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 had arrived. Now the sons of Israel were in their cities. And all the people were gathered together, like one man, in the street which is before the water gate. And they spoke to Ezra the scribe, so that he would bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had instructed to 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，
Therefore, Ezra the priest brought the law before the multitude of men and women, and all those who were able to understand, 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 it openly in the street which was before the water gate, from morning even until midday, in the sight of the men and women, and those who understood. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book.
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。
Then Ezra the scribe stood upon a step of wood, which he had made for speaking. And standing beside him were Mattithiah, and Shemaiah, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right. And on the left were Pedaiah, Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
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 Ezra opened the book before all the people. For he stood out above all the people. And when he had opened it, all the people stood up.
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 Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people responded, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed down, and they adored God, facing 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。
Then Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, caused the people to be silent in order to hear the law. And the people were standing on their feet.
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 from the book of the law of God, distinctly and plainly, so as to be understood. And when it was read, they did understand.
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。
Then Nehemiah (the same is the cupbearer) and Ezra, the priest and scribe, and the Levites, who were interpreting for all the people, said: “This day has been sanctified to the Lord our God. Do not mourn, and do not weep.” For all of the people were weeping, as they were listening to 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 he said to them: “Go, eat fat foods and drink sweet drinks, and send portions to those who have not prepared for themselves. For it is the holy day of the Lord. And do not be sad. For the joy of the Lord is also 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! 」
Then the Levites caused the people to be silent, saying: “Be quiet. For the day is holy. And do not be sorrowful.”
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。
And so all the people went forth, so that they might eat and drink, and so that they might send portions, and so that they might make a great rejoicing. For they understood the words that he had taught 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 leaders of the families of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together to Ezra the scribe, so that he might interpret for them 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 had instructed by the hand of Moses, that the sons of Israel should live in tabernacles on the day of solemnity 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 proclaim and send out a voice in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying: “Go forth to the mount, and bring olive branches, and the branches of beautiful trees, myrtle branches, and palm branches, and the branches of thick trees,” so that they might make tabernacles, just as it 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. And they made for themselves tabernacles, each one at his own dwelling, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of 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。
Therefore, the entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made tabernacles and lived in tabernacles. For