¹Et factus est clamor populiAnd there occurred a great outcry of the people and their wives against their brothers,et uxorum ejus magnus adversus fratres suos Judæos.the Jews.

¹Et factus est clamor populiAnd there occurred a great outcry of the people and their wives against their brothers,et uxorum ejus magnus adversus fratres suos Judæos.the Jews.

²Et erant qui dicerent: Filii nostri et filiæ nostræ multæ sunt nimis:And there were those who were saying: “Our sons and our daughters are very many.accipiamus pro pretio eorum frumentum,Let us receive grain as a price for them,et comedamus, et vivamus.and then we may eat and live.”

²Et erant qui dicerent: Filii nostri et filiæ nostræ multæ sunt nimis:And there were those who were saying: “Our sons and our daughters are very many.accipiamus pro pretio eorum frumentum,Let us receive grain as a price for them,et comedamus, et vivamus.and then we may eat and live.”

³Et erant qui dicerent:And there were those who were saying:Agros nostros,“Let us offer up our fieldset vineas,and vineyards,et domus nostras opponamus,and our houses,et accipiamus frumentum in fame.and then we may receive grain during the famine.”

³Et erant qui dicerent:And there were those who were saying:Agros nostros,“Let us offer up our fieldset vineas,and vineyards,et domus nostras opponamus,and our houses,et accipiamus frumentum in fame.and then we may receive grain during the famine.”

⁴Et alii dicebant:And others were saying:Mutuo sumamus pecunias in tributa regis,“Let us borrow money for the tribute of the king,demusque agros nostros et vineas:and let us surrender our fields and vineyards.”

⁴Et alii dicebant:And others were saying:Mutuo sumamus pecunias in tributa regis,“Let us borrow money for the tribute of the king,demusque agros nostros et vineas:and let us surrender our fields and vineyards.”

⁵et nunc sicut carnes fratrum nostrorum,“And now, as is the flesh of our brothers,sic carnes nostræ sunt:so is our flesh;et sicut filii eorum,and as are their sons,ita et filii nostri:so also are our sons.ecce nos subjugamus filios nostros et filias nostras in servitutem,Behold, we have subjugated our sons and our daughters into servitude,et de filiabus nostris sunt famulæ,and some of our daughters are slaves,nec habemus unde possint redimi:nor do we have the ability to redeem them,et agros nostros et vineas nostras alii possident.for others possess our fields and our vineyards.”

⁵et nunc sicut carnes fratrum nostrorum,“And now, as is the flesh of our brothers,sic carnes nostræ sunt:so is our flesh;et sicut filii eorum,and as are their sons,ita et filii nostri:so also are our sons.ecce nos subjugamus filios nostros et filias nostras in servitutem,Behold, we have subjugated our sons and our daughters into servitude,et de filiabus nostris sunt famulæ,and some of our daughters are slaves,nec habemus unde possint redimi:nor do we have the ability to redeem them,et agros nostros et vineas nostras alii possident.for others possess our fields and our vineyards.”

⁶Et iratus sum nimis cum audissem clamorem eorum secundum verba hæc:And when I had heard their outcry in these words, I was exceedingly angry.

⁶Et iratus sum nimis cum audissem clamorem eorum secundum verba hæc:And when I had heard their outcry in these words, I was exceedingly angry.

⁷cogitavitque cor meum mecum,And my heart considered within me.et increpavi optimates et magistratus,And I rebuked the nobles and the magistrates,et dixi eis:and I said to them,Usurasne singuli a fratribus vestris exigitis?“Have you each been exacting usury from your brothers?”Et congregavi adversum eos concionem magnam,And I gathered together a great assembly against them.

⁷cogitavitque cor meum mecum,And my heart considered within me.et increpavi optimates et magistratus,And I rebuked the nobles and the magistrates,et dixi eis:and I said to them,Usurasne singuli a fratribus vestris exigitis?“Have you each been exacting usury from your brothers?”Et congregavi adversum eos concionem magnam,And I gathered together a great assembly against them.

⁸et dixi eis: Nos,And I said to them:ut scitis,“As you know,redemimus fratres nostros Judæos,in accord with what was possible for us,qui venditi fuerant gentibus secundum possibilitatem nostram:we have redeemed our brothers, the Jews, who had been sold to the Gentiles.et vos igitur vendetis fratres vestros, et redimemus eos?And yet you now sell your brothers, and we must redeem them?”Et siluerunt,And they were silent,nec invenerunt quid responderent.nor did they find anything to answer.

