| Holman Christian Standard Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1There was a widespread outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish countrymen. | 1Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. |
| 2Some were saying, "We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live." | 2For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.” |
| 3Others were saying, "We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain during the famine." | 3There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine.” |
| 4Still others were saying, "We have borrowed money to pay the king's tax on our fields and vineyards. | 4And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. |
| 5We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others." | 5Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.” |
| 6I became extremely angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. | 6I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. |
| 7After seriously considering the matter, I accused the nobles and officials, saying to them, "Each of you is charging his countrymen interest." So I called a large assembly against them | 7I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them |
| 8and said, "We have done our best to buy back our Jewish countrymen who were sold to foreigners, but now you sell your own countrymen, and we have to buy them back." They remained silent and could not say a word. | 8and said to them, “We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say. |
| 9Then I said, "What you are doing isn't right. Shouldn't you walk in the fear of our God and not invite the reproach of our foreign enemies? | 9So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? |
| 10Even I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop charging this interest. | 10Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. |
| 11Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses to them immediately, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and olive oil that you have been assessing them." | 11Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” |
| 12They responded: "We will return these things and require nothing more from them. We will do as you say." So I summoned the priests and made everyone take an oath to do this. | 12Then they said, “We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised. |
| 13I also shook the folds of my robe and said, "May God likewise shake from his house and property everyone who doesn't keep this promise. May he be shaken out and have nothing!" The whole assembly said, "Amen," and they praised the LORD. Then the people did as they had promised. | 13I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised. |
| 14Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah--from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, 12 years--I and my associates never ate from the food allotted to the governor. | 14Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. |
| 15The governors who preceded me had heavily burdened the people, taking food and wine from them, as well as a pound of silver. Their subordinates also oppressed the people, but I didn't do this, because of the fear of God. | 15The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. |
| 16Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall, and all my subordinates were gathered there for the work. We didn't buy any land. | 16I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. |
| 17There were 150 Jews and officials, as well as guests from the surrounding nations at my table. | 17Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. |
| 18Each day, one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me. An abundance of all kinds of wine was provided every 10 days. But I didn't demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy. | 18Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. |
| 19Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people. | 19Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people. |
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