9
And I said to them, It is not (a) good thing, that ye do; why go ye not in the dread of our God, and reproof be not said to us of heathen men, our enemies? (And I said to them, It is not good what ye have done; why do ye not go in the fear of our God? and then rebuke would not be said to us by our enemies, the heathen.)
10
Both I, and my brethren, and my servants, have lent to full many men money and wheat; in common, ask we not (for) this again; but forgive we alien money, or usury, which is due to us. (I, and my kinsmen, and my servants, have lent money and corn to a great many people; let us agree together that we shall not ask for any of this back; and let us forget about the interest, which is due to us.)
11
And again yield ye to them to day their fields, and their vineries, their olive places, and their houses; and rather, give ye for them the hundred part of money, and of wheat, of wine, and of oil, which ye were wont to take of them. (And today, give ye back to them their fields, and their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses; and give ye back to them the money, and the corn, the wine, and the oil, which ye were wont to take from them.)
12
And they said, We shall yield their goods to them, and we shall ask nothing of them; and we shall do so as thou speakest. And I called the priests, and I made them to swear, that they should do after this, that I had said. (And they said, We shall give back their goods to them, and we shall ask nothing from them; and we shall do as thou sayest. And I called for the priests, and I made them swear before the priests, that they would do as they had promised.)
13
And furthermore I shook my bosom, and I said, So (may) God shake away each man from his house, and from his travails, that fulfilleth not this word; and be he shaken away, and be he made void. And all the multitude said, Amen; and they praised God. And the people did, as it was said (And all the people/And all the leaders did, as they had promised).
14
Forsooth from that day in which the king had commanded to me, that I should be duke in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes (the) king, that is, by twelve years, I and my brethren ate not the sustenances which were due to dukes. (And from the day in which the king had commanded me, that I should be the governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year unto the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, that is, for twelve years, I and my kinsmen did not take the sustenances, that is, the food allowances, which were due to the governor.)
15
But the first dukes, that were before me, grieved the people, and took of them in bread, and wine, and money, each day forty shekels; and also their ministers oppressed the people. But I did not so, for the dread of God; (But the former governors, who were there before me, grieved the people, and took from them bread, and wine, and money, forty shekels worth, each day; and their servants, and their officers, also oppressed the people. But I did not do so, for the fear of God/because of my reverence for God;)
16
but rather I subjected myself, and I builded in the work of the wall (and I helped rebuild the wall), and I bought no field, and all my servants were gathered together with me to (do) the work.
17
Also [the] Jews and the magistrates of them, an hundred and fifty men, and they that came to me from heathen men, that be in our compass, were eating in my table. (And some of the Jews and their magistrates, a hundred and fifty men, and also some of the heathen, who came to me from all around us, ate at my table.)
18
Forsooth by each day one ox was made ready to me, six chosen wethers, besides volatiles, and within ten days diverse wines; and I gave many other things; furthermore and I asked not (for) the sustenances of my duchy; for the people was made full poor. (And each day an ox, and six chosen sheep, and fowls, were provided by me, and every ten days, a new supply of wine; and I gave many other things as well; and furthermore I did not ask for the governor's allowance, to which I was entitled, because the people were already so poor.)
19
My God, have thou mind on me into good, by all things which I have done to this people. (My God, remember me, for all the good things which I have done for these people.)