⁸et dixi eis: Nos,And I said to them:ut scitis,“As you know,redemimus fratres nostros Judæos,in accord with what was possible for us,qui venditi fuerant gentibus secundum possibilitatem nostram:we have redeemed our brothers, the Jews, who had been sold to the Gentiles.et vos igitur vendetis fratres vestros, et redimemus eos?And yet you now sell your brothers, and we must redeem them?”Et siluerunt,And they were silent,nec invenerunt quid responderent.nor did they find anything to answer.

⁹Dixique ad eos:And I said to them:Non est bona res quam facitis:“The thing that you are doing is not good.quare non in timore Dei nostri ambulastis,Why are you not walking in the fear of our God,ne exprobretur nobis a gentibus inimicis nostris?so that there may be no reproach against us from our enemies, the Gentiles?

⁹Dixique ad eos:And I said to them:Non est bona res quam facitis:“The thing that you are doing is not good.quare non in timore Dei nostri ambulastis,Why are you not walking in the fear of our God,ne exprobretur nobis a gentibus inimicis nostris?so that there may be no reproach against us from our enemies, the Gentiles?

¹⁰Et ego,Both I and my brothers,et fratres mei,with my servants,et pueri mei commodavimus plurimis pecuniam et frumentum.have lent money and grain to many.Non repetamus in commune istud:Let us agree not to ask for its return.æs alienum concedamus quod debetur nobis.Let us forgive the other money that is owed to us.

¹⁰Et ego,Both I and my brothers,et fratres mei,with my servants,et pueri mei commodavimus plurimis pecuniam et frumentum.have lent money and grain to many.Non repetamus in commune istud:Let us agree not to ask for its return.æs alienum concedamus quod debetur nobis.Let us forgive the other money that is owed to us.

¹¹Reddite eis hodie agros suos,On this day, restore their fields,et vineas suas,and their vineyards,et oliveta sua,and their olive groves,et domos suas:and their houses to them.quin potius et centesimum pecuniæ,Then, too, the hundredth part of the money,frumenti,and of the grain,vini et olei,wine, and oil,quam exigere soletis ab eis,which you usually exact from them,date pro illis.give it to them.”

¹¹Reddite eis hodie agros suos,On this day, restore their fields,et vineas suas,and their vineyards,et oliveta sua,and their olive groves,et domos suas:and their houses to them.quin potius et centesimum pecuniæ,Then, too, the hundredth part of the money,frumenti,and of the grain,vini et olei,wine, and oil,quam exigere soletis ab eis,which you usually exact from them,date pro illis.give it to them.”

¹²Et dixerunt: Reddemus,And they said: “We will restore it,et ab eis nihil quæremus:and we will require nothing from them.sicque faciemus ut loqueris.And we will do just as you say.” And I called the priests,Et vocavi sacerdotes,and I had them swear an oath,et adjuravi eos ut facerent juxta quod dixeram.so that they would act in accord with what I had said.

¹²Et dixerunt: Reddemus,And they said: “We will restore it,et ab eis nihil quæremus:and we will require nothing from them.sicque faciemus ut loqueris.And we will do just as you say.” And I called the priests,Et vocavi sacerdotes,and I had them swear an oath,et adjuravi eos ut facerent juxta quod dixeram.so that they would act in accord with what I had said.

¹³Insuper excussi sinum meum,Moreover, I shook out my lap,et dixi:and I said:Sic excutiat Deus omnem virum qui non compleverit verbum istud,“So may God shake out every man, who does not fulfill this word.de domo sua, et de laboribus suis:From his house and from his labors,sic excutiatur, et vacuus fiat.so may he be shaken out and become empty.”Et dixit universa multitudo:And the entire multitude said, “Amen.”Amen: et laudaverunt Deum.And they praised God. Therefore,Fecit ergo populus sicut erat dictum.the people acted in accord with what was said.

¹³Insuper excussi sinum meum,Moreover, I shook out my lap,et dixi:and I said:Sic excutiat Deus omnem virum qui non compleverit verbum istud,“So may God shake out every man, who does not fulfill this word.de domo sua, et de laboribus suis:From his house and from his labors,sic excutiatur, et vacuus fiat.so may he be shaken out and become empty.”Et dixit universa multitudo:And the entire multitude said, “Amen.”Amen: et laudaverunt Deum.And they praised God. Therefore,Fecit ergo populus sicut erat dictum.the people acted in accord with what was said.

