Chapter 5

1There was a great outcry by the common folk and their wives against their brother Yehudim.

va-TE-hee tsa-a-KAT ha-AHM u-ne-SHE-hem g'-do-LAH el a-KHE-hem ha-y'-hu-DEEM

אוַתְּהִ֨י צַעֲקַ֥ת הָעָ֛ם וּנְשֵׁיהֶ֖ם גְּדוֹלָ֑ה אֶל־אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃

2Some said, “Our sons and daughters are numerous; we must get grain to eat in order that we may live!”

v'-YEYSH a-SHER o-M'-REEM ba-NEE-nu u-ve-no-TEY-nu a-naKH-nu ra-BEEM v'-nikh-KHA da-GAN v'-no-KH'-la v'-nikh-YE

בוְיֵשׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֹמְרִ֔ים בָּנֵ֥ינוּ וּבְנֹתֵ֖ינוּ אֲנַ֣חְנוּ רַבִּ֑ים וְנִקְחָ֥ה דָגָ֖ן וְנֹאכְלָ֥ה וְנִחְיֶֽה׃

3Others said, “We must pawn our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain to stave off hunger.”

v'-YEYSH a-SHER o-M'-REEM s'-do-TAY-nu u-k'-ra-MAY-nu u-ba-TAY-nu a-naKH-nu or-VIM v'-nikh-KHA da-GAN ba-ra-AV

גוְיֵשׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֹמְרִ֔ים שְׂדֹתֵ֛ינוּ וּכְרָמֵ֥ינוּ וּבָתֵּ֖ינוּ אֲנַ֣חְנוּ עֹרְבִ֑ים וְנִקְחָ֥ה דָגָ֖ן בָּרָעָֽב׃

4Yet others said, “We have borrowed money against our fields and vineyards to pay the king's tax.

v'-YEYSH a-SHER o-m'-REEM la-VEE-nu KE-sef l'-mi-DAT ha-ME-lekh, s'-do-TEY-nu u-k'-ra-MEY-nu

דוְיֵשׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֹמְרִ֔ים לָוִ֥ינוּ כֶ֖סֶף לְמִדַּ֣ת הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ שְׂדֹתֵ֖ינוּ וּכְרָמֵֽינוּ׃

5Now we are as good as our brothers, and our children as good as theirs; yet here we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery—some of our daughters are already subjected—and we are powerless, while our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

v'-a-TAH ki-v'-SAR a-KHE-nu b'-sa-RAY-nu ki-v'-NAY-hem ba-NAY-nu v'-hi-NEH a-na-KH'-nu kov-SHEEM et ba-NAY-nu v'-et b'-no-TAY-nu la-a-va-DEEM v'-YESH mi-b'-no-TAY-nu nikh-ba-SHOt v'-AYN l'-EL ya-DAY-nu u-s'-do-TAY-nu u-k'-ra-MAY-nu la-a-KHE-rim

הוְעַתָּ֗ה כִּבְשַׂ֤ר אַחֵ֙ינוּ֙ בְּשָׂרֵ֔נוּ כִּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם בָּנֵ֑ינוּ וְהִנֵּ֣ה אֲנַ֣חְנוּ כֹ֠בְשִׁ֠ים אֶת־בָּנֵ֨ינוּ וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֵ֜ינוּ לַעֲבָדִ֗ים וְיֵ֨שׁ מִבְּנֹתֵ֤ינוּ נִכְבָּשׁוֹת֙ וְאֵ֣ין לְאֵ֣ל יָדֵ֔נוּ וּשְׂדֹתֵ֥ינוּ וּכְרָמֵ֖ינוּ לַאֲחֵרִֽים׃

6It angered me very much to hear their outcry and these complaints.

vai-YI-khar li me-OD ka-a-SHER sha-MA-tee et-za-a-ka-TAM v'-ET ha-d'-va-REEM ha-EL-leh

ווַיִּ֥חַר לִ֖י מְאֹ֑ד כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֶת־זַֽעֲקָתָ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃

