1 And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their brothers, the Yahuḏim.
2 And there were some who were saying, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many. Let us get grain for them, and eat, and live.”
3 And there were some who were saying, “We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses. Let us buy grain because of the scarcity of food.”
4 And there were those who were saying, “We have borrowed silver for the sovereign’s tax on our lands and vineyards.
5 “And now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. And see, we are subjecting our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been subjected, and there is no power in our hands, for other men have our lands and vineyards.”
6 And it was very displeasing to me when I heard their outcry and these words.
7 And my heart ruled over me, and I strove with the nobles and with the deputy rulers, and said to them, “You are exacting interest, each one from his brother.” And I called a great assembly against them,
8 and said to them, “According to our ability we have redeemed our brothers, the Yahuḏim, who were sold to the gentiles. And you even sell your brothers! Or should they be sold to us?” And they were silent and found not a word.
9 I also said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the reverence of our Elohim because of the reproach of the gentiles, our enemies?
10 “And also, I, my brothers and my servants, am lending them silver and grain. Please, let us leave off this interest!
11 “Please, give back to them, even today, their lands, their vineyards, their olive trees, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the silver and of the grain, and of the new wine, and of the oil, that you have taken from them.”
12 And they said, “Let us give it back, and ask no more from them, we do as you say.” Then I called the kohenim, and made them swear to do according to this word.
13 I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, “Let Elohim in this way shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not do this word, even to be thus shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said, “Amĕn!” and praised 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄. And the people did according to this word.
14 Also, from the day I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Yahuḏah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of Sovereign Artaḥshashta, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s food.
15 But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty sheqels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people, but I did not do so, because of the reverence of Elohim.
16 And I 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.
17 And at my table were one hundred and fifty of the Yahuḏim and deputy rulers, besides those who came to us from the nations around us.
18 And that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep, and birds were prepared for me, and once every ten days plenty of all kinds of wine. And in spite of this I did not seek the governor’s food, because the bondage was heavy on this people.
19 O my Elohim, remember me for the good – all that I have done for this people.