5:1 百姓和他们的妻子大大呼号，埋怨他们的弟兄犹大人。
And there was a great cry of the people and their wives against their brothers the Jews,
5:2 有的说，我们和儿女人口众多，要去得粮食吃饱活命；
For there were some who said, With our sons and our daughters we are many; therefore we must get grain that we may eat and live.
5:3 有的说，我们典了田地、葡萄园、房屋，要在饥荒中得粮食；
And there were some who said, We have pledged our fields and our vineyards and our houses that we might get grain in this famine.
5:4 有的说，我们已经用田地、葡萄园作抵押，借了钱给王纳税。
And there were some who said, We have borrowed money against our fields and our vineyards for the king's tribute.
5:5 其实我们的肉身与我们弟兄的肉身一样，我们的儿女与他们的儿女一般；看哪，我们将要使儿女作人的仆婢。我们的女儿已有为婢的；我们无力拯救，因为我们的田地、葡萄园，已经归了别人。
Yet now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children; and now we are bringing our sons and daughters into bondage as slaves. And some of our daughters have already been brought into bondage; and it is not in our power to deliver them, for our fields and vineyards belong to others.
5:6 我听见他们的呼号和这些话，便甚发怒。
And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
5:7 我心里筹画了，就斥责贵胄和官长，说，你们各人竟向自己的弟兄索取利息！于是我安排大会攻击他们。
And when I had considered this matter in my heart, I rebuked the nobles and the rulers and said to them, You men are charging interest, each man against his brother! And I set a great assembly against them.
5:8 我对他们说，我们尽力赎回了我们的弟兄，就是卖与外邦的犹大人；你们还要卖弟兄，使我们赎回来么？他们静默不语，无话可答。
And I said to them, We have bought back our brothers the Jews who have been sold to the nations according to the best of our ability. So would you even sell your brothers that they would have to be sold back to us? And they held their peace and could find not a word to answer.
5:9 我又说，你们所行的不善。为着避免我们仇敌外邦人的毁谤，你们行事不当敬畏我们的神么？
Then I said, The thing that 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?
5:10 我和我的弟兄与仆人也将银钱粮食借给百姓；我们大家都放弃收取利息罢。
And even I, my brothers, and my servants lend them money and grain. Let us now abandon such taking of interest.
5:11 如今我劝你们将他们的田地、葡萄园、橄榄园、房屋，并向他们所取的银钱、粮食、新酒和新油，百分之一的利息，都归还他们。
Restore now to them, as of today, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, as well as the hundredth part of the money and of the grain, new wine, and fresh oil that you charge them as interest.
5:12 众人说，我们必归还，不向他们索要，必照你所说的去行。我就召了祭司来，叫众人起誓，必照着所应许的去行。
And they said, We will restore it, and we will require nothing from them; so will we do, even as you say. Then I called for the priests and took an oath from them that they would do according to this promise.
5:13 我也抖着胸前的衣襟，说，凡不成就这应许的，愿神照样抖他离开家产和他劳碌得来的，直到抖空了。会众都说，阿们；又赞美耶和华。百姓就照着所应许的去行。
I also shook out the lap of my garment and said, May God shake out in the same way every man from his house and from his possessions who does not perform this promise; even so may he be shaken out and emptied. And all the assembly said, Amen; and they praised Jehovah. And the people acted according to this promise.
5:14 自从王派我作犹大地的省长，就是从亚达薛西王二十年，直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我与我弟兄都没有吃省长的奉禄。
Moreover from the time that the king appointed me to be governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, I and my brothers did not eat the food appointed for the governor.
5:15 在我以前的省长加重百姓的担子，除了征收银子四十舍客勒以外，又索要粮食和酒，就是他们的仆人也辖制百姓；但我因敬畏神，不这样行。
But the former governors, who were before me, laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them food and wine, besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants tyrannized the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God.
5:16 并且我坚定持续作城墙的工，并没有置买田地；我的仆人也都聚集在那里作工。
And I also applied myself to the work on this wall. And we did not acquire fields, and all my servants were gathered there for the work.
5:17 除了从四围外邦中到我们这里来的人以外，有犹大平民和官长一百五十人，在我席上吃饭。
And there were at my table one hundred fifty men, Jews and rulers, besides those who came to us from the nations that surrounded us.
5:18 每日豫备的有一只公牛，六只肥羊，又为我豫备一些飞禽；每十日一次，多豫备各样的酒。虽然如此，我并不要省长的奉禄，因为百姓服役甚重。
And what was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowl was prepared for me, as well as all kinds of wine in abundance every ten days. Yet for this I did not demand the food appointed for the governor, for the service was heavy upon this people.
5:19 我的神阿，求你记念我为这百姓所行的一切事，以善待我。
Remember me, O my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.
微信加好友“xcx381112”，可每天在朋友圈收到当天的读经内容。更多内容：www.thedoorofsheep.com/每日读经
Comentarii