Oppression of the Poor
1 Some time later many of the people, both men and women, began to complain against the other Jews. 2 Some said, “We have large families, we need grain to keep us alive.”
3 Others said, “We have had to mortgage our fields and vineyards and houses to get enough grain to keep us from starving.”
4 Still others said, “We had to borrow money to pay the royal tax on our fields and vineyards. 5 We are of the same race as the other Jews. Aren't our children just as good as theirs? But we have to make slaves of our children. Some of our daughters have already been sold as slaves. We are helpless because our fields and vineyards have been taken away from us.”
6 When I heard their complaints, I grew angry 7 and decided to act. I denounced the leaders and officials of the people and told them, “You are oppressing your own relatives!”
I called a public assembly to deal with the problem 8 and said, “As far as we have been able, we have been buying back our Jewish relatives who had to sell themselves to foreigners. Now you are forcing your own relatives to sell themselves to you, their own people!” The leaders were silent and could find nothing to say.
9 Then I said, “What you are doing is wrong! You ought to obey God and do what's right. Then you would not give our enemies, the Gentiles, any reason to ridicule us. 10 I have let the people borrow money and grain from me, and so have my companions and those who work for me. Now let's give up all our claims to repayment. 11 Cancel all the debts they owe you—money or grain or wine or olive oil. And give them back their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses right now!”
12 The leaders replied, “We'll do as you say. We'll give the property back and not try to collect the debts.”
I called in the priests and made the leaders swear in front of them to keep the promise they had just made. 13 Then I took off the sash I was wearing around my waist and shook it out. “This is how God will shake any of you who don't keep your promise,” I said. “God will take away your houses and everything you own, and will leave you with nothing.”
Everyone who was present said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord. And the leaders kept their promise.
Nehemiah's Unselfishness
14 During all the twelve years that I was governor of the land of Judah, from the twentieth year that Artaxerxes was emperor until his thirty-second year, neither my relatives nor I ate the food I was entitled to have as governor. 15 Every governor who had been in office before me had been a burden to the people and had demanded forty silver coins a day for food and wine. Even their servants had oppressed the people. But I acted differently, because I honored God. 16 I put all my energy into rebuilding the wall and did not acquire any property. Everyone who worked for me joined in the rebuilding. 17 I regularly fed at my table a hundred and fifty of the Jewish people and their leaders, besides all the people who came to me from the surrounding nations. 18 Every day I served one beef, six of the best sheep, and many chickens, and every ten days I provided a fresh supply of wine. But I knew what heavy burdens the people had to bear, and so I did not claim the allowance that the governor is entitled to.
19 I pray you, O God, remember to my credit everything that I have done for this 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.
