Nehemias blameth covetous rich men, for oppressing the poor. 14. himself giveth largely of his own to the needy.Nehemias blameth couetous rich men, for oppressing the poore. 14. himselfe geueth largely of his owne to the needie.✦
And there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.AND there was a great crie of the people, and of their wiues against their brethren the Iewes.Et factus est clamor populi et uxorum ejus magnus adversus fratres suos Judæos.
2And there were that said. Our sons and our daughters are very many: let us take corn for the price of them, and let us eat, and live:And there were that said. Our sonnes and our daughters are verie manie: let vs take corne for the price of them, and let vs eate, and liue:Et erant qui dicerent : Filii nostri et filiæ nostræ multæ sunt nimis : accipiamus pro pretio eorum frumentum, et comedamus, et vivamus.
3And there were that said: Let us opponamus: a solemn promise; to give as a pawn, security for a debt our fields, and vineyards, and our houses, and let us take corn in famine.And there were that sayd: Let vs pledge our fieldes, and vineyardes, and our houses, and let vs take corne in famine.✦Et erant qui dicerent : Agros nostros, et vineas, et domus nostras opponamus, et accipiamus frumentum in fame.
4And others said: Let us borrow money for the kings tributes, and let us give our fields and vineyards,And others sayd: Let vs borow money for the kings tributes, and let vs giue our fields and vineyardes,Et alii dicebant : Mutuo sumamus pecunias in tributa regis, demusque agros nostros et vineas :
5and 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 bondwomen, neither have we wherewith they may be redeemed, and our fields and our vineyards other men do possess.and now as the flesh of our bretheren, so is our flesh: and as their children so also our children. behold we subdew our sonnes, and our daughters into bondage, and our daughters there are bondwemen, neither haue we wherewith they may be redemed, and our fieldes and our vineyardes other men doe possesse.et nunc sicut carnes fratrum nostrorum, sic carnes nostræ sunt : et sicut filii eorum, ita et filii nostri : ecce nos subjugamus filios nostros et filias nostras in servitutem, et de filiabus nostris sunt famulæ, nec habemus unde possint redimi : et agros nostros et vineas nostras alii possident.
6And I was exceeding angry, when I had heard their cry according to these words.And I was exceding angrie, when I had heard their crie according to these wordes.Et iratus sum nimis cum audissem clamorem eorum secundum verba hæc :
7And my heart thought with myself: and I rebuked the princes and magistrates, and said to them: Do you every one exigitis: precise, accurate; to demand, call in payment of usuras: excessive, extortionate interest; lending at any interest whatever of your brethren? and I gathered against them a great assembly,And my hart thought with my selfe: and I rebuked the princes and magistrates, and sayd to them: Do you euery one exact vsuries of your bretheren? and I gathered against them a great assemblie,✦cogitavitque cor meum mecum, et increpavi optimates et magistratus, et dixi eis : Usurasne singuli a fratribus vestris exigitis ? Et congregavi adversum eos concionem magnam,
8and I said to them: We as you know, have redeemed our brethren the Jews, that were sold to the gentiles, according to our ability: and will you therefore sell your brethren, and shall we redeem them? And they held their peace, neither did they find what to answer.and I sayd to them: We as you know, haue redemed our bretheren the Iewes, that were sold to the gentiles, according to our abilitie: and wil you therfore sel your bretheren, and shal we redeme them? And they held their peace, neither did they find what to answer.et dixi eis : Nos, ut scitis, redemimus fratres nostros Judæos, qui venditi fuerant gentibus secundum possibilitatem nostram : et vos igitur vendetis fratres vestros, et redimemus eos ? Et siluerunt, nec invenerunt quid responderent.
9And 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?And I sayd to them: The thing is not good, which you doe: why walke you not in the feare of our God, lest we be vpbrayded with al the gentiles our enimies?Dixique ad eos : Non est bona res quam facitis : quare non in timore Dei nostri ambulastis, ne exprobretur nobis a gentibus inimicis nostris ?
10I also and 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.I also and my bretheren, and my seruantes, haue lent money and corne to very manie: let vs not aske this againe in common, let vs remitte them the debt, that is dewe to vs.Et ego, et fratres mei, et pueri mei commodavimus plurimis pecuniam et frumentum. Non repetamus in commune istud : æs alienum concedamus quod debetur nobis.
