Nehemiah's Concern for the Poor
1 Some of the men and their wives complained about the Jews in power 2 and said, “We have large families, and it takes a lot of grain merely to keep us alive.”
3 Others said, “During the famine we even had to mortgage our fields, vineyards, and homes to them in order to buy grain.”
4 Then others said, “We had to borrow money from those in power to pay the government tax on our fields and vineyards. 5 We are Jews just as they are, and our children are as good as theirs. But we still have to sell our children as slaves, and some of our daughters have already been raped. We are completely helpless; our fields and vineyards have even been taken from us.”
6 When I heard their complaints and their charges, I became very angry. 7 So I thought it over and said to the leaders and officials, “How can you charge your own people interest?”
Then I called a public meeting and accused the leaders 8 by saying, “We have tried to buy back all of our people who were sold into exile. But here you are, selling more of them for us to buy back!” The officials and leaders did not say a word, because they knew this was true.
9 I continued, “What you have done is wrong! We must honor our God by the way we live, so the Gentiles can't find fault with us. 10 My relatives, my friends, and I are also lending money and grain, but we must no longer demand payment in return. 11 Now give back the fields, vineyards, olive orchards, and houses you have taken and also the interest you have been paid.”
12 The leaders answered, “We will do whatever you say and return their property, without asking to be repaid.”
So I made the leaders promise in front of the priests to give back the property. 13 Then I emptied my pockets and said, “If you don't keep your promise, that's what God will do to you. He will empty out everything you own, even taking away your houses.”
The people answered, “We will keep our promise.” Then they praised the Lord and did as they had promised.
Nehemiah Is Generous
14 I was governor of Judah from the twentieth year that Artaxerxes was king until the thirty-second year. And during these entire twelve years, my relatives and I refused to accept the food that I was allowed. 15 Each governor before me had been a burden to the people by making them pay for his food and wine and by demanding forty silver coins a day. Even their officials had been a burden to the people. But I respected God, and I didn't think it was right to be so hard on them. 16 I spent all my time getting the wall rebuilt and did not buy any property. Everyone working for me did the same thing. 17 I usually fed 150 of our own Jewish people and their leaders, as well as foreign visitors from surrounding lands. 18 Each day one ox, six of the best sheep, and lots of chickens were prepared. Then every ten days, a large supply of wine was brought in. I knew what a heavy burden this would have been for the people, and so I did not ask for my food allowance as governor.
19 I pray that God will bless me for everything I have done for my people.
Omaṋiṋikiziro wovasyona
1 Kombunda yoruveze rworive ovandu ovengi, ovarumendu novakazendu, va uta okuunaunina Ovajuda ovakwao. 2 Tjiva va tja nai: “Eṱe tu nomaṱunḓu omengi, matu hepa ovikurya mbya yenene kutja tuhupe.”
3 Ovakwao varwe va tja: “Eṱe twa sokupimbisa ehi romakunino nomivite vyetu, nozondjuwo zetu kovikokotwa mbya yenene kutja atu ha ṱondjara.”
4 Ovakwao varwe rukwao va tja nai: “Eṱe twa sokuyazema ovimariva tu sute na vyo otjisuta tjouhona mena rehi retu romakunino nomivite vyetu. 5 Oweṱe ovomuhoko umwe, imbwi wOvajuda ovakwetu. Ovanatje vetu kovasemba tjimuna imba vawo are? Nungwari eṱe twa ṋiṋikiziwa okuyandjera ovanatje vetu ve isiwe po ovakarere. Ovakazona vetu tjiva va randisiwa rukuru okurira ovakarere. Eṱe katu notjiṋa okutjita, nu twa yekwa ovikunino nomivite vyetu.”
6 Tji mba zuva omaunaunino wawo, mba pindika, 7 ne ripura okutjita otjiṋa. Ami nomambo mba vera ovanane novahongore votjiwaṋa ne ve raere nai: “Eṋe mamu ṋiṋikiza ovakweṋu!”
