CHAPTER 5
1 And great cry of the people and of their wives was made against their brethren Jews.
2 And there were that said, Our sons and our daughters be full many; take we wheat for the price of them, and eat we, and live.
3 Also there were that said, Set we forth to sale our fields, and vineries [or vines], and our houses, and take we wheat to eat in this hunger.
4 And other men said, Take we money by borrowing, for usury, into the tributes of the king, and give our fields and vineries [or vines].
5 And now as the fleshes of our brethren be, so and our fleshes be; and as be the sons of them, so and our sons be; lo! we have made subject our sons and our daughters into servage, and servantesses be of our daughters, and we have not whereof they may be again-bought; and other men have in possession our fields, and our vineries [or vines].
6 And I was full wroth, when I had heard the cry of them by these words.
7 And mine heart thought within me, and I blamed the principal men, and magistrates; and I said to them, Ask ye not usuries, or increase, each man of your brethren. And I gathered together a great company against them,
8 and I said to them, As ye know, we have by our power again-bought our brethren Jews, that were sold to heathen men; and ye now sell your brethren, and shall we again-buy them of you? And they held silence, and found not what they should answer.
9 And I said to them, It is not good thing, that ye do; why go ye not in the dread of our God, and reproof be not said to us of heathen men, our enemies?
10 Both I, and my brethren, and my servants, have lent to full many men money and wheat; in common, ask we not for this again; but forgive we alien money, or usury, which is due to us.
11 And again yield ye to them today their fields, and their vineries [or vines], their olive places, and their houses; and rather, give ye for them the hundred part of money, and of wheat, of wine, and of oil, which ye were wont to take of them.
12 And they said, We shall yield their goods to them, and we shall ask nothing of them; and we shall do so as thou speakest. And I called the priests, and I made them to swear, that they should do after this, that I had said.
13 And furthermore I shook my bosom, and I said, So God shake away each man from his house, and from his travails, that fulfilleth not this word; and be he shaken away, and be he made void. And all the multitude said, Amen; and they praised God. And the people did, as it was said.
14 Forsooth from that day in which the king had commanded to me, that I should be duke in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king, that is, by twelve years, I and my brethren ate not the sustenances which were due to dukes.
15 But the first dukes, that were before me, grieved the people, and took of them in bread, and wine, and money, each day forty shekels; and also their ministers oppressed the people. But I did not so, for the dread of God;
16 but rather I subjected myself, and I builded in the work of the wall, and I bought no field, and all my servants were gathered together with me to the work.
17 Also [the] Jews and the magistrates of them, an hundred and fifty men, and they that came to me from heathen men, that be in our compass, were eating in my table.
18 Forsooth by each day one ox was made ready to me, six chosen wethers, besides volatiles, and within ten days diverse wines; and I gave many other things; furthermore and I asked not for the sustenances of my duchy; for the people was made full poor.
19 My God, have thou mind on me into good, by all things which I have done to this people.