11Restore ye to them their fields this day, and their vineyards, and their oliveta: olive groves, olive yards, and their houses: yea the hundredth part also of money, corn, wine and oil, which you were wont to exact of them, give it rather for them.Restore ye to them their fieldes this day, and their vineyards, and their oliuets, and their houses: yea the hundreth part also of money, corne, wine and oyle, which you were wont to exact of them, giue it rather for them.✦Reddite eis hodie agros suos, et vineas suas, et oliveta sua, et domos suas : quin potius et centesimum pecuniæ, frumenti, vini et olei, quam exigere soletis ab eis, date pro illis.
12And 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.And they sayd: We wil restore, and we wil seeke nothing of them: and we wil do so as thou speakest. And I called the Priestes, and adiured them, to do according to that which I had sayd.✦Et dixerunt : Reddemus, et ab eis nihil quæremus : sicque faciemus ut loqueris. Et vocavi sacerdotes, et adjuravi eos ut facerent juxta quod dixeram.
13Moreover 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.Moreouer I shooke my bosome, and sayd: God so shake euery man, that shal not accomplish this word, out of his house, and out of his labours, so be he shaken out, and made emptie. And al the multitude sayd: Amen. And they praysed God. And the people did as it was sayd.✦Insuper excussi sinum meum, et dixi : Sic excutiat Deus omnem virum qui non compleverit verbum istud, de domo sua, et de laboribus suis : sic excutiatur, et vacuus fiat. Et dixit universa multitudo : Amen : et laudaverunt Deum. Fecit ergo populus sicut erat dictum.
14And from that day, wherein the king commended me to the dux: a noble rank; a leader, governor, captain 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.And from that day, wherin the king commended me to the duke in the land of Iuda, from the twenteth yeare til the two & thirteth yeare of Artaxerxes the king for twelue yearees, I and my bretheren did not eate the yearly allowance, that was dewe to the dukes.✦A die autem illa, qua præceperat rex mihi ut essem dux in terra Juda, ab anno vigesimo usque ad annum trigesimum secundum Artaxerxis regis per annos duodecim, ego et fratres mei annonas quæ ducibus debebantur non comedimus.
15But the former dukes, that had been before me, burdened the people, and took of them in bread, and wine, and money every day forty siclos: shekels, a weight and coin of silver: yea and their officers oppressed the people. But I did not so for the fear of God.But the former dukes, that had bene before me, burdened the people, and tooke of them in bread, and wine, and money euery day fourtie sicles: yea and their officers oppressed the people. But I did not so for the feare of God.✦Duces autem primi, qui fuerant ante me, gravaverunt populum, et acceperunt ab eis in pane, et vino, et pecunia, quotidie siclos quadraginta : sed et ministri eorum depresserunt populum. Ego autem non feci ita propter timorem Dei :
16Yea I builded rather in the work of the wall, and field I bought not, and all my servants were gathered together to the work.Yea I builded rather in the worke of the wal, and field I bought not, and al my seruantes were gathered together to the worke.quin potius in opere muri ædificavi, et agrum non emi, et omnes pueri mei congregati ad opus erant.
17The Jews also and 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.The Iewes also and the magistrates an hundred fiftie men, and they that came to vs out of the nations, that were round about vs were at the table.✦Judæi quoque et magistratus centum quinquaginta viri, et qui veniebant ad nos de gentibus quæ in circuitu nostro sunt, in mensa mea erant.
18And there was prepared for me day by day one ox, six chosen rams, beside fowls, and within ten days divers 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.And there was prepared for me day by day one oxe, six chosen rammes, beside foules, and within ten dayes diuers wines, & many other things did I giue. Moreouer also the yearly allowance of my dukedome I sought not, for the people was very much empouerished.✦Parabatur autem mihi per dies singulos bos unus, arietes sex electi, exceptis volatilibus, et inter dies decem vina diversa, et alia multa tribuebam : insuper et annonas ducatus mei non quæsivi : valde enim attenuatus erat populus.
19Remember me my God to good, according to all things, which I have done to this people.Remember me my God to good, according to al things, which I haue done to this people.Memento mei, Deus meus, in bonum, secundum omnia quæ feci populo huic.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.