Y hubo gran clamor del pueblo y de sus mujeres contra sus hermanos judíos^a. 2 Había quienes decían: Nosotros, nuestros hijos y nuestras hijas somos muchos; por tanto, que se nos dé¹ trigo para que comamos y vivamos^a. 3 Había otros que decían: Nosotros tenemos que empeñar nuestros campos, nuestras viñas y nuestras casas para conseguir grano, a causa del hambre. 4 También había otros que decían: Hemos pedido dinero prestado para el impuesto del rey sobre nuestros campos y nuestras viñas^a. 5 Ahora bien, nuestra carne es como la carne de nuestros hermanos^a, y nuestros hijos como sus hijos. Sin embargo, he aquí, estamos obligando a nuestros hijos y a nuestras hijas a que sean esclavos, y algunas de nuestras hijas ya están sometidas a servidumbre^b, y no podemos hacer nada¹ porque nuestros campos y nuestras viñas pertenecen a otros.

6 Entonces me enojé^a en gran manera cuando oí su clamor y estas palabras. 7 Se rebeló mi corazón dentro de mí, y contendí con los nobles y con los oficiales y les dije: Estáis cobrando usura cada uno a su hermano^a. Y congregué contra ellos una gran asamblea. 8 Y les dije: Nosotros, conforme a nuestras posibilidades, hemos redimido¹ a nuestros hermanos judíos que fueron vendidos a las naciones^a; y ahora, ¿venderéis a vuestros hermanos para que sean vendidos a nosotros? Entonces se quedaron callados y no hallaron respuesta². 9 Y agregué¹: No está bien lo que hacéis; ¿no debéis andar en el temor de nuestro Dios a causa del oprobio de las naciones^a enemigas nuestras? 10 También yo y mis hermanos y mis siervos les hemos prestado dinero y grano. Os ruego, pues, que abandonemos esta usura. 11 Os ruego que hoy mismo les devolváis sus campos, sus viñas, sus olivares y sus casas; también la centésima parte del dinero y del grano, del mosto y del aceite que estáis exigiendo de ellos. 12 Entonces ellos dijeron: Lo devolveremos^a y no les exigiremos nada^b; haremos tal como has dicho. Y llamé a los sacerdotes y les hice jurar que harían conforme a esta promesa^1c. 13 También sacudí los pliegues¹ de mi manto^a y dije: Así sacuda Dios de su casa y de sus bienes a todo hombre que no cumpla esta promesa²; así sea sacudido y despojado. Y toda la asamblea dijo: ¡Amén! Y alabaron al SEÑOR^b. Entonces el pueblo hizo conforme a esta promesa³.

14 Además, desde el día en que el rey me mandó que fuera gobernador¹ en la tierra de Judá, desde el año veinte^a hasta el año treinta y dos del rey Artajerjes^b, doce años, ni yo ni mis hermanos hemos comido del pan del gobernador. 15 Pero los gobernadores anteriores que me precedieron gravaban al pueblo y tomaban de ellos cuarenta siclos¹ de plata además del pan y del vino; también sus sirvientes oprimían al pueblo. Pero yo no hice así, a causa del temor de Dios^a. 16 También yo me dediqué a¹ la obra en esta muralla, y no compramos terrenos, y todos mis siervos estaban reunidos allí para la obra. 17 Y había a mi mesa ciento cincuenta judíos y oficiales, sin contar los que vinieron a nosotros de las naciones que nos rodeaban^a. 18 Lo que se preparaba para cada día era un buey y seis ovejas escogidas, también eran preparadas aves para mí^a; cada diez días toda clase de vino se proveía en abundancia. Y con todo esto, no reclamé el pan del gobernador, porque era pesada la servidumbre sobre este pueblo^b. 19 Acuérdate de mí, Dios mío, para bien, conforme a todo lo que he hecho por este pueblo^a.

Now ^athere was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their ^bJewish brothers. 2 For there were those who said, “We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us ^aget grain that we may eat and live.” 3 There were others who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses that we might get grain because of the famine.” 4 Also there were those who said, “We have borrowed money ^afor the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5 Now ^aour flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, ^bwe are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and ¹we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

6 Then I was very ^aangry when I had heard their outcry and these words. 7 I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, “^aYou are exacting usury, each from his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. 8 I said to them, “We according to our ability ^ahave ¹redeemed 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. 9 Again I said, “The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of ^athe reproach of the nations, our enemies? 10 And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury. 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.” 12 Then they said, “We ^awill give it back and ^bwill require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say.” So I called the priests and ^ctook an oath from them that they would do according to this ¹promise. 13 I ^aalso shook out the ¹front of my garment and said, “Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this ²promise; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And ^ball the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised the LORD. Then the people did according to this ³promise.

