尼希米記 8
1 所有的人民，都一致聚集到水門前的廣場上，要求厄斯德拉經師，拿出上主命以色列當遵守的梅瑟法律書來。
And the seventh month arrived, and the children of Israel [were settled] in their cities; and all the people were gathered as one man to the broad place before the water-gate, and they told Esdras the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord commanded Israel.
2 厄斯德拉司祭便在七月一日，將法律書拿到會眾前，及男女和所有能聽懂的人面前，
So Esdras the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and every one who had understanding [was present] to hearken, on the first day of the seventh month.
3 在水門前的廣場上，從早晨到中午，在男女和所有能聽懂的人面前，宣讀了法律，所有的人民都側耳靜聽法律書。
And he read in it from the time of sun-rise to the middle of the day, before the men and the women; and they understood [it], and the ears of all the people [were attentive] to the book of the law.
4 厄斯德拉經師站在為此特備的木台上，他右邊站著瑪提提雅、舍瑪、阿納雅、烏黎雅、希耳克雅和瑪阿色雅；他左邊有培達雅、米沙耳、瑪耳基雅、哈雄、哈協巴達納、則加黎雅、和默叔藍。
And Esdras the scribe stood on a wooden stage, and there stood next to him Mattathias, and Samaeas, and Ananias, and Urias, and Chelcia, and Massia, on his right hand; and on his left Phadaeas, and Misael, and Melchias, and Asom, and Asabadma, and Zacharias, and Mesollam.
5 厄斯德拉在眾目注視下展開了書，因他高立在眾人以上，他展開書時，眾人都立起來。
And Esdras opened the book before all the people, for he was above the people; and it came to pass when he had opened it, [that] all the people stood.
6 厄斯德拉先讚頌了上主，偉大的天主，全民眾舉手回答說：「阿們，阿們! 」以後跪下，伏首至地，欽崇上主。
And Esdras blessed the Lord, the great God: and all the people answered, and said, Amen, lifting up their hands: and they bowed down and worshipped the Lord with their face to the ground.
7 肋未人耶叔亞、巴尼、舍勒彼雅、雅明、阿谷布、沙貝泰、曷狄雅、瑪阿色雅、刻里達、阿匝黎雅、約匝巴得、哈南和培拉雅，為民眾講解法律，民眾立在原處不動。
And Jesus and Banaias and Sarabias instructed the people in the law, and the people [stood] in their place.
8 厄斯德拉讀一段天主的法律書，及做翻譯和解釋，如此民眾可以懂清所誦讀的。
And they read in the book of the law of God, and Esdras taught, and instructed them distinctly in the knowledge of the Lord, and the people understood [the law] in the reading.
9 乃赫米雅省長和厄斯德拉司祭兼經師，並教導民眾的肋未人，向民眾說：「今天是上主你們天主的聖日，你們不可憂愁哭泣! 」因為全民眾聽了法律的話，都在哭泣。
And Neemias, and Esdras the priest and scribe, and the Levites, and they that instructed the people, spoke and said to all the people, It is a holy day to the Lord our God; do not mourn, nor weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
10 為此，乃赫米雅又向他們說：「你們應該去吃肥美的肉，喝甘甜的酒，且贈送一部份，給那些沒有預備的人，因為今天是吾主的聖日；你們不可憂愁，因為喜樂於上主，就是你們的力量。」
And [the governor] said to them, Go, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to them that have nothing; for the day is holy to our Lord: and faint not, for the Lord is our strength.
11 肋未人也安慰民眾說：「你們要安靜，因為今天是聖日，不應憂愁! 」
And the Levites caused all the people to be silent, saying, Be silent, for [it is] a holy day, and despond not.
12 民眾遂去吃喝，且贈送一部份給他人，大家異常歡樂，因為都明白了向他們所講的話。
So all the people departed to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, for they understood the words which he made known to them.
13 第二天，全民族的族長和司祭並肋未人，都聚集在厄斯德拉經師身旁，研究法律上的話。
And on the second day the heads of families assembled with all the people, [also] the priests and Levites, to Esdras the scribe, to attend to all the words of the law.
14 發現法律上記載：上主曾藉梅瑟，命令以色列子民，在七月的慶節日，應住在帳棚內。
And they found written in the law which the Lord commanded Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths, in the feast in the seventh month:
15 他們一聽說如此，遂在各城和耶路撒冷，宣佈這命令說：「你們上山去，取橄欖樹的枝葉、野橄欖樹的枝葉、長春樹的枝葉、棕樹的枝葉，和其他茂盛樹的枝葉，照經上所寫的，搭造帳棚。」
and that they should sound with trumpets in all their cities, and in Jerusalem. And Esdras said, Go forth to the mountain, and bring branches of olive, and branches of cypress trees, and branches of myrtle, and branches of palm trees, and branches of [every] thick tree, to make booths, according to that which was written.
16 民眾就去採了樹枝來，在屋頂上，院子裏，天主殿宇的庭院內，水門的廣場上，和厄弗辣因廣場上，搭了帳棚。
And the people went forth, and brought [them], and made booths for themselves, each one upon his roof, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the streets of the city, and as far as the gate of Ephraim.
17 由充軍回來的全會眾，都搭造帳了棚，住在帳棚內；從農的兒子若蘇厄之日起，直到今日，以色列沒有舉行過如此的盛事，大家都非常歡樂。
And all the congregation who had returned from the captivity, made booths, and dwelt in booths: for the children of Israel [had] not done so from the days of Jesus the son of Naue until that day: and there was great joy.
18 從第一日直到最後一日，天天宣讀天主的法律書；七天之久過了慶節，第八天按規定舉行了盛會。
And [Esdras] read in the book of the law of God daily, from the first day even to the last day: and they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.
