strong="H6213" as|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0859" say|strong="H0559".”
13 Then|strong="H1961" I|strong="H0834" shook|strong="H5287" out|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" folds of|strong="H1004" my|strong="H3605" clothes. I|strong="H0834" said|strong="H0559", “God|strong="H0430" will|strong="H3068" do|strong="H6213" the|strong="H3605" same|strong="H2088" thing|strong="H1697" to|strong="H0559" everyone|strong="H3605" who|strong="H0834" does|strong="H6213" not|strong="H3808" keep|strong="H6213" their|strong="H3605" promise|strong="H1697". God|strong="H0430" will|strong="H3068" shake|strong="H5287" them|strong="H0853" out|strong="H3605" of|strong="H1004" their|strong="H3605" houses|strong="H1004" and|strong="H6965" they|strong="H0834" will|strong="H3068" lose|strong="H5287" everything|strong="H3605" they|strong="H0834" worked|strong="H3018" for|strong="H1004". They|strong="H0834" will|strong="H3068" lose|strong="H5287" everything|strong="H3605"!”
14 And|strong="H3063" also|strong="H1571", during|strong="H3117" the|strong="H0853" whole|strong="H3117" time|strong="H3117" that|strong="H0834" I|strong="H0589" was|strong="H1961" appointed|strong="H6680" to|strong="H5704" be|strong="H1961" governor|strong="H6346" in|strong="H8141" the|strong="H0853" land|strong="H0776" of|strong="H4428" Judah|strong="H3063", neither|strong="H3808" my|strong="H1961" brothers|strong="H0251" nor|strong="H3808" I|strong="H0589" ate|strong="H0398" the|strong="H0853" food|strong="H3899" that|strong="H0834" was|strong="H1961" allowed for|strong="H0776" the|strong="H0853" governor|strong="H6346". I|strong="H0589" never|strong="H3808" forced the|strong="H0853" people|strong="H0834" to|strong="H5704" pay taxes to|strong="H5704" buy my|strong="H1961" food|strong="H3899". I|strong="H0589" was|strong="H1961" governor|strong="H6346" from|strong="H5704" the|strong="H0853" 20th year|strong="H8141" until|strong="H5704" the|strong="H0853" 32nd year|strong="H8141" that|strong="H0834" Artaxerxes|strong="H0783" was|strong="H1961" king|strong="H4428". I|strong="H0589" was|strong="H1961" governor|strong="H6346" of|strong="H4428" Judah|strong="H3063" for|strong="H0776" twelve|strong="H6240" years|strong="H8141".
15 But|strong="H3808" the|strong="H6440" governors|strong="H6346" who|strong="H0834" ruled before|strong="H6440" me|strong="H6440" made|strong="H6213" life hard for|strong="H5921" the|strong="H6440" people|strong="H5971". The|strong="H6440" governors|strong="H6346" forced everyone to|strong="H5921" pay|strong="H3701" 1 pound of|strong="H0430" silver|strong="H3701". They|strong="H1992" also|strong="H1571" made|strong="H6213" the|strong="H6440" people|strong="H5971" give|strong="H3947" them|strong="H1992" food|strong="H3899" and|strong="H0430" wine|strong="H3196". The|strong="H6440" leaders under|strong="H5921" these|strong="H1992" governors|strong="H6346" also|strong="H1571" ruled over|strong="H5921" the|strong="H6440" people|strong="H5971" and|strong="H0430" made|strong="H6213" life even|strong="H1571" harder. But|strong="H3808" I|strong="H0589" respected|strong="H3513" and|strong="H0430" feared God|strong="H0430", so|strong="H3651" I|strong="H0589" didn’t|strong="H3808" do|strong="H6213" things|strong="H7223" like|strong="H3651" that|strong="H0834".
16 I|strong="H1571" worked|strong="H2388" hard at|strong="H5921" building the|strong="H3605" wall|strong="H2346" of|strong="H5921" Jerusalem. All|strong="H3605" my|strong="H3605" men|strong="H5288" gathered|strong="H6908" there|strong="H8033" to|strong="H5921" work|strong="H4399" on|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" wall|strong="H2346". We|strong="H8033" didn’t|strong="H3808" take|strong="H2388" any|strong="H3605" land|strong="H7704" from|strong="H5921" anyone|strong="H3605".
17 Also|strong="H0935", I|strong="H0834" regularly fed 150 Jews|strong="H3064" who|strong="H0834" were|strong="H0834" always welcome at|strong="H0413" my|strong="H5921" table|strong="H7979", and|strong="H0935" I|strong="H0834" fed those|strong="H0834" who|strong="H0834" came|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0413" us|strong="H0413" from|strong="H4480" the|strong="H0834" nations|strong="H1471" around|strong="H5439" us|strong="H0413".
18 Every|strong="H3605" day|strong="H3117" I|strong="H0834" prepared|strong="H6213" this|strong="H2088" much|strong="H7235" food|strong="H3899" for|strong="H3588" the|strong="H3605" people|strong="H5971" who|strong="H0834" ate at|strong="H5921" my|strong="H3605" table: one|strong="H0259" ox|strong="H7794", six|strong="H8337" good sheep|strong="H6629", and|strong="H3117" different kinds|strong="H3605" of|strong="H3117" birds|strong="H6833". Every|strong="H3605" ten|strong="H6235" days|strong="H3117" all|strong="H3605" kinds|strong="H3605" of|strong="H3117" wine|strong="H3196" were|strong="H0834" brought|strong="H1961" to|strong="H1961" my|strong="H3605" table. But|strong="H3588" I|strong="H0834" never|strong="H3808" demanded that|strong="H0834" they|strong="H0834" give|strong="H1961" me|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" food|strong="H3899" that|strong="H0834" was|strong="H1961" allowed for|strong="H3588" the|strong="H3605" governor|strong="H6346". I|strong="H0834" knew that|strong="H0834" the|strong="H3605" work|strong="H5656" the|strong="H3605" people|strong="H5971" were|strong="H0834" doing|strong="H6213" was|strong="H1961" very|strong="H2088" hard.
19 My|strong="H3605" God|strong="H0430", remember|strong="H2142" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" good|strong="H2896" I|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" done|strong="H6213" for|strong="H5921" these|strong="H2088" people|strong="H5971".