1
And great cry of the people and of their wives was made against their brethren Jews. (And later there came a time when a great cry of the people, both men and women, was made against their fellow Jews.)
2
And there were (those) that said, Our sons and our daughters be full many; take we wheat for the price of them, and eat we, and live. (And there were those who said, We have sold our sons and our daughters for corn, or for grain, so that we could eat, and stay alive.)
3
Also there were (others) that said, Set we forth to sale our fields, and vineries, and our houses, and take we wheat to eat in this hunger. (And there were others who said, We have sold our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses, so we could get corn, or grain, to eat during this famine.)
4
And other men said, Take we money by borrowing, for usury, into the tributes of the king, and give our fields and vineries. (And still others said, We have borrowed money with interest, against our fields and our vineyards, so we could pay the tributes, or the taxes, to the king.)
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 (made) of our daughters, and we have not whereof they may be again-bought; and other men have in possession our fields, and our vineries. (And now though our flesh be like the flesh of our kinsmen, and our sons be like their sons; lo! we have subjected our sons and our daughters to servitude, or slavery, and some of our daughters be made slave-girls; and we have not whereof to buy them back, for now others possess our fields, and our vineyards.)
6
And I was full wroth, when I had heard the cry of them by these words. (And I was very angry, when I had heard their outcry over these matters.)
7
And mine heart thought with(in) 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 thought in my heart within me, and I rebuked the leaders, and the magistrates; and I said to them, Ye should not ask for usury, or unfair interest, from your kinsmen). 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. (and I said to them, As ye know, by our power we have bought back our fellow Jews, who were sold to the heathen; but now your own kinsmen must sell themselves to you, and so now do we have to buy them back from you? And they held their peace, and found not what they should answer.)