And its produce being much for the kings whom thou gavest over us in our sins: and ruling over our bodies and upon our cattle according to their will, and we in great straits.
And thou servedst thine enemies which Jehovah shall send forth against thee in hunger and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things and he gave a yoke of iron upon thy neck till his destroying thee.
And making known to you that all the priests and Levites, the players, the porters, the Nethinims, and those serving this house of God, tribute, excise and toll, not being permitted to be lifted up upon them.
And saying to them, We bought off our brethren the Jews, being sold to the nations; according to the sufficiency in us and also will ye sell your brethren? and were they sold to us? And they will be silent, and they found not a word.
And from me a decree was set up for that which ye shall do with the old men of these Jews for building this house of God: and the king's riches, that of the tribute beyond the river, expenses shall be speedily given to these men, not to be made to cease.
Now to be known to the king that if this city shall be built and the walls be completed, tribute, excise, and toll, they will not give, and in the end it will endamage the kings.
And it shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land till he destroyed thee: which shall not leave to thee grain, new wine or new oil, the offspring of thine oxen and the flocks of thy sheep, till his destroying thee.