Nehemiah Defends the Oppressed

1  וַתְּהִ֨י (And there was) צַעֲקַ֥ת (an outcry) הָעָ֛ם (of the people) וּנְשֵׁיהֶ֖ם (and their wives) גְּדוֹלָ֑ה (great) אֶל־ (against) אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם (their brothers) הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃ (the Jews).

2  וְיֵשׁ֙ (And there were) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (those who) אֹמְרִ֔ים (said), בָּנֵ֥ינוּ (Our sons) וּבְנֹתֵ֖ינוּ (and our daughters), אֲנַ֣חְנוּ (we are) רַבִּ֑ים (many); וְנִקְחָ֥ה (therefore let us get) דָגָ֖ן (grain), וְנֹאכְלָ֥ה (that we may eat) וְנִחְיֶֽה׃ (and live).

3  וְיֵשׁ֙ (And there were) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (those who) אֹמְרִ֔ים (said), שְׂדֹתֵ֛ינוּ (Our lands) וּכְרָמֵ֥ינוּ (and vineyards) וּבָתֵּ֖ינוּ (and houses) אֲנַ֣חְנוּ (we) עֹרְבִ֑ים (have mortgaged), וְנִקְחָ֥ה (that we might buy) דָגָ֖ן (grain) בָּרָעָֽב׃ (during the famine).

4  וְיֵשׁ֙ (And there were) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (those who) אֹמְרִ֔ים (said), לָוִ֥ינוּ (We have borrowed) כֶ֖סֶף (silver) לְמִדַּ֣ת (for the tribute) הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ (of the king) שְׂדֹתֵ֖ינוּ (on our fields) וּכְרָמֵֽינוּ׃ (and our vineyards). 5  וְעַתָּ֗ה (And now) כִּבְשַׂ֤ר (as the flesh) אַחֵ֙ינוּ֙ (of our brothers) בְּשָׂרֵ֔נוּ (is our flesh); כִּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם (as their sons) בָּנֵ֑ינוּ (are our sons). וְהִנֵּ֣ה (And behold), אֲנַ֣חְנוּ (we) כֹ֠בְשִׁים (are putting into bondage) אֶת־ (-) בָּנֵ֨ינוּ (our sons) וְאֶת־ (and) בְּנֹתֵ֜ינוּ (our daughters) לַעֲבָדִ֗ים (to be slaves), וְיֵ֨שׁ (and have been) מִבְּנֹתֵ֤ינוּ (some of our daughters) נִכְבָּשׁוֹת֙ (brought into bondage), וְאֵ֣ין (and it is not) לְאֵ֣ל (in the power) יָדֵ֔נוּ (of our hands), וּשְׂדֹתֵ֥ינוּ (and our fields) וּכְרָמֵ֖ינוּ (and our vineyards) לַאֲחֵרִֽים׃ (are unto others).

6  וַיִּ֥חַר (And became hot) לִ֖י (I) מְאֹ֑ד (very) כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר (when) שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ (I heard) אֶת־ (-) זַֽעֲקָתָ֔ם (their outcry) וְאֵ֖ת (and) הַדְּבָרִ֥ים (the words) הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ (these). 7  וַיִּמָּלֵ֨ךְ (And reigned) לִבִּ֜י (and my heart) עָלַ֗י (over me), וָאָרִ֙יבָה֙ (and I rebuked) אֶת־ (-) הַחֹרִ֣ים (the nobles) וְאֶת־ (and) הַסְּגָנִ֔ים (the prefects) וָאֹמְרָ֣ה (and said) לָהֶ֔ם (to them), מַשָּׁ֥א (Usury) אִישׁ־ (one) בְּאָחִ֖יו (on another) אַתֶּ֣ם (you⁺) נֹשִׁ֑אים (are exacting).

וָאֶתֵּ֥ן (And I called) עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם (against them) קְהִלָּ֥ה (an assembly) גְדוֹלָֽה׃ (great), 8  וָאֹמְרָ֣ה (and I said) לָהֶ֗ם (to them), אֲנַ֣חְנוּ (We) קָ֠נִינוּ (have redeemed) אֶת־ (-) אַחֵ֨ינוּ (our brothers) הַיְּהוּדִ֜ים (the Jews) הַנִּמְכָּרִ֤ים (who were sold) לַגּוֹיִם֙ (to the nations) כְּדֵ֣י (according to the ability) בָ֔נוּ (of us). וְגַם־ (And indeed), אַתֶּ֛ם (you⁺) תִּמְכְּר֥וּ (are selling) אֶת־ (-) אֲחֵיכֶ֖ם (your⁺ brothers) וְנִמְכְּרוּ־ (that they may be sold back) לָ֑נוּ (to us)!

וַֽיַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּ (And they were silenced), וְלֹ֥א (and not) מָצְא֖וּ (they found) דָּבָֽר׃ס (a word).

9  וַיֹּאמֶר (And I said), לֹא־ (Not) ט֥וֹב (is good) הַדָּבָ֖ר (the thing) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) אַתֶּ֣ם (you⁺) עֹשִׂ֑ים (are doing). הֲל֞וֹא (Is it not) בְּיִרְאַ֤ת (in the fear) אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ (of our God) תֵּלֵ֔כוּ (that you⁺ should walk) מֵחֶרְפַּ֖ת (because of the reproach) הַגּוֹיִ֥ם (of the nations) אוֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃ (our enemies)? 10  וְגַם־ (And also) אֲנִי֙ (I), אַחַ֣י (my brothers), וּנְעָרַ֔י (and my servants), נֹשִׁ֥ים (have been lending) בָּהֶ֖ם (to them) כֶּ֣סֶף (silver) וְדָגָ֑ן (and grain). נַֽעַזְבָה־ (Let us stop) נָּ֖א (please) אֶת־ (-) הַמַּשָּׁ֥א (the usury) הַזֶּֽה׃ (this). 11  הָשִׁיבוּ֩ (Restore) נָ֨א (now) לָהֶ֜ם (to them) כְּהַיּ֗וֹם (even this day) שְׂדֹתֵיהֶ֛ם (their lands), כַּרְמֵיהֶ֥ם (their vineyards), זֵיתֵיהֶ֖ם (their olive groves), וּבָתֵּיהֶ֑ם (and their houses), וּמְאַ֨ת (and the hundredth) הַכֶּ֤סֶף (of the silver), וְהַדָּגָן֙ (and the grain), הַתִּיר֣וֹשׁ (the new wine), וְהַיִּצְהָ֔ר (and the oil) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) אַתֶּ֖ם (you⁺) נֹשִׁ֥ים (have charged) בָּהֶֽם׃ (to them).

12  וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ (And they said) נָשִׁ֗יב (We will restore it) וּמֵהֶם֙ (and from them) לֹ֣א (nothing) נְבַקֵּ֔שׁ (will require). כֵּ֣ן (Thus) נַעֲשֶׂ֔ה (we will do) כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר (as) אַתָּ֣ה (you) אוֹמֵ֑ר (say).

וָאֶקְרָא֙ (And I called) אֶת־ (-) הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים (the priests), וָֽאַשְׁבִּיעֵ֔ם (and caused them to swear) לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת (to do) כַּדָּבָ֥ר (according to the word) הַזֶּֽה׃ (this). 13  גַּם־ (Then) חָצְנִ֣י (my lap) נָעַ֗רְתִּי (I shook out) וָֽאֹמְרָ֡ה (and said), כָּ֣כָה (So) יְנַעֵ֪ר (may shake out) הָֽאֱלֹהִ֟ים (God) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (every) הָאִישׁ֩ (man) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (who) לֹֽא־ (not) יָקִ֜ים (does perform) אֶת־ (-) הַדָּבָ֣ר (the word) הַזֶּ֗ה (this), מִבֵּיתוֹ֙ (from his house) וּמִ֣יגִיע֔וֹ (and from his property), וְכָ֛כָה (and even thus) יִהְיֶ֥ה (is) נָע֖וּר (he shaken out) וָרֵ֑ק (and emptied).

וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ (And said) כָֽל־ (all) הַקָּהָ֜ל (the assembly) אָמֵ֗ן (Amen), וַֽיְהַלְלוּ֙ (and they praised) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH), וַיַּ֥עַשׂ (and did) הָעָ֖ם (the people) כַּדָּבָ֥ר (according to the word) הַזֶּֽה׃ (this).

