The Message Bible MSG
The Latin Vulgate VUL
1 A great protest was mounted by the people, including the wives, against their fellow Jews.
1
et factus est clamor populi et uxorum eius magnus adversus fratres suos iudaeos
2 Some said, "We have big families, and we need food just to survive."
2
et erant qui dicerent filii nostri et filiae nostrae multae sunt nimis accipiamus pro pretio eorum frumentum et comedamus et vivamus
3 Others said, "We're having to mortgage our fields and vineyards and homes to get enough grain to keep from starving."
3
et erant qui dicerent agros nostros et vineas et domos nostras opponamus et accipiamus frumentum in fame
4 And others said, "We're having to borrow money to pay the royal tax on our fields and vineyards.
4
et alii dicebant mutuo sumamus pecunias in tributa regis demusque agros nostros et vineas
5 Look: We're the same flesh and blood as our brothers here; our children are just as good as theirs. Yet here we are having to sell our children off as slaves - some of our daughters have already been sold - and we can't do anything about it because our fields and vineyards are owned by somebody else."
5
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
6 I got really angry when I heard their protest and complaints.
6
et iratus sum nimis cum audissem clamorem eorum secundum verba haec
7 After thinking it over, I called the nobles and officials on the carpet. I said, "Each one of you is gouging his brother."
7
cogitavitque cor meum mecum et increpui optimates et magistratus et dixi eis usurasne singuli a fratribus vestris exigatis et congregavi adversus eos contionem magnam
8 I told them, "We did everything we could to buy back our Jewish brothers who had to sell themselves as slaves to foreigners. And now you're selling these same brothers back into debt slavery! Does that mean that we have to buy them back again?" They said nothing. What could they say?
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
9 "What you're doing is wrong. Is there no fear of God left in you? Don't you care what the nations around here, our enemies, think of you?
9
dixique ad eos non est bona res quam facitis quare non in timore Dei nostri ambulatis ne exprobretur nobis a gentibus inimicis nostris
10 "I and my brothers and the people working for me have also loaned them money. But this gouging them with interest has to stop.
10
et ego et fratres mei et pueri mei commodavimus plurimis pecuniam et frumentum non repetamus in commune istud aes alienum concedamus quod debetur nobis
11 Give them back their foreclosed fields, vineyards, olive groves, and homes right now. And forgive your claims on their money, grain, new wine, and olive oil."
11
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
12 They said, "We'll give it all back. We won't make any more demands on them. We'll do everything you say."
12
et dixerunt reddimus et ab eis nihil quaerimus sicque faciemus ut loqueris et vocavi sacerdotes et adiuravi eos ut facerent iuxta quod dixeram
13 Then I emptied my pockets, turning them inside out, and said, "So may God empty the pockets and house of everyone who doesn't keep this promise - turned inside out and emptied." Everyone gave a wholehearted "Yes, we'll do it!" and praised God. And the people did what they promised. "Remember in My Favor, O My God"
13
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
14 From the time King Artaxerxes appointed me as their governor in the land of Judah - from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of his reign, twelve years - neither I nor my brothers used the governor's food allowance.
14
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
15 Governors who had preceded me had oppressed the people by taxing them forty shekels of silver (about a pound) a day for food and wine while their underlings bullied the people unmercifully. But out of fear of God I did none of that.
15
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
16 I had work to do; I worked on this wall. All my men were on the job to do the work. We didn't have time to line our own pockets.
16
quin potius in opere muri aedificavi et agrum non emi et omnes pueri mei congregati ad opus erant
17 I fed one hundred and fifty Jews and officials at my table in addition to those who showed up from the surrounding nations.
17
Iudaei quoque et magistratus centum quinquaginta viri et qui veniebant ad nos de gentibus quae in circuitu nostro sunt in mensa mea erant
18 One ox, six choice sheep, and some chickens were prepared for me daily, and every ten days a large supply of wine was delivered. Even so, I didn't use the food allowance provided for the governor - the people had it hard enough as it was.
18
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
19 Remember in my favor, O my God, Everything I've done for these people.
19
memento mei Deus meus in bonum secundum omnia quae feci populo huic
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.