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¹ Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews.² For there were some that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get grain, that we may eat and live.³ There were also some that said, We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses: let us get grain, because of the famine.⁴ There were also some that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute [on] our fields and our vineyards.⁵ Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our sons as their sons: and, look, we bring into slavery our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are brought into slavery [already]: neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards.

⁶ And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.⁷ Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, You exact usury, every one of his brother. And I held a great assembly against them.⁸ And I said to them, We after our ability have redeemed our brothers the Jews, that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us? Then they held their peace, and never found a word.⁹ Also I said, The thing that you do is not good: Shouldn't you walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?¹⁰ And I likewise, my brothers and my attendants, lend them money and grain. I pray you, let us leave off this usury.¹¹ Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that you exact of them.¹² Then they said, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so we will do, even as you say. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.¹³ Also I shook out my lap, and said, So may God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that does not perform this promise; even thus shall he be shaken out, and emptied. And all the assembly said, Amen, and praised Yahweh. And the people did according to this promise.

¹⁴ Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, [that is], twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.¹⁵ But the former governors that were before me were chargeable to the people, and took of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver; yes, even their attendants bore rule over the people: but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.¹⁶ Yes, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither did we buy any land: and all my attendants were gathered there to the work.¹⁷ Moreover there were at my table, of the Jews and the rulers, a hundred and fifty men, besides those that came to us from among the nations that were round about us.¹⁸ Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this I did not demand the bread of the governor, because the service was heavy on this people.¹⁹ Remember to me, O my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.