1 There arose a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.

And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

2 Some were saying, 'We, along with our sons and daughters, are numerous. Let us get grain that we may eat and stay alive.'

For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.

3 Others were saying, 'We have had to mortgage our fields, vineyards, and houses to get grain during the famine.'

Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.

4 Still others were saying, 'We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.'

There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

5 'Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Israelites, and our children are just like theirs, we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, and we are powerless to do anything about it, since our fields and vineyards now belong to others.'

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

6 When I heard their outcry and these words, I became extremely angry.

And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.

7 I took counsel with myself, and then I confronted the nobles and officials, saying to them, 'You are exacting interest from your own people!' So I called together a large assembly to deal with them.

Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.

8 I said to them, 'We have redeemed our fellow Jews who were sold to the nations, as much as we were able. Now, you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!' They stayed silent, unable to say a word.

And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.

9 Then I said, 'What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of the nations, our enemies?'

Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?

10 I and my brothers and my men are also lending money and grain, but let us stop charging interest on them.

I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

11 Return to them this very day their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses, as well as the interest you are charging them—on the money, grain, new wine, and olive oil.

Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.

12 'We will give it back,' they responded, 'and we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.' Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised.

Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.

13 I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, 'May God likewise shake out every man who does not uphold this promise from his home and his possessions. Let him be shaken out and left empty!' The entire assembly said, 'Amen,' and they praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.

Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.

14 Moreover, from the day I was appointed to be governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.

Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.

15 The former governors who were before me placed heavy burdens on the people, taking food and wine from them, in addition to forty shekels of silver. Even their servants oppressed the people. But because of the fear of God, I did not act like that.

But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.

16 Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. We did not acquire any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work.

Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.

17 Moreover, there were at my table one hundred and fifty Jews and officials, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations.

Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.

18 Each day, one ox, six choice sheep, and some birds were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundance of wine of all kinds. Despite this, I did not demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was heavy.

Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

19 Remember me with favor, O my God, for all that I have done for these people.

Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.