10. My relatives, my friends, and I are also lending money and grain, but we must no longer demand payment in return.
11. Now give back the fields, vineyards, olive orchards, and houses you have taken and also the interest you have been paid.”
12. The leaders answered, “We will do whatever you say and return their property, without asking to be repaid.”So I made the leaders promise in front of the priests to give back the property.
13. Then I emptied my pockets and said, “If you don't keep your promise, that's what God will do to you. He will empty out everything you own, even taking away your houses.”The people answered, “We will keep our promise.” Then they praised the Lord and did as they had promised.
14. I was governor of Judah from the twentieth year that Artaxerxes was king until the thirty-second year. And during these entire twelve years, my relatives and I refused to accept the food that I was allowed.
15. Each governor before me had been a burden to the people by making them pay for his food and wine and by demanding forty silver coins a day. Even their officials had been a burden to the people. But I respected God, and I didn't think it was right to be so hard on them.
16. I spent all my time getting the wall rebuilt and did not buy any property. Everyone working for me did the same thing.
17. I usually fed a hundred and fifty of our own Jewish people and their leaders, as well as foreign visitors from surrounding lands.
18. Each day one ox, six of the best sheep, and lots of chickens were prepared. Then every ten days, a large supply of wine was brought in. I knew what a heavy burden this would have been for the people, and so I did not ask for my food allowance as governor.
19. I pray that God will bless me for everything I have done for my people.