| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brethren. | 1There was a widespread outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish countrymen. |
| 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.” | 2Some were saying, "We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live." |
| 3There were also some who said, “We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses, that we might buy grain because of the famine.” | 3Others were saying, "We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain during the famine." |
| 4There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards. | 4Still others were saying, "We have borrowed money to pay the king's tax on our fields and vineyards. |
| 5Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and 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." |
| 6And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. | 6I became extremely angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. |
| 7After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, “Each of you is exacting usury from his brother.” So I called a great assembly against them. | 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 |
| 8And I said to them, “According to our ability we have redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?” Then they were silenced and found nothing to say. | 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. |
| 9Then I said, “What 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? | 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? |
| 10I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury! | 10Even I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop charging this interest. |
| 11Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them.” | 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." |
| 12So they said, “We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we will do as you say.” Then I called the priests, and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise. | 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. |
| 13Then I shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said, “Amen!” and praised the LORD. Then the people did according to this promise. | 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. |
| 14Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s provisions. | 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. |
| 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. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God. | 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. |
| 16Indeed, I also continued the work on this wall, and we did not buy any land. All my servants were gathered there for the work. | 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. |
| 17And at my table were one hundred and fifty Jews and rulers, besides those who came to us from the nations around us. | 17There were 150 Jews and officials, as well as guests from the surrounding nations at my table. |
| 18Now that which was prepared daily was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine. Yet in spite of this I did not demand the governor’s provisions, because the bondage was heavy on this people. | 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. |
| 19Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people. | 19Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people. |
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