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.
Nehemia ta pupaleke omutengi woikolo yeehepele
1 Ndele ovafyoona novakainhu vavo va popyaana pombada ovakwao Ovajuda; 2 ndele vamwe tava ti: “Fye tu nokuyandja ovana vetu ovamati noukadona ombabyona opo tu mone oilya tu lye tu kale nomwenyo!” 3 Ndele vakwao tava ti: “Fye twa li tu nokuyandja omapya noikokola yetu yomiviinyu neengulu detu ombabyona, tu dule okulanda oilya mondjala!” 4 Ndele vamwe vali tava ti: “Fye otwa yandja omapya etu noikokola yetu yomiviinyu eengele tu mone oimaliwa yefendelo lohamba. 5 Ndele paife; omalutu etu e li ngaashi omalutu ovakwetu novana vetu ve li ngaho ngaashi ovana vavo, ndele nande ongaha, fye tu nokuyandja ovana vetu ovamati noukadona va ninge ovapika ndele novana vetu oukadona va ninga nokuli ovapika, ndele hatu nyengwa okuninga sha moshinima osho. Nomapya etu noikokola yetu yomiviinyu ya ninga yovanhu vamwe.” 6 Ndele eshi nda uda omakemo avo neendjovo odo, ame nda handuka unene. 7 Ndele nda diladila momwenyo wange ndele nda twifa ovanamadina novakomesho eemhata ndele handi ti kuvo: “Mokuyandja eengele nye otamu nyeka mokutambula oishoshela keshe umwe kumukwao.” Naame onde va shivila oshiongalele shinene, 8 ndele handi ti kuvo: “Paenghono detu twa kulila Ovajuda vakwetu, ovo va landwa po kovapaani. Ndele nye otamu landifa po ovamwaxo, vo ove nokulilandifa po kufye?” Ndele vo ova mwena, va nyengwa okunyamukula sha. 9 Ndele nde va lombwela vali: “Osho mwe shi ninga, inashi wapala. Ndishi mu nokweenda metilo laKalunga ketu nokuli omolwesheko lovapaani, ovatondadi vetu? 10 Ame mwene yo noovakwetu novapiya vange, otwa yandja kuvo oimaliwa noilya eengele. Tu dimeni po oikolo oyo! 11 Hano nena nokuli va alulileni omapya avo, oikokola yavo yomiviinyu, omiti davo deemono neengulu davo noshitukulwa oshitifele shomoimaliwa yavo noshomoilya yavo noshomomaviinyu noshomomaadi, oyo mwe i va pa eengele.” 12 Opo nee vo tava ti: “Fye ohatu ke shi va alulila ndele itatu fininike sha kuvo. Fye ohatu ka ninga ngaashi ove we tu lombwela.” Ndele nda ifana ovapristeli ndele nde va anifa va ninge pandjovo oyo. 13 Ndele nda tukumuna yo oshikutu shange ndele handi ti: “Kalunga na tukumune omulumenhu keshe ou ita wanifa ondjovo tuu ei, meumbo laye nomwaashi e shi kwete. Ndele na tukumunwe ngaha a kale ehe na sha!” Opo nee oshiongalele ashishe tashi ti: “Amen!” Ndele va hambelela Omwene, novanhu va ninga pandjovo ei.
14 Okudja kefiku linya nda tulwa po ndi ninge omupangeli wavo moshilongo shaJuda, okomudo omutimilongo mbali fiyo okomudo omutimilongo nhatu nomutivali wohamba Artasasta, oule womido omulongo nambali, ame novamwatate inatu lya oikulya yovapangeli. 15 Osheshi ovapangeli ovo va tetekela nge, ova djuupaleka unene oshiwana ndele va kufa kusho oikulya nomaviinyu avo nosho yo eesekeli omilongo nhee doshisiliveli. Ovapiya vavo yo ova hepeka oshiwana, ndelenee ame inandi shi ninga omolwetilo lokutila Kalunga. 16 Ndele ame mwene yo nda li moshilonga shokutunga ohote nomutima aushe. Inatu lilandela epya. Novapiya vange aveshe va ongala poilonga. 17 NOvajuda ovakomesho ovalumenhu efele nomilongo nhano naavenya va dja kovapaani vomoushiinda ve uya kwaame, ova li koshililo shange.
18 Ndele osho sha longekidwa efiku keshe: Ongobe imwe, eedi hamano da ondolwa needila, oda longekidwa pakufuta kwange, ndele efiku etimulongo keshe omaviinyu e lili nae lili mahapu unene. Ndele inandi pula eendja tadi pewa ovapangeli, shaashi oshilonga sha djuupaleka unene ovanhu ava. 19 Kalunga kange, dimbulukwa ashishe osho nda ningila ovanhu ava, shi etele nge ouwa.
