"Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and rulers and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I held a great assembly against them. And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews that were sold unto the nations; and would ye even sell your brethren, and should they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace and found never a word. Also I said, The thing ye do is not good: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? And I likewise, my brethren and my servants, do lend them money and grain. I pray you, let us leave off this
El interés exigido por los príncipes y nobles era sin duda tan extorsionador que podía calificarse de usura en el sentido jurídico moderno.
Salmo 15:
Proverbs 28:8: "He that augmenteth his substance by interest and increase, gathereth it for him that hath pity on the poor."
"¡Ay de mí, madre mía, que me diste a luz hombre de contienda y de discordia para toda la tierra! Nunca lendí, ni nadie me prestó, y todos me maldicen."
King James reads:
"I have neither lent upon usury, nor have men lent to me upon usury."
As Jeremiah was protesting his innocence of any wrongdoing the early translators inserted what was evidently implied while these latest revisors have omitted what was not in the original text.