7After pondering the matter carefully, I censured the nobles and the prefects, saying, “Are you pressing claims on loans made to your brothers?” Then I raised a large crowd against them

vai-yi-ma-LEKH li-BEE a-LAI va-a-REE-VAH et ha-KHO-rim v'-et ha-s'-ga-NEEM va-o-M'-RAH la-HEM ma-SHA eesh b'-a-KHEEV A-TEM (no-SHEEM) [no-SHEEM] va-e-TAYN a-LAY-HEM k'-hi-LAH g'-do-LAH

זוַיִּמָּלֵ֨ךְ לִבִּ֜י עָלַ֗י וָאָרִ֙יבָה֙ אֶת־הַחֹרִ֣ים וְאֶת־הַסְּגָנִ֔ים וָאֹמְרָ֣ה לָהֶ֔ם מַשָּׁ֥א אִישׁ־בְּאָחִ֖יו אַתֶּ֣ם (נשאים) [נֹשִׁ֑ים] וָאֶתֵּ֥ן עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם קְהִלָּ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה׃

8and said to them, “We have done our best to buy back our Yehudiish brothers who were sold to the nations; will you now sell your brothers so that they must be sold [back] to us?” They kept silent, for they found nothing to answer.

va-o-m'-RAH la-HEM a-naKH-nu ka-NEE-nu et a-KHE-nu ha-y'-hu-DEEM ha-nim-ka-REEM la-go-YEEM k'-day BA-nu v'-gam a-TEM tim-k'-RU et a-KHE-khem v'-nim-k'-RU-la-NU va-ya-cha-REE-shu v'-lo matz-U da-VAR

חוָאֹמְרָ֣ה לָהֶ֗ם אֲנַ֣חְנוּ קָ֠נִ֠ינוּ אֶת־אַחֵ֨ינוּ הַיְּהוּדִ֜ים הַנִּמְכָּרִ֤ים לַגּוֹיִם֙ כְּדֵ֣י בָ֔נוּ וְגַם־אַתֶּ֛ם תִּמְכְּר֥וּ אֶת־אֲחֵיכֶ֖ם וְנִמְכְּרוּ־לָ֑נוּ וַֽיַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּ וְלֹ֥א מָצְא֖וּ דָּבָֽר׃

9So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. You ought to act in a Hashem-fearing way so as not to give our enemies, the nations, room to reproach us.

(vai-OMAR) [va-o-MAR] lo-TOV ha-DA-var a-SHER a-TEM o-SEEM ha-LO b'-yir-AT e-lo-HEE-nu te-LE-khu me-kher-PAT ha-go-YIM o-y'-VEE-nu

ט(ויאמר) [וָאוֹמַ֕ר] לֹא־ט֥וֹב הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֣ם עֹשִׂ֑ים הֲל֞וֹא בְּיִרְאַ֤ת אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ תֵּלֵ֔כוּ מֵחֶרְפַּ֖ת הַגּוֹיִ֥ם אוֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃

10I, my brothers, and my servants also have claims of money and grain against them; let us now abandon those claims!

v'-GAM a-NEE a-KHAI u-ne-a-RAI no-SHEEM ba-HEM KE-sef v'-da-GAN na-aZ-va-na et ha-ma-SHA ha-ZEH

יוְגַם־אֲנִי֙ אַחַ֣י וּנְעָרַ֔י נֹשִׁ֥ים בָּהֶ֖ם כֶּ֣סֶף וְדָגָ֑ן נַֽעַזְבָה־נָּ֖א אֶת־הַמַּשָּׁ֥א הַזֶּֽה׃

11Give back at once their fields, their vineyards, their olive trees, and their homes, and [abandon] the claims for the hundred pieces of silver, the grain, the wine, and the oil that you have been pressing against them!”

ha-SHI-vu NA la-HEM k'-ha-YOM s'-do-TE-hem kar-ME-hem zay-TE-hem u-ba-TE-hem u-m'-AT ha-KE-sef v'-ha-DA-gan ha-TI-rosh v'-ha-yitz-HAR a-SHER a-TEM no-SHEEM ba-HEM

יאהָשִׁ֩יבוּ֩ נָ֨א לָהֶ֜ם כְּהַיּ֗וֹם שְׂדֹתֵיהֶ֛ם כַּרְמֵיהֶ֥ם זֵיתֵיהֶ֖ם וּבָתֵּיהֶ֑ם וּמְאַ֨ת הַכֶּ֤סֶף וְהַדָּגָן֙ הַתִּיר֣וֹשׁ וְהַיִּצְהָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֖ם נֹשִׁ֥ים בָּהֶֽם׃

