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et factus est clamor populi et uxorum eius magnus adversus fratres suos iudaeos
Now there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
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et erant qui dicerent filii nostri et filiae nostrae multae sunt nimis accipiamus pro pretio eorum frumentum et comedamus et vivamus
And there were some that said: Our sons and our daughters are very many: let us take up corn for the price of them, and let us eat and live.
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et erant qui dicerent agros nostros et vineas et domos nostras opponamus et accipiamus frumentum in fame
And there were some that said: Let us mortgage our lands, and our vineyards, and our houses, and let us take corn because of the famine.
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et alii dicebant mutuo sumamus pecunias in tributa regis demusque agros nostros et vineas
And others said: Let us borrow money for the king's tribute, and let us give up our fields and vineyards:
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et nunc sicut carnes fratrum nostrorum sic carnes nostrae sunt sicut filii eorum ita filii nostri ecce nos subiugamus filios nostros et filias nostras in servitutem et de filiabus nostris sunt famulae nec habemus unde possint redimi et agros nostros et vineas alii possident
And now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren: and our children as their children. Behold we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters, and some of our daughters are bondwomen already, neither have we wherewith to redeem them, and our fields and our vineyards other men possess.
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et iratus sum nimis cum audissem clamorem eorum secundum verba haec
And I was exceedingly angry when I heard their cry according to these words.
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cogitavitque cor meum mecum et increpui optimates et magistratus et dixi eis usurasne singuli a fratribus vestris exigatis et congregavi adversus eos contionem magnam
And my heart thought with myself: and I rebuked the nobles and magistrates, and said to them: Do you every one exact usury of your brethren? And I gathered together a great assembly against them,
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| 8 |
et dixi eis nos ut scitis redemimus fratres nostros iudaeos qui venditi fuerant gentibus secundum possibilitatem nostram et vos igitur vendite fratres vestros et emimus eos et siluerunt nec invenerunt quid responderent
And I said to them: We, as you know, have redeemed according to our ability our brethren the Jews, that were sold to the Gentiles: and will you then sell your brethren, for us to redeem them? And they held their peace, and found not what to answer.
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dixique ad eos non est bona res quam facitis quare non in timore Dei nostri ambulatis ne exprobretur nobis a gentibus inimicis nostris
And I said to them: The thing you do is not good: why walk you not in the fear of our God, that we be not exposed to the reproaches of the Gentiles our enemies?
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et ego et fratres mei et pueri mei commodavimus plurimis pecuniam et frumentum non repetamus in commune istud aes alienum concedamus quod debetur nobis
Both I and my brethren, and my servants, have lent money and corn to many: let us all agree not to call for it again; let us forgive the debt that is owing to us.
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reddite eis hodie agros suos vineas suas oliveta sua et domos suas quin potius et centesimam pecuniae frumenti vini et olei quam exigere soletis ab eis date pro illis
Restore ye to them this day their fields, and their vineyards, and their oliveyards, and their houses: and the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, which you were wont to exact of them, give it rather for them.
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et dixerunt reddimus et ab eis nihil quaerimus sicque faciemus ut loqueris et vocavi sacerdotes et adiuravi eos ut facerent iuxta quod dixeram
And they said: We will restore, and we will require nothing of them: and we will do as thou sayest. And I called the priests and took an oath of them, to do according to what I had said.
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insuper et sinum meum excussi et dixi sic excutiat Deus omnem virum qui non conpleverit verbum istud de domo sua et de laboribus suis sic excutiatur et vacuus fiat et dixit universa multitudo amen et laudaverunt Deum fecit ergo populus sicut dictum erat
Moreover I shook my lap, and said: So may God shake every man that shall not accomplish this word, out of his house, and out of his labours, thus may he be shaken out, and become empty. And all the multitude said: Amen. And they praised God. And the people did according to what was said.
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a die autem illa qua praeceperat mihi ut essem dux in terra Iuda ab anno vicesimo usque ad annum tricesimum secundum Artarxersis regis per annos duodecim ego et fratres mei annonas quae ducibus debebantur non comedimus
And from the day, in which the king commanded me to be governor in the land of Juda, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, for twelve years, I and my brethren did not eat the yearly allowance that was due to the governors.
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duces autem primi qui fuerant ante me gravaverunt populum et acceperunt ab eis in pane vino et pecunia cotidie siclos quadraginta sed et ministri eorum depresserant populum ego autem non feci ita propter timorem Dei
But the former governors that had been before me, were chargeable to the people, and took of them in bread, and wine, and in money every day forty sicles: and their officers also oppressed the people. But I did not so for the fear of God.
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quin potius in opere muri aedificavi et agrum non emi et omnes pueri mei congregati ad opus erant
Moreover I built in the work of the wall, and I bought no land, and all my servants were gathered together to the work.
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Iudaei quoque et magistratus centum quinquaginta viri et qui veniebant ad nos de gentibus quae in circuitu nostro sunt in mensa mea erant
The Jews also and the magistrates to the number of one hundred and fifty men, were at my table, besides them that came to us from among the nations that were round about us.
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parabatur autem mihi per dies singulos bos unus arietes sex electi exceptis volatilibus et inter dies decem vina diversa et alia multa tribuebam insuper et annonas ducatus mei non quaesivi valde enim erat adtenuatus populus
And there was prepared for me day be day one ox, and six choice rams, besides fowls, and once in ten days I gave store of divers wines, and many other things: yet I did not require my yearly allowance as governor: for the people were very much impoverished.
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memento mei Deus meus in bonum secundum omnia quae feci populo huic
Remember me, O my God, for good according to all that I have done for this people.
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