1Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers.
1百姓和他們的妻大大呼號，埋怨他們的弟兄猶大人。
2For there were those who said, 'We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live.'
2有的說：我們和兒女人口眾多，要去得糧食度命；
3There were others who said, 'We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses that we might get grain because of the famine.'
3有的說：我們典了田地、葡萄園、房屋，要得糧食充飢；
4Also there were those who said, 'We have borrowed money for the king's tax [on] our fields and our vineyards.
4有的說：我們已經指著田地、葡萄園，借了錢給王納稅。
5'Now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage [already], and we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.'
5我們的身體與我們弟兄的身體一樣；我們的兒女與他們的兒女一般。現在我們將要使兒女作人的僕婢，我們的女兒已有為婢的；我們並無力拯救，因為我們的田地、葡萄園已經歸了別人。
6Then I was very angry when I had heard their outcry and these words.
6我聽見他們呼號說這些話，便甚發怒。
7I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, 'You are exacting usury, each from his brother!' Therefore, I held a great assembly against them.
7我心裡籌劃，就斥責貴冑和官長說：你們各人向弟兄取利！於是我招聚大會攻擊他們。
8I said to them, 'We according to our ability have redeemed our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations; now would you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us?' Then they were silent and could not find a word [to say].
8我對他們說：我們盡力贖回我們弟兄，就是賣與外邦的猶大人；你們還要賣弟兄，使我們贖回來麼？他們就靜默不語，無話可答。
9Again I said, 'The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?
9我又說：你們所行的不善！你們行事不當敬畏我們的神麼？不然，難免我們的仇敵外邦人毀謗我們。
10'And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury.
10我和我的弟兄與僕人也將銀錢糧食借給百姓；我們大家都當免去利息。
11'Please, give back to them this very 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 exacting from them.'
11如今我勸你們將他們的田地、葡萄園、橄欖園、房屋，並向他們所取的銀錢、糧食、新酒，和油，百分之一的利息都歸還他們。
12Then they said, 'We will give [it] back and will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say.' So I called the priests and took an oath from them that they would do according to this promise.
12眾人說：我們必歸還，不再向他們索要，必照你的話行。我就召了祭司來，叫眾人起誓，必照著所應許的而行。
13I also shook out the front of my garment and said, 'Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this promise; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.' And all the assembly said, 'Amen!' And they praised the LORD. Then the people did according to this promise.
13我也抖著胸前的衣襟，說：凡不成就這應許的，願神照樣抖他離開家產和他勞碌得來的，直到抖空了。會眾都說：阿們！又讚美耶和華。百姓就照著所應許的去行。
14Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, [for] twelve years, neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the governor's food [allowance].
14自從我奉派作猶大地的省長，就是從亞達薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我與我弟兄都沒有吃省長的俸祿。
15But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so because of the fear of God.
15在我以前的省長加重百姓的擔子，每日索要糧食和酒，並銀子四十舍客勒，就是他們的僕人也轄制百姓；但我因敬畏神不這樣行。
16I also applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work.
16並且我恆心修造城牆，並沒有置買田地；我的僕人也都聚集在那裡做工。
17Moreover, [there were] at my table one hundred and fifty Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us.
17除了從四圍外邦中來的猶大人以外，有猶大平民和官長一百五十人在我席上吃飯。
18Now that which was prepared for each day was one ox [and] six choice sheep, also birds were prepared for me; and once in ten days all sorts of wine [were furnished] in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the governor's food [allowance], because the servitude was heavy on this people.
18每日預備一隻公牛，六隻肥羊，又預備些飛禽；每十日一次，多預備各樣的酒。雖然如此，我並不要省長的俸祿，因為百姓服役甚重。
19Remember me, O my God, for good, [according to] all that I have done for this people.
19我的神啊，求你記念我為這百姓所行的一切事，施恩與我。