Mba woronganisa ovandu avehe kutja tu ripure otjiṋa hi, 8 ne tja ku wo: “Otja pu twa yenenene twa randurura Ovajuda ovakwetu mbe rirandisire oveni kovandu wozonganda. Nungwari nambano eṋe mamu randisa ovakweṋu kutja eṱe tu ve randurure kombunda rukwao.” Imba ovanane va mwina, tjandje kave nembo okuhungira.
9 Tjazumba arire tji mba tja nai komurungu: “Imbi mbi mamu tjiti, kasemba. Eṋe mamu sokutira Ndjambi nokutjita imbi mbi ri ovisemba. Otji mu hi nokuyandjera ovanavita na eṱe, imba mbe he ri Ovajuda, kutja ve tu yamburure. 10 Ami na wina ovakwetu novarumendu mbe ndji ungurira twe ve yazema ovimariva novikokotwa. Nambano ngatu ṱokuvesa kutja ave ha sutu imbi mbi va yazema. 11 Ve isireye ozondjo azehe nḓu ve na zo ku eṋe, ovimariva poo ovikokotwa poo omavinu poo omaze womiṋinga. Nu ve yarurireye omahi wawo womakunino, nomivite nomiṋinga vyawo, nozondjuwo zawo tjimanga!”
12 Ovanane va zira ave tja: “Matu tjiti otja pu mo hee. Matu ve yarurire ouini, nu katu nokurora okukawonga inḓa ozondjo nḓu ve na zo ku eṱe.”
Kamanga otji mba isana ovapristeri, ne yanisire ovanane momurungu wawo kutja ve yenenise oruyano ndu va zu nokutjita nambano nai. 13 Tjazumba otji mba pukumuna otjikoro tjombanda yandje, ne tja nai: “Ndjambi wina nga pukumune momuhingo mbwi ngamwa auhe weṋu ngu hi nokuṱakamisa oruyano rwe; eye nga ise po ozondjuwo zeṋu notjiṋa ngamwa atjihe tji mu na tjo, nu e mu ese nokuhinotjiṋa.”
Avehe mba ri mbo, va tja nai: “Amen!”, nave tja Muhona nga tangwe. Novanane va ṱakamisa otuyano twawo.
Okuhinakurimuna omuini kwa Nehemia
14 Moure wozombura azehe omurongo na mbari nḓu mba ri ongooneya yehi ra Juda, okuza kombura ndji oitjamirongo vivari ouhona wa Artakerkes nga ku indji oitjamirongo vitatu na mbari, kapa ri ovazamumwe vandje poo ami omuini mbu twa rya ovikurya ami mbi mba pwire okukara na vyo otja ongooneya. 15 Ongooneya aihe ndja ri po komurungu wandje wa twire ko omutwaro omuzeu kotjiwaṋa, nu aa ningire ovimariva ovisilveri omirongo vine vyovikurya novyomavinu meyuva. Nangarire ovakarere vawo aave ṋiṋikiza otjiwaṋa. Nungwari ami mba tjita omuhingo warwe, tjinga amba tira Ndjambi. 16 Ami mba kondja tjinene okutungurura orumbo, nu hi randere ehi rouini wandje. Auhe ngwe ndji ungurira, twe rikuta kumwe motjiungura tjokutungurura. 17 Aruhe ee yandja ovikurya kOvajuda esere nomirongo vitano na kovanane vawo, kotjiriro tjandje puna ovandu avehe mbaa ve ya ku ami okuza koviwaṋa vyomahi nge tu kondoroka. 18 Eyuva arihe peke ee yandja onduwombe imwe, nozonḓu hamboumwe ozombwazombwa, nozohunguriva ozengi, nu meyuva oritjamurongo arihe ee yandja omavinu omape. Nungwari ee tjiwa imbwi ouzeu ovandu mbu va ri na wo, notji mbi ha ningirire otjiyandjewa ongooneya tje sokuningira.
19 Me kumbu kove, Ndjambi, ndji zemburukira ouwa auhe mbu mba tjitira otjiwaṋa hi.
