Commentario del capitolo
Nehemiah Capitolo 5
1
Ne 5:1-5.
繁體中文
Originale inglese
Ne 5:1-5.
THE PEOPLE COMPLAIN OF THEIR DEBT, MORTGAGE, AND BONDAGE.
1-5. there was a great cry of the people . . . against their brethren--Such a crisis in the condition of the Jews in Jerusalem--fatigued with hard labor and harassed by the machinations of restless enemies, the majority of them poor, and the bright visions which hope had painted of pure happiness on their return to the land of their fathers being unrealized--must have been very trying to their faith and patience. But, in addition to these vexatious oppressions, many began to sink under a new and more grievous evil. The poor made loud complaints against the rich for taking advantage of their necessities, and grinding them by usurious exactions. Many of them had, in consequence of these oppressions, been driven to such extremities that they had to mortgage their lands and houses to enable them to pay the taxes to the Persian government, and ultimately even to sell their children for slaves to procure the means of subsistence. The condition of the poorer inhabitants was indeed deplorable; for, besides the deficient harvests caused by the great rains
(Ezr 10:9;
also
Hag 1:6-11),
a dearth was now threatened by the enemy keeping such a multitude pent up in the city, and preventing the country people bringing in provisions.
6
Ne 5:6-19.
繁體中文
Ne 5:6-19.
責備放高利者。
6-12. 我聽見他們呼號說這些話，便甚發怒——省長得知這些弊端後，對行惡之人心中義憤填膺。他召集了公眾集會，以恰當嚴厲的話語譴責他們的行為。他將自己救贖一些在巴比倫因債務或其他原因失去人身自由的猶太被擄者的行為，與他們對比。他勸勉富有的債主不僅要放棄他們那非法而欺壓人的高利制度，還要歸還窮人的田地和葡萄園，好為這個已經引發許多實際混亂的弊端設立補救；若任其繼續，必因違背希伯來政體的根本原則，給新建立的殖民地帶來毀滅。這番規勸果然奏效。那些重利欺壓者，良心不能抗拒這樣動人而有力的呼籲。他們在羞愧、悔恨、恐懼交織之中，異口同聲地表示願意聽從省長的勸告。最後由祭司主持莊嚴的宣誓，各方當事人立誓要履行承諾；省長則以抖衣襟這樣莊嚴而富有意味的動作，求咒詛臨到凡違犯這約的人，以此結束此事。歷史家特意記下：百姓果然照這應許而行。
Originale inglese
Ne 5:6-19.
THE USURERS REBUKED.
6-12. I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words--When such disorders came to the knowledge of the governor, his honest indignation was roused against the perpetrators of the evil. Having summoned a public assembly, he denounced their conduct in terms of just severity. He contrasted it with his own in redeeming with his money some of the Jewish exiles who, through debt or otherwise, had lost their personal liberty in Babylon. He urged the rich creditors not only to abandon their illegal and oppressive system of usury, but to restore the fields and vineyards of the poor, so that a remedy might be put to an evil the introduction of which had led to much actual disorder, and the continuance of which would inevitably prove ruinous to the newly restored colony, by violating the fundamental principles of the Hebrew constitution. The remonstrance was effectual. The conscience of the usurious oppressors could not resist the touching and powerful appeal. With mingled emotions of shame, contrition, and fear, they with one voice expressed their readiness to comply with the governor's recommendation. The proceedings were closed by the parties binding themselves by a solemn oath, administered by the priests, that they would redeem their pledge, as well as by the governor invoking, by the solemn and significant gesture of shaking a corner of his garment, a malediction on those who should violate it. The historian has taken care to record that the people did according to this promise.
14
Senza titolo
繁體中文
14. 自從我奉派……我和我的弟兄都沒有吃省長的俸祿——此處明顯可見尼希米既富足又無私。他因良心的緣故拒絕接受與他省長職分相連的合法收益，卻以自己的資源維持王侯般的款待達十二年之久，可見他在書珊朝廷作酒政的職位必極其豐厚。
Originale inglese
14. Moreover from the time that I was appointed . . . I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor--We have a remarkable proof both of the opulence and the disinterestedness of Nehemiah. As he declined, on conscientious grounds, to accept the lawful emoluments attached to his government, and yet maintained a style of princely hospitality for twelve years out of his own resources, it is evident that his office of cup-bearer at the court of Shushan must have been very lucrative.
15
Senza titolo
繁體中文
15. 在我以前的省長……取……餅和酒，並銀子四十舍客勒——東方省長的收入，部分以實物、部分以現銀支付。「餅」指各樣糧食。每日銀子四十舍客勒，合計年薪約為英鎊一千八百。
Originale inglese
15. the former governors . . . had taken . . . bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver--The income of Eastern governors is paid partly in produce, partly in money. "Bread" means all sorts of provision. The forty shekels of silver per day would amount to a yearly salary of £1800 sterling.
17
Senza titolo
繁體中文
17. 除了僕人，與我同席的有猶太人一百五十人——在東方，向來習慣按所消耗的糧食數量來計算君王或顯貴之家的開銷，而非按所花費的金額（見
1Ki 4:22; 18:19； Ec 5:11）。
Originale inglese
17. Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews--In the East it has been always customary to calculate the expense of a king's or grandee's establishment, not by the amount of money disbursed, but by the quantity of provisions consumed (see
1Ki 4:22; 18:19; Ec 5:11).
Ne 5:1-5.
百姓因債務、抵押與奴役而哀號。
1-5. 百姓和他們的妻子大大呼號，埋怨他們的弟兄——耶路撒冷的猶太人處於這樣的危機之中——勞役繁重，又被好動之敵不斷攪擾；他們大多貧困，而歸回父祖之地時所描繪的純潔幸福的美好願景又未能實現——這一切必然大大考驗他們的信心與忍耐。然而，除了這些惱人的壓迫之外，許多人又開始陷入一種更新更重的災禍之中。窮人因富人趁其所需、以高利盤剝，便大聲控訴。許多人因此等壓迫被逼到絕境，不得不抵押田產房屋以繳納波斯政府的稅賦，最終甚至要賣兒為奴以求餬口之資。貧苦居民的光景實在悲慘；因除了豪雨所造成的歉收之外
（Ezr 10:9； 又 Hag 1:6-11）， 如今敵人又把這麼多百姓困在城內，不容鄉民運糧入城，飢荒已迫在眉睫。