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.
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.
