1
ܘܗܝܕܝܢ ܐܝܠܠܘ ܥܡܐ ܘܢܫ̈ܝܗܘܢ ܝܠܠܬܐ ܪܒܬܐ ܥܠ ܐܚܝ̈ܗܘܢ ܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ
whydyn 'yllw em' wnshyhwn yllth' rbth' el 'khyhwn yhwdy'
Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews.
2
ܘܐܝܬ ܕܐܡܪܝܢ ܒܢܝ̈ܢ ܘܒܢ̈ܬܢ ܘܐܚܝ̈ܢ ܣܓܝܐܝܢ ܢܣܒ ܥܒܘܪܐ ܘܢܐܟܘܠ ܘܢܚܐ
w'yth d'mryn bnyn wbnthn w'khyn sgy'yn nsb ebwr' wn'kwl wnkh'
For there were some who said, “We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”
3
ܘܐܝܬ ܕܐܡܪܝܢ ܚܩ̈ܠܬܢ ܘܒ̈ܬܝܢ ܘܟܪ̈ܡܝܢ ܡܙ̇ܒܢܝܢܢ ܘܢܣܒܝܢܢ ܥܒܘܪܐ ܒܟܦܢܐ ܘܚܝܝܢ ܚܢܢ
w'yth d'mryn khqlthn wbthyn wkrmyn mzbnynn wnsbynn ebwr' bkpn' wkhyyn khnn
There were also some who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses. Let us get grain, because of the famine.”
4
ܘܐܝܬ ܕܐܡܪܝܢ ܢܐܙܦ ܟܣܦܐ ܡܢ ܡܕܐܬܐ ܕܡ̇ܠܟܐ ܘܢܦܠܘܚ ܚܩ̈ܠܬܢ ܘܟܪ̈ܡܝܢ ܘܢܚܐ
w'yth d'mryn n'zp ksp' mn md'th' dmlk' wnplwkh khqlthn wkrmyn wnkh'
There were also some who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral.
5
ܘܐܝܬ ܕܐܡܪܝܢ ܡܟܝܠ ܐܝܟ ܒܣܪܐ ܕܐܚܝ̈ܢ ܗܟܢܐ ܐܦ ܒܣܪܢ ܘܐܝܟ ܒܢܝ̈ܗܘܢ ܗܟܢܐ ܐܦ ܒܢܝ̈ܢ ܗܐ ܡܟܝܠ ܟܒܫܝܢܢ ܒܢ̈ܝܢ ܘܒܢ̈ܬܢ ܠܥ̇ܒ̈ܕܝܢ ܘܐܝܬ ܡܢ ܒܢ̈ܬܢ ܕܡܬܟ̈ܒܫܢ ܠܐܡܗ̈ܬܐ ܘܠܐ ܡܪܝܡܝܢ ܩܕܡ ܐܠܗܐ ܐܝ̈ܕܝܗܘܢ ܘܚܩ̈ܠܬܢ ܘܟܪ̈ܡܝܢ ܘܢܟܣ̈ܝܢ ܡܬܝܗܒܝܢ ܠܐܚܪ̈ܢܐ
w'yth d'mryn mkyl 'yk bsr' d'khyn hkn' 'p bsrn w'yk bnyhwn hkn' 'p bnyn h' mkyl kbshynn bnyn wbnthn lebdyn w'yth mn bnthn dmthkbshn l'mhth' wl' mrymyn qdm 'lh' 'ydyhwn wkhqlthn wkrmyn wnksyn mthyhbyn l'khrn'
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Behold, we bring our sons and our daughters into bondage to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. It is also not in our power to help it, because other men have our fields and our vineyards.”