¹⁴A die autem illa,Now from that day,qua præceperat rex mihi ut essem dux in terra Juda,on which the king had ordered me to be governor in the land of Judah,ab anno vigesimo usque ad annum trigesimum secundum Artaxerxis regis per annos duodecim,from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of king Artaxerxes,egofor twelve years,et fratres mei annonas quæ ducibus debebantur non comedimus.I and my brothers did not eat the yearly allowance that was owed to the governors.

¹⁴A die autem illa,Now from that day,qua præceperat rex mihi ut essem dux in terra Juda,on which the king had ordered me to be governor in the land of Judah,ab anno vigesimo usque ad annum trigesimum secundum Artaxerxis regis per annos duodecim,from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of king Artaxerxes,egofor twelve years,et fratres mei annonas quæ ducibus debebantur non comedimus.I and my brothers did not eat the yearly allowance that was owed to the governors.

¹⁵Duces autem primi,But the former governors,qui fuerant ante me,the ones who had been before me,gravaverunt populum,were a burden to the people,et acceperunt ab eis in pane,and they took from them breadet vino,and wine,et pecunia,and forty shekels of money each day.quotidie siclos quadraginta:And their officials also oppressed the people.sed et ministri eorum depresserunt populum.But I did not do so,Ego autem non feci ita propter timorem Dei:out of fear of God.

¹⁵Duces autem primi,But the former governors,qui fuerant ante me,the ones who had been before me,gravaverunt populum,were a burden to the people,et acceperunt ab eis in pane,and they took from them breadet vino,and wine,et pecunia,and forty shekels of money each day.quotidie siclos quadraginta:And their officials also oppressed the people.sed et ministri eorum depresserunt populum.But I did not do so,Ego autem non feci ita propter timorem Dei:out of fear of God.

¹⁶quin potius in opere muri ædificavi,In fact, I preferred to build in the work of the wall,et agrum non emi,and I bought no land,et omnes pueri mei congregati ad opus erant.and all my servants were gathered to do the work.

¹⁶quin potius in opere muri ædificavi,In fact, I preferred to build in the work of the wall,et agrum non emi,and I bought no land,et omnes pueri mei congregati ad opus erant.and all my servants were gathered to do the work.

¹⁷Judæi quoque et magistratus centum quinquaginta viri,Likewise, the Jews and the magistrates, one hundred and fifty men,et qui veniebant ad nos de gentibus quæ in circuitu nostro sunt, in mensa mea erant.were at my table, with those who came to us from among the Gentiles that are around us.

¹⁷Judæi quoque et magistratus centum quinquaginta viri,Likewise, the Jews and the magistrates, one hundred and fifty men,et qui veniebant ad nos de gentibus quæ in circuitu nostro sunt, in mensa mea erant.were at my table, with those who came to us from among the Gentiles that are around us.

¹⁸Parabatur autem mihi per dies singulos bos unus,Now there was prepared for me,arietes sex electi,on each day,exceptis volatilibus,one ox and six choice rams,et inter dies decem vina diversa,along with poultry.et alia multa tribuebam:And once every ten days,insuperI distributed diverse wines and many other things.et annonas ducatus mei non quæsivi:Yet I did not require my yearly allowance as governor.valde enim attenuatus erat populus.For the people were greatly impoverished.

¹⁸Parabatur autem mihi per dies singulos bos unus,Now there was prepared for me,arietes sex electi,on each day,exceptis volatilibus,one ox and six choice rams,et inter dies decem vina diversa,along with poultry.et alia multa tribuebam:And once every ten days,insuperI distributed diverse wines and many other things.et annonas ducatus mei non quæsivi:Yet I did not require my yearly allowance as governor.valde enim attenuatus erat populus.For the people were greatly impoverished.

¹⁹Memento mei,Remember me,Deus meus,O my God,in bonum,for good,secundum omnia quæ feci populo huic.in accord with all that I have done for this people.

¹⁹Memento mei,Remember me,Deus meus,O my God,in bonum,for good,secundum omnia quæ feci populo huic.in accord with all that I have done for this people.