1. Many of the poor people began to complain against their fellow Jews.
2. Some of them were saying, “We have many children. We must get some grain if we are going to eat and stay alive.”
3. Other people were saying, “This is a time of famine. We have to use our fields, vineyards, and homes to pay for grain.”
4. And still other people were saying, “We have to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. But we cannot afford to pay, so we are borrowing money to pay the tax.
5. We are as good as the others. Our sons are as good as their sons. But we will have to sell our sons and daughters as slaves. Some of us have already had to sell our daughters as slaves. There is nothing we can do. We have already lost our fields and vineyards. Other people own them now.”
6. When I heard their complaints, I was very angry.
7. I calmed myself down, and then I went to the rich families and the officials. I told them, “You are forcing your own people to pay interest on the money you loan them. You must stop doing that!” Then I called for all the people to meet together
8. and said to them, “Our fellow Jews were sold as slaves to people in other countries. We did our best to buy them back and make them free. And now, you are selling them like slaves again!” The rich people and officials kept quiet. They could not find anything to say.
9. So I continued speaking. I said, “What you people are doing is not right! You know that you should fear and respect our God. You should not do the shameful things other people do!