12They replied, “We shall give them back, and not demand anything of them; we shall do just as you say.” Summoning the Kohanim, I put them under oath to keep this promise.

vai-YO-mer-U NA-sheev u-MAY-HEM lo n'-va-KAYSH KAYN na-a-SEH ka-a-SHER a-TAH o-MAYR, va-e-KRA et ha-ko-ha-NEEM va-a-sh'-BEE-em la-a-SOT ka-da-VAHR ha-ZEH

יבוַיֹּאמְר֣וּ נָשִׁ֗יב וּמֵהֶם֙ לֹ֣א נְבַקֵּ֔שׁ כֵּ֣ן נַעֲשֶׂ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר אַתָּ֣ה אוֹמֵ֑ר וָאֶקְרָא֙ אֶת־הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים וָֽאַשְׁבִּיעֵ֔ם לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת כַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃

13I also shook out the bosom of my garment and said, “So may Hashem shake free of his household and property any man who fails to keep this promise; may he be thus shaken out and stripped.” All the assembled answered, “Amen,” and praised Hashem. The people kept this promise.

gam-CHOTZ-nee na-a-RTI va-o-M'-RAH ka-KA y'-NA-er ha-e-lo-HEEM et-KOL ha-EEsh a-SHER lo ya-KIM et ha-DA-var ha-ZEH mi-BAY-to u-mi-GI-o va-KA-KA yi-HE-yeh NA-ur va-REK va-YO-mer-U kol-ha-ka-HAL a-MEN va-ya-HAL-lu et a-do-NAI va-YA-as ha-AM ka-DA-var ha-ZEH

יגגַּם־חׇצְנִ֣י נָעַ֗רְתִּי וָֽאֹמְרָ֡ה כָּ֣כָה יְנַעֵ֪ר הָֽאֱלֹהִ֟ים אֶת־כׇּל־הָאִישׁ֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יָקִ֜ים אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה מִבֵּיתוֹ֙ וּמִ֣יגִיע֔וֹ וְכָ֛כָה יִהְיֶ֥ה נָע֖וּר וָרֵ֑ק וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ כׇֽל־הַקָּהָ֜ל אָמֵ֗ן וַֽיְהַלְלוּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָעָ֖ם כַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃

14Furthermore, from the day I was commissioned to be governor in the land of Yehuda—from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes until his thirty-second year, twelve years in all—neither I nor my brothers ever ate of the governor's food allowance.

gam mi-YOM a-SHER tzi-VAH o-TEE li-HYOT pe-KHAM b'-E-rets y'-hu-DAH, mi-sh'-NAT es-ree-YIM v'-AD sh'-NAT sh'-lo-SHEEM u-sh'-ta-YIM l'-ar-takh-shas-ta ha-ME-lekh, sha-NEEM sh'-teem es-reh, a-NEE v'-a-KHAI le-KHEM ha-pe-KHAH lo a-KHAL-TEE.

ידגַּ֞ם מִיּ֣וֹם ׀ אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה אוֹתִ֗י לִהְי֣וֹת פֶּחָם֮ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָה֒ מִשְּׁנַ֣ת עֶשְׂרִ֗ים וְ֠עַ֠ד שְׁנַ֨ת שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וּשְׁתַּ֙יִם֙ לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֣סְתְּא הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ שָׁנִ֖ים שְׁתֵּ֣ים עֶשְׂרֵ֑ה אֲנִ֣י וְאַחַ֔י לֶ֥חֶם הַפֶּ֖חָה לֹ֥א אָכַֽלְתִּי׃

15The former governors who preceded me laid heavy burdens on the people, and took from them for bread and wine more than forty shekalim of silver. Their servants also tyrannized over the people. But I, out of the fear of Hashem, did not do so.

v'-ha-pa-KHOT ha-ri-sho-NEEM a-sher l'-fa-NAI hikh-BEE-du al ha-AM va-yik-KHU may-HEM b'-LE-khem va-YA-yin a-KHAR KE-sef sh'-ka-LEEM ar-ba-EEM GAM na-a-ray-HEM sha-l'-TU al ha-AM va-a-NEE lo a-SEE-tee KHAYN mi-p'-NAY yir-AT e-lo-HEEM