Nehemiah’s Generosity

14  גַּ֞ם (Also) מִיּ֣וֹם׀ (from the day) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) צִוָּ֣ה (I was appointed) אֹתִ֗י (-) לִהְי֣וֹת (to be) פֶּחָם֮ (their governor) בְּאֶ֣רֶץ (in the land) יְהוּדָה֒ (of Judah), מִשְּׁנַ֣ת (from the year) עֶשְׂרִ֗ים (twentith) וְ֠עַד (and until) שְׁנַ֨ת (the year) שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים (thirty) וּשְׁתַּ֙יִם֙ (and second) לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֣סְתְּא (of Artaxerxes) הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (the King), שָׁנִ֖ים (years) שְׁתֵּ֣ים (two) עֶשְׂרֵ֑ה (and ten)), אֲנִ֣י (I) וְאַחַ֔י (and my brothers) לֶ֥חֶם (the bread) הַפֶּ֖חָה (of the governor) לֹ֥א (have not) אָכַֽלְתִּי׃ (eaten).

15  וְהַפַּחוֹת֩ (And the governors) הָרִאשֹׁנִ֨ים (former) אֲשֶׁר־ (who were) לְפָנַ֜י (before me) הִכְבִּ֣ידוּ (laid burdens) עַל־ (on) הָעָ֗ם (the people) וַיִּקְח֨וּ (and they took) מֵהֶ֜ם (from them) בְּלֶ֤חֶם (bread) וָיַ֙יִן֙ (and wine), אַחַר֙ (besides) כֶּֽסֶף־ (silver) שְׁקָלִ֣ים (shekels) אַרְבָּעִ֔ים (forty). גַּ֥ם (Also) נַעֲרֵיהֶ֖ם (their servants) שָׁלְט֣וּ (have ruled) עַל־ (over) הָעָ֑ם (the people), וַאֲנִי֙ (and I) לֹא־ (not) עָשִׂ֣יתִי (did do) כֵ֔ן (so) מִפְּנֵ֖י (because) יִרְאַ֥ת (of the fear) אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (of God). 16  וְ֠גַם (And also) בִּמְלֶ֜אכֶת (in the work) הַחוֹמָ֤ה (of the wall) הַזֹּאת֙ (this) הֶחֱזַ֔קְתִּי (I held fast), וְשָׂדֶ֖ה (and any land) לֹ֣א (not) קָנִ֑ינוּ (we did buy). וְכָל־ (And all) נְעָרַ֔י (my servants) קְבוּצִ֥ים (were gathered) שָׁ֖ם (there) עַל־ (for) הַמְּלָאכָֽה׃ (the work).

17  וְהַיְּהוּדִ֨ים (And the Jews) וְהַסְּגָנִ֜ים (and the prefects), מֵאָ֧ה (a hundred) וַחֲמִשִּׁ֣ים (and fifty) אִ֗ישׁ (men), וְהַבָּאִ֥ים (and those coming in) אֵלֵ֛ינוּ (to us) מִן־ (from) הַגּוֹיִ֥ם (the nations) אֲשֶׁר־ (that were) סְבִיבֹתֵ֖ינוּ (around us), עַל־ (were at) שֻׁלְחָנִֽי׃ (my table). 18  וַאֲשֶׁר֩ (And that which) הָיָ֨ה (was) נַעֲשֶׂ֜ה (prepared) לְי֣וֹם (day) אֶחָ֗ד (for one) שׁ֣וֹר (was ox) אֶחָ֞ד (one), צֹ֠אן (and sheep) שֵׁשׁ־ (six) בְּרֻר֤וֹת (choice), וְצִפֳּרִים֙ (and fowl) נַֽעֲשׂוּ־ (prepared) לִ֔י (for me), וּבֵ֨ין (and once every) עֲשֶׂ֧רֶת (ten) יָמִ֛ים (days), בְּכָל־ (all kinds) יַ֖יִן (of wine) לְהַרְבֵּ֑ה (in abundance). וְעִם־ (And with) זֶ֗ה (this), לֶ֤חֶם (the bread) הַפֶּחָה֙ (of the governor) לֹ֣א (not), בִקַּ֔שְׁתִּי (I did demand) כִּֽי־ (because) כָֽבְדָ֥ה (was heavy) הָעֲבֹדָ֖ה (the bondage) עַל־ (on) הָעָ֥ם (the people) הַזֶּֽה׃ (this).

19  זָכְרָה־ (Remember) לִּ֥י (me) אֱלֹהַ֖י (O my God), לְטוֹבָ֑ה (for good), כֹּ֥ל (all) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) עָשִׂ֖יתִי (I have done) עַל־ (for) הָעָ֥ם (the people) הַזֶּֽה׃פ (this).