6
ܘܟܪܝܬ ܠܝ ܛܒ ܟܕ ܫܡ̇ܥܬ ܐܝܠܠܬܗܘܢ ܘܡ̈ܠܐ ܗܠܝܢ
wkryth ly Tb kd shmeth 'yllthhwn wml' hlyn
I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
7
ܘܐܬܬܒܪ ܠܒܝ ܒܓܘܝ ܘܐܓܪܬ ܪܘܚܝ ܘܡ̇ܠܠܬ ܥܡ ܩܫܝ̈ܫܐ ܘܥܡ ܪ̈ܘܪܒܢܐ
w'ththbr lby bgwy w'grth rwkhy wmllth em qshysh' wem rwrbn'
Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, “You exact usury, everyone of his brother.” I held a great assembly against them.
8
ܘܐܡ̇ܪܬ ܠܗܘܢ ܕܚܢܢ ܩܢܝܢ ܚܢܢ ܠܐܚܝ̈ܢ ܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ ܕܡܙܕܒܢܝܢ ܠܥܡܡ̈ܐ ܗܢܘܢ ܘܒܢܝ̈ܗܘܢ ܓܒܪܐ ܠܐܚܘܗܝ ܫܩܠܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܡܛܠ ܗܢܐ ܝܗ̇ܒܬ ܥܠܝܗܘܢ ܩܠܐ ܘܐܡ̇ܪܬ ܠܗܘܢ ܐܦ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܬܙܒܢܘܢ ܠܐܚܝ̈ܟܘܢ ܘܫܬܩܘ ܘܠܐ ܝܗܒܘ ܠܝ ܦܬܓܡ
w'mrth lhwn dkhnn qnyn khnn l'khyn yhwdy' dmzdbnyn lemm' hnwn wbnyhwn gbr' l'khwhy shqlyn 'nthwn mTl hn' yhbth elyhwn ql' w'mrth lhwn 'p 'nthwn thzbnwn l'khykwn wshthqw wl' yhbw ly pthgm
I said to them, “We, after our ability, have redeemed our brothers the Jews that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us?” Then they held their peace, and found not a word to say.
9
ܘܐܡ̇ܪܬ ܠܗܘܢ ܠܐ ܫܦܝܪ ܦܬܓܡܐ ܕܐܢܬܘܢ ܥܒܕܝܢ ܡܟܝܠ ܒܕܚܠܬܐ ܕܐܠܗܢ ܠܐ ܡܗܠܟܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܡܛܠ ܕܥܒܕܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܐܝܟ ܥ̇ܒ̈ܕܐ ܕܥܡ̈ܡܐ ܕܒܚܕܪܝܢ
w'mrth lhwn l' shpyr pthgm' d'nthwn ebdyn mkyl bdkhlth' d'lhn l' mhlkyn 'nthwn mTl debdyn 'nthwn 'yk ebd' demm' dbkhdryn
Also I said, “The thing that you do is not good. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?
10
ܘܐܦ ܐܢܐ ܘܒܢܝ̈ ܘܐܚܝ̈ ܢܣܒ ܟܣܦܐ ܢܙܒܢ ܥܒܘܪܐ ܘܢܫܒܘܩ ܠܡܣ̈ܟܢܐ ܕܐܝܬ ܒܥܡܢ
w'p 'n' wbny w'khy nsb ksp' nzbn ebwr' wnshbwq lmskn' d'yth bemn
I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury.
11
ܘܢܦܢܐ ܠܗܘܢ ܚܩ̈ܠܬܗܘܢ ܘܟܪ̈ܡܝܗܘܢ ܘܙܝ̈ܬܝܗܘܢ ܘܒ̈ܬܝܗܘܢ ܘܟܣܦܐ ܘܥܒܘܪܐ ܘܚܡܪܐ ܘܡܫܚܐ ܢܫܒܘܩ ܠܫܪܟܐ ܕܥܡܐ
wnpn' lhwn khqlthhwn wkrmyhwn wzythyhwn wbthyhwn wksp' webwr' wkhmr' wmshkh' nshbwq lshrk' dem'
Please restore to them, even today, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that you are charging them.”
