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.
Eningililomo lyoohepele
1 Konima yaambika aantu oyendji, aalumentu naakiintu, oya tameke okungungutulila Aajuda ooyakwawo. 2 Yamwe oya ti: “Otu na aanona oyendji, otatu pumbwa iilya, tu paluthe omagumbo getu.”
3 Yamwe oya ti: “Otwa gandja omapya, iitsambe yomiviinu nomagumbo getu ombambyona, opo tu mone iilya twaa se ondjala.”
4 Yamwe ishewe oya ti: “Otwa hehela iimaliwa, opo tu fute oompale dhuuwa molwomapya niitsambe yetu yomiviinu. 5 Tse atuhe aantu yoludhi lumwe nAajuda ooyakwetu. Kape na eyooloko pokati kaana yetu noyawo. Ihe tse otu na okugandja po aana yetu, ya ninge aapika. Yamwe yomaana yetu aakadhona oya landithwa po nokuli ya ningi aapika. Ihe tse itatu vulu sha, oshoka omapya niitsambe yetu yomiviinu otwe yi yugwa.”
6 Ngame sho ndu uvu omayemato gawo, onda geye 7 e tandi tokola okuninga po sha. Onda nyenyetele aawiliki nomalenga goshigwana e tandi ya lombwele te ti: “Otamu hepeke unene aamwanyoko!”
Onda hiya oshigongi shaayehe, ya gongalele omukundu nguka 8 e te ti: “Sho twa kaleni sigo oompaka, otwa kulile Aajuda ooyakwetu mboka ya li ya landwa po kaapagani. Ndele nena ne otamu thiminike aamwanyoko, yi ilandithe po kune, kAajuda ooyakwawo!” Aawiliki oya mwena yo inaa tya we sha.
9 Onda ti: “Otamu ningi nayi! Omu na okutila Kalunga, ne mu longe shoka shu uka. Nena aatondi yetu aapagani itaa vulu oku tu sheka. 10 Ngame nooyakwetu naakalele yandje otwa gandja wo iimaliwa niilya kaantu. 11 Etheni oongunga adhihe ye dhi mu lile — iimaliwa nenge iilya nenge omaviinu nenge omagadhi gooholivi. Ya shunithileni wo mbala omapya, iitsambe yomiviinu, omiti dhomiolivi nomagumbo gawo!”
12 Aawiliki oya yamukula ya ti: “Tse atuhe otatu ningi shoka to ti. Tse otatu shunitha omaliko gawo, tse itatu ya pula we oongunga.”
Ondi ithana aayambi e tandi ganitha aawiliki montaneho yawo, ya dhiginine euvaneko ye li uvaneke. 13 Nena ondi ihula ongama yi na ondjato, nde yi shikumuna e te ti: “Kalunga osho ne mu shikumune ngeyi, ngele itamu gwanitha euvaneko lyeni. Ne mu kuthe omagumbo geni noshaa shoka mu shi na e te mu thigi pontundulu.”
Nena oshigongi ashihe osha ti: “Amen,” noya hambelele Omuwa. Aawiliki noya dhiginine euvaneko lyawo.
Okwaaihola kwaNehemia
14 Momimvo omulongo nambali ndhoka nda li omunashikandjo mevi lyaJuda, okuza komumvo omutimilongombali gwelelo lyomupangeli Artakserkses sigo okomumvo omutimilongondatu nambali gwelelo lye, tse nooyakwetu inatu lya iikulya yuunenentu. 15 Aanashikandjo ayehe mboka ya tetekela ndje, oya kala omutenge koshigwana. Oya li taa pula iimaliwa iisiliveli omilongo ne mesiku, ya lande iikulya nomaviinu. Aapiya yawo oya hepeke wo aathigona. Ihe ngame onda longo shi ililela, oshoka onda tila Kalunga. 16 Ondi itula wo metungululo lyekuma pamwe naakalele yandje ayehe. Inandi ikongela nande epya. 17 Poshililo shandje onda palutha Aajuda ethele nomilongo ntano naawiliki yawo, kakele kaantu ayehe mboka ye ya kungame taa zi miigwana yopuushiinda. 18 Esiku kehe onda gandja ondumetana yimwe, oonzi oohogololwa hamano noondhila odhindji. Lumwe momasiku omulongo otwi imonene omaludhi gi ili nogi ili gomaviinu omape. Ihe onda tseya omitenge ndhoka omidhigu tadhi humbatwa koshigwana, onkee inandi pula oshipewa shoka omunashikandjo e na uuthemba washo.
19 Otandi ku galikana Kalunga, dhimbulukwa ndje, naayihe mbyoka nda ningile oshigwana shika.
