| New American Standard Bible 1995 | International Standard Version |
| 1Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. | 1Now the people along with their spouses complained loudly against their fellow Jews, |
| 2For there were those who said, "We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live." | 2because certain of them kept claiming, "Since we have so many sons and daughters, we must get some grain so we can eat and survive." |
| 3There were others who said, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses that we might get grain because of the famine." | 3Others were saying, "We're having to mortgage our fields, our vineyards, and our homes so we can buy grain during this famine." |
| 4Also there were those who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards. | 4Still others were saying "We've borrowed money against our fields and vineyards to pay the king's taxes. |
| 5"Now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others." | 5Now our bodies are no different than the bodies of our relatives, and our children are like their children. Nevertheless, we're about to force our sons and daughters into slavery, and some of our daughters are already in bondage. It's beyond our power to do anything about it, because our fields and vineyards belong to others." |
| 6Then I was very angry when I had heard their outcry and these words. | 6I became very livid when I heard their complaining and these charges. |
| 7I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, "You are exacting usury, each from his brother!" Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. | 7So after thinking it over carefully, I accused the officials and nobles openly, "Every one of you is charging your fellow countrymen interest!" So I opened a public investigation against them. |
| 8I said to them, "We according to our ability have redeemed 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. | 8I accused them, "To the best of our ability, we've been buying back our fellow Jews who had been sold to foreigners. Even now you're selling your fellow countrymen, only for them to be sold back to us!" They kept quiet and never spoke a word. |
| 9Again I said, "The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? | 9So I said, "What you're doing isn't right! Shouldn't you live in the fear of our God to avoid shame from our foreign enemies? |
| 10"And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury. | 10I'm also lending money and grain, as are my fellow-Jews and my servants, but let's not charge interest. |
| 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." | 11So today please restore to them their fields, vineyards, olive orchards, and homes, along with the one percent interest charge that you've assessed them on the grain, wine, and oil." |
| 12Then they said, "We will give it back and will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say." So I called the priests and took an oath from them that they would do according to this promise. | 12They responded, "We will restore these things, and will assess no interest charges against them. We will do what you are requesting!" So I called the priests and made them take an oath to fulfill this promise. |
| 13I also shook out the front of my garment and said, "Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this promise; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied." And all the assembly said, "Amen!" And they praised the LORD. Then the people did according to this promise. | 13I also shook my robes, and said, "May God shake out every man from his house and his possessions who does not keep this promise. May he be emptied out and shaken just like this." All the assembly said, "Amen!" and praised the LORD. And the people kept their promise. |
| 14Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the governor's food allowance. | 14In addition, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah (that is, during the twelve years from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes), neither I nor my relatives relied on the provisions allotted to the governor. |
| 15But the former governors who were before me laid 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 because of the fear of God. | 15Nevertheless, the former governors before me placed a heavy burden on the people. They received food and wine, plus a tax of 40 shekels of silver. Even their young men took advantage of the people, but I never did so because I feared God. |
| 16I 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. | 16Also, as I continued to work on the wall, we purchased no land, and all of my young men were employed in the work. |
| 17Moreover, there were at my table one hundred and fifty Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. | 17I fed 150 Jews and officials every day, not counting those who came from the nations around us. |
| 18Now that 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 I did not demand the governor's food allowance, because the servitude was heavy on this people. | 18Our daily requirements were one ox and six choice sheep, along with various kinds of poultry prepared for me. Every ten days there was a delivery of an abundant supply of wine. Despite all this, I refused the governor's allotment, because demands on the people were heavy. |
| 19Remember me, O my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people. | 19"Remember me with favor, my God, for everything I've done for this people." |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
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