12
ܘܐܡܪܝܢ ܠܝ ܗܟܢܐ ܢܥܒܕ ܐܝܟ ܕܐܢܬ ܐܡ̇ܪ ܘܩ̇ܪܝܬ ܠܟܘܡܪ̈ܐ ܘܐܡ̇ܪܬ ܠܗܘܢ ܕܗܟܢܐ ܘ̇ܠܐ ܠܡܥܒܕ ܘܐܘܡ̇ܝܬ ܐܢܘܢ ܠܡܥܒܕ ܐܝܟ ܦܬܓܡܐ ܗܢܐ
w'mryn ly hkn' nebd 'yk d'nth 'mr wqryth lkwmr' w'mrth lhwn dhkn' wl' lmebd w'wmyth 'nwn lmebd 'yk pthgm' hn'
Then they said, “We will restore them, and will require nothing of them. We will do so, even as you say.” Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.
13
ܘܐܦ ܠܛܠܝ̈ܐ ܕܩܕܩ̈ܐ ܘܐܡܪܝܢ ܕܗܟܢܐ ܢܙܝܥ ܐܠܗܐ ܠܟܠ ܓܒܪ ܕܠܐ ܢܩܝܡ ܥܠ ܡܠܬܐ ܗܕܐ ܡܢ ܒܝܬܗ ܘܡܢ ܠܐܘܬܗ ܗܟܢܐ ܢܗܘܐ ܡܙܝܥ ܘܪܝܩܢ ܘܐܡܪܝܢ ܥܡܐ ܟܠܗ ܐܡܝܢ ܘܩܡܘ ܥܡܐ ܟܘܠܗ ܘܫܒܚܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܘܥܒܕܘ ܟܘܠܗ ܥܡܐ ܐܝܟ ܦܬܓܡܐ ܗܢܐ
w'p lTly' dqdq' w'mryn dhkn' nzye 'lh' lkl gbr dl' nqym el mlth' hd' mn bythh wmn l'wthh hkn' nhw' mzye wryqn w'mryn em' klh 'myn wqmw em' kwlh wshbkhw lmry' webdw kwlh em' 'yk pthgm' hn'
Also I shook out my lap, and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that doesn’t perform this promise; even may he be shaken out and emptied like this.” All the assembly said, “Amen,” and praised Yahweh. The people did according to this promise.
14
ܐܦ ܡܢ ܝܘܡܐ ܕܦܩܕܢܝ ܠܡܗܘܐ ܫܠܝܛܐ ܒܐܪܥܐ ܕܝܗܘܕ ܡܢ ܫܢܬ ܥܣܪ̈ܝܢ ܘܥܕܡܐ ܠܫܢܬ ܬܠܬܝܢ ܘܬܪ̈ܬܝܢ ܠܐܪܛܚܫܫܬ ܡܠܟܐ ܫܢ̈ܝܢ ܬܪܬܥܣܪܐ ܐܢܐ ܘܐܚܝ̈ ܗ̇ܘܝܬ ܠܗܘܢ ܪܫܐ ܘܠܐ ܚܡ̇ܪܐ ܕܚܕ ܡܢܗܘܢ ܕܒ̇ܪܬ ܘܐܦܠܐ ܐܗ̇ܪܬ ܠܐܢܫ ܡܢܗܘܢ
'p mn ywm' dpqdny lmhw' shlyT' b're' dyhwd mn shnth esryn wedm' lshnth thlthyn wthrthyn l'rTkhshshth mlk' shnyn thrthesr' 'n' w'khy hwyth lhwn rsh' wl' khmr' dkhd mnhwn dbrth w'pl' 'hrth l'nsh mnhwn
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.