טווְהַפַּחוֹת֩ הָרִאשֹׁנִ֨ים אֲשֶׁר־לְפָנַ֜י הִכְבִּ֣ידוּ עַל־הָעָ֗ם וַיִּקְח֨וּ מֵהֶ֜ם בְּלֶ֤חֶם וָיַ֙יִן֙ אַחַר֙ כֶּֽסֶף־שְׁקָלִ֣ים אַרְבָּעִ֔ים גַּ֥ם נַעֲרֵיהֶ֖ם שָׁלְט֣וּ עַל־הָעָ֑ם וַאֲנִי֙ לֹא־עָשִׂ֣יתִי כֵ֔ן מִפְּנֵ֖י יִרְאַ֥ת אֱלֹהִֽים׃

16I also supported the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there at the work.

v'-GAM bi-m'-LE-khet ha-KHO-ma ha-ZOT he-khe-ZAK-tee v'-SA-deh lo ka-NEE-nu v'-kol ne-a-RAI k'-vu-TZEEM sham al ha-me-la-KHA

טזוְ֠גַ֠ם בִּמְלֶ֜אכֶת הַחוֹמָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ הֶחֱזַ֔קְתִּי וְשָׂדֶ֖ה לֹ֣א קָנִ֑ינוּ וְכׇ֨ל־נְעָרַ֔י קְבוּצִ֥ים שָׁ֖ם עַל־הַמְּלָאכָֽה׃

17Although there were at my table, between Yehudim and prefects, one hundred and fifty men in all, beside those who came to us from surrounding nations;

v'-ha-y'-hu-DIM v'-ha-s'-ga-NIM may-a va-kha-MEEM eesh v'-ha-ba-EEM ay-LAY-nu min ha-go-YIM a-SHER s'-vee-vo-TEY-nu al-shul-kha-NEE

יזוְהַיְּהוּדִ֨ים וְהַסְּגָנִ֜ים מֵאָ֧ה וַחֲמִשִּׁ֣ים אִ֗ישׁ וְהַבָּאִ֥ים אֵלֵ֛ינוּ מִן־הַגּוֹיִ֥ם אֲשֶׁר־סְבִיבֹתֵ֖ינוּ עַל־שֻׁלְחָנִֽי׃

18and although what was prepared for each day came to one ox, six select sheep, and fowl, all prepared for me, and at ten-day intervals all sorts of wine in abundance—yet I did not resort to the governor's food allowance, for the [king's] service lay heavily on the people.

va-a-SHER ha-YA na-a-SEH l'-YOM e-KHAD SHOR e-KHAD TZON shaysh-b'-ru-ROT u-tzi-po-REEM na-a-SU-LEE u-VAYN a-se-RET ya-MEEM b'-KOL ya-YIN l'-har-BAY v'-im-ZEH le-KHEM ha-pe-KHA lo bi-KASH-tee kee-ka-VE-da ha-a-vo-DAH al ha-AHM ha-ZEH

יחוַאֲשֶׁר֩ הָיָ֨ה נַעֲשֶׂ֜ה לְי֣וֹם אֶחָ֗ד שׁ֣וֹר אֶחָ֞ד צֹ֠אן שֵׁשׁ־בְּרֻר֤וֹת וְצִפֳּרִים֙ נַֽעֲשׂוּ־לִ֔י וּבֵ֨ין עֲשֶׂ֧רֶת יָמִ֛ים בְּכׇל־יַ֖יִן לְהַרְבֵּ֑ה וְעִם־זֶ֗ה לֶ֤חֶם הַפֶּחָה֙ לֹ֣א בִקַּ֔שְׁתִּי כִּֽי־כָֽבְדָ֥ה הָעֲבֹדָ֖ה עַל־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּֽה׃

19O my God, remember to my credit all that I have done for this people!

Zo-kh'-RAH-lee e-lo-HAI l'-to-VAH, kol a-SHER a-SEE-tee al ha-AHM ha-ZEH. (Selah)

יטזׇכְרָה־לִּ֥י אֱלֹהַ֖י לְטוֹבָ֑ה כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֖יתִי עַל־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּֽה׃