14 Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from ^athe twentieth year to the ^bthirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my ¹kinsmen have eaten the governor’s food allowance. 15 But the former governors who were before me ¹laid 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 ^abecause of the fear of God. 16 I also ¹applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Moreover, ^athere were at my table one hundred and fifty Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 Now ^athat 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 ^bI did not demand the governor’s food allowance, because the servitude was heavy on this people. 19 ^aRemember me, O my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

Now ^athere was a great outcry of the poorer people and their wives against their ^bJewish brothers to whom they were deeply in debt. 2 For there were some who were saying, “We, along with our sons and our daughters, are many; therefore allow us to ^aget grain, so that we may eat and survive.” 3 There were others who were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to buy grain because of the famine.” 4 There were also others who were saying, “We have borrowed money on our fields and vineyards for the Persian ^aking’s heavy tax. 5 Now ^aour flesh (skin) is the same as that of our brothers (relatives) , and our children are like their children, yet here ^bwe are forcing (selling) our sons and our daughters to be slaves; and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and ¹we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

6 Then I was very ^aangry when I heard their outcry and these words of accusation. 7 I thought it over and then challenged the nobles and the rulers. I said to them, “^aYou are exacting usury (excessive interest) from your own brother (relative) .” So I held a great assembly to confront them. 8 I said to them, “According to our ability we ^ahave redeemed (purchased back) our Jewish brothers who were sold to the Gentile nations; now would you even sell your brothers, that they might be sold to us?” Then they were silent and could not find a single word to say. 9 So I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God to prevent ^athe taunting by the pagan nations, our enemies? 10 And likewise I, my brothers, and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop charging this interest. Ex 22:25 11 Please, give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, and also a hundredth part of the money, the grain, the new wine, and the oil that you are lending them.” 12 Then they said, “We ^awill give it back and ^bnot require anything from them. We will do exactly as you say.” Then I called the priests and ^ctook an oath from them that they would act in accordance with this promise. 13 I also ^1ashook out the ²front of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not keep this promise; like this may he be shaken out and emptied.” And ^ball the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised the LORD. Then the people acted in accordance with this promise.

14 Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from ^athe twentieth year to the ^bthirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my relatives have eaten the governor’s food allowance. 15 But the former governors who were in office before me put heavy burdens on the people and took food and wine from them in addition to forty shekels of silver as an excessive monthly salary; even their servants assumed authority over the people. But I did not do so ^abecause of the reverent fear of God. 16 I also applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered together there for the work. 17 Moreover, ^athere were at my table a hundred and fifty Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 Now ^athe following were prepared for each day: one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls (poultry) were prepared for me; and in intervals of ten days all sorts of wine was provided in abundance. Yet for all this, ^bI did not demand the governor’s food allowance, because the servitude was heavy on this people. 19 ^aRemember me, O my God, for good, according to all I have done for this people. Heb 6:10

Now ^athere was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their ^bJewish brothers. 2 For there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let’s ^aget grain so that we may eat and live.” 3 And there were others who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses so that we might get grain because of the famine.” 4 There also were those who said, “We have borrowed money ^afor the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5 And now ^aour flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, ^bwe are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and ¹we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

6 Then I was very ^aangry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 So I thought it over and contended with the nobles and the leading people, and said to them, “^aYou are lending at interest, each to his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. 8 And I said to them, “We, according to our ability, ^ahave ¹redeemed 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. 9 So I said, “The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of ^athe taunting of the nations, our enemies? 10 And likewise I, my brothers, and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let’s ¹do without this interest. 11 Please, give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, as well as the hundredth part of the money and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil that you are charging as interest from them.” 12 Then they said, “We ^awill give it back and ^bwill require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say.” So I called the priests and made them ^ctake an oath to act in accordance with this ¹promise. 13 I ^aalso shook out the ¹front of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every person from his house and from his possessions who does not keep this ²promise; just so may he be shaken out and emptied.” And ^ball the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised the LORD. Then the people acted in accordance with this ³promise.

14 Furthermore, since the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from ^athe twentieth year to the ^bthirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the governor’s food allowance. 15 But the previous governors who were before me ¹laid 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 ^abecause of my fear of God. 16 I also ¹applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Moreover, ^athere were at my table 150 Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 Now ^athat which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep; also birds were prepared for me, and every ten days all sorts of wine were provided in abundance. Yet for all this ^bI did not request the governor’s food allowance, because the forced labor was heavy on this people. 19 ^aRemember me, my God, for good, in return for all that I have done for this people.