15
ܘܫ̈ܠܝܛܐ ܕܩܕܡܝ ܫܥܒܕܘܗܝ ܠܥܡܐ ܘܢܣܒܘ ܡܢܗܘܢ ܚܡ̣ܪܐ ܘܠܚܡܐ ܘܟܣܦܐ ܣܓܝܐܐ ܠܡܕܐܬܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܣ̈ܠܥܝܢ ܐܪܒܥܝܢ ܐܦ ܥܒ̣̈ܕܝܗܘܢ ܐܫܠܛܘ ܥܠ ܥܡܐ ܘܐܫܬܠܛܘ ܥܠܝܗܘܢ ܘܐܫܬܢܕܘ ܒܗܘܢ ܘܐܢܐ ܠܐ ܥܒ̇ܕܬ ܗܟܢܐ ܡܢ ܩܕܡ ܕܚܠܬܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ
wshlyT' dqdmy shebdwhy lem' wnsbw mnhwn khmr' wlkhm' wksp' sgy'' lmd'th' edm' lsleyn 'rbeyn 'p ebdyhwn 'shlTw el em' w'shthlTw elyhwn w'shthndw bhwn w'n' l' ebdth hkn' mn qdm dkhlthh d'lh'
But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, plus forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people, but I didn’t do so, because of the fear of God.
16
ܐܦ ܒܥ̇ܒܕܐ ܕܫܘܪܐ ܗܢܐ ܛܒ ܐܬܥܫܢ̇ܬ ܘܚܩ̈ܠܬܐ ܠܐ ܙܒ̇ܢܬ ܘܟܠܗܘܢ ܛܠܝ̈ܐ ܒܢ̈ܝ ܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ ܐܬܟܢܫܘ ܘܩܡܘ ܬܡܢ ܥܠ ܥ̇ܒ̈ܕܐ
'p bebd' dshwr' hn' Tb 'theshnth wkhqlth' l' zbnth wklhwn Tly' bny yhwdy' 'thknshw wqmw thmn el ebd'
Yes, I also continued in the work of this wall. We didn’t buy any land. All my servants were gathered there to the work.
17
ܘܪ̈ܘܪܒܢܐ ܘܫ̈ܠܝܛܢܐ ܡܐܐ ܘܚܡܫܝܢ ܓܒܪ̈ܝܢ ܘܕܐܬܝܢ ܠܘܬܢ ܡܢ ܥܡ̈ܡܐ ܕܚܕܪܝܢ ܐܬܝܢ ܠܘܬܢ ܐܢܫ ܒܦܬܘܪܗ
wrwrbn' wshlyTn' m'' wkhmshyn gbryn wd'thyn lwthn mn emm' dkhdryn 'thyn lwthn 'nsh bpthwrh
Moreover there were at my table, of the Jews and the rulers, one hundred fifty men, in addition to those who came to us from among the nations that were around us.
18
ܘܓܒܪܐ ܕܥ̇ܒܕ ܗܘܐ ܠܚܡܐ ܡܝܬܐ ܗܘܐ ܠܥܒ̣̈ܕܐ ܕܥܒܕܝܢ ܬܘܪܐ ܚܕ ܘܥ̈ܢܐ ܫܬ ܫܡܝ̈ܢܬܐ ܘܨܦܪ̈ܝܐ ܐܬܥܒܕܘ ܠܢ ܘܚܕܐ ܠܥܣܪܐ ܝܘܡ̈ܝܢ ܚܡ̣ܪܐ ܣܓܝ ܘܥܡ ܗܕܐ ܠܚܡܐ ܘܫܠܝܛܘܬܐ ܠܐ ܒ̇ܥܝܬ ܡܛܠ ܕܥ̣ܫܢ ܥܒ̇ܕܐ ܥܠ ܥܡܐ ܗܢܐ
wgbr' debd hw' lkhm' myth' hw' lebd' debdyn thwr' khd wen' shth shmynth' wtspry' 'thebdw ln wkhd' lesr' ywmyn khmr' sgy wem hd' lkhm' wshlyTwth' l' beyth mTl deshn ebd' el em' hn'
Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days a store of all sorts of wine. Yet for all this, I didn’t demand the governor’s pay, because the bondage was heavy on this people.
19
ܐܬܕܟܪ ܠܝ ܐܠܗܝ ܠܛܒ ܟܠܡܕܡ ܕܥ̇ܒܕܬ ܚܠܦ ܥܡܐ ܗܢܐ
'thdkr ly 'lhy lTb klmdm debdth khlp em' hn'
Remember me, my God, for all the good that I have done for this people.