1
Ne 5:1-5.
英文原文
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.
Ne 5:6-19.
责备放高利者。
6-12. 我听见他们呼号说这些话，便甚发怒——省长得知这些弊端后，对行恶之人心中义愤填膺。他召集了公众集会，以恰当严厉的话语谴责他们的行为。他将自己救赎一些在巴比伦因债务或其他原因失去人身自由的犹太被掳者的行为，与他们对比。他劝勉富有的债主不仅要放弃他们那非法而欺压人的高利制度，还要归还穷人的田地和葡萄园，好为这个已经引发许多实际混乱的弊端设立补救；若任其继续，必因违背希伯来政体的根本原则，给新建立的殖民地带来毁灭。这番规劝果然奏效。那些重利欺压者，良心不能抗拒这样动人而有力的呼吁。他们在羞愧、悔恨、恐惧交织之中，异口同声地表示愿意听从省长的劝告。最后由祭司主持庄严的宣誓，各方当事人立誓要履行承诺；省长则以抖衣襟这样庄严而富有意味的动作，求咒诅临到凡违犯这约的人，以此结束此事。历史家特意记下：百姓果然照这应许而行。
英文原文
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
无标题
14. 自从我奉派……我和我的弟兄都没有吃省长的俸禄——此处明显可见尼希米既富足又无私。他因良心的缘故拒绝接受与他省长职分相连的合法收益，却以自己的资源维持王侯般的款待达十二年之久，可见他在书珊朝廷作酒政的职位必极其丰厚。
英文原文
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
无标题
15. 在我以前的省长……取……饼和酒，并银子四十舍客勒——东方省长的收入，部分以实物、部分以现银支付。「饼」指各样粮食。每日银子四十舍客勒，合计年薪约为英镑一千八百。
英文原文
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
无标题
17. 除了仆人，与我同席的有犹太人一百五十人——在东方，向来习惯按所消耗的粮食数量来计算君王或显贵之家的开销，而非按所花费的金额（见
1Ki 4:22; 18:19； Ec 5:11）。
英文原文
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.
百姓因债务、抵押与奴役而哀号。
1-5. 百姓和他们的妻子大大呼号，埋怨他们的弟兄——耶路撒冷的犹太人处于这样的危机之中——劳役繁重，又被好动之敌不断搅扰；他们大多贫困，而归回父祖之地时所描绘的纯洁幸福的美好愿景又未能实现——这一切必然大大考验他们的信心与忍耐。然而，除了这些恼人的压迫之外，许多人又开始陷入一种更新更重的灾祸之中。穷人因富人趁其所需、以高利盘剥，便大声控诉。许多人因此等压迫被逼到绝境，不得不抵押田产房屋以缴纳波斯政府的税赋，最终甚至要卖儿为奴以求糊口之资。贫苦居民的光景实在悲惨；因除了豪雨所造成的歉收之外
（Ezr 10:9； 又 Hag 1:6-11）， 如今敌人又把这么多百姓困在城内，不容乡民运粮入城，饥荒已迫在眉睫。