1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews. 2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them , that we may eat, and live. 3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth. 4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards. 5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
6 ¶ And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. 7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them. 8 And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer . 9 Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies? 10 I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. 11 Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them. 12 Then said they, We will restore them , and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise. 13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.
14 ¶ Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is , twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor. 15 But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God. 16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work. 17 Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us. 18 Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people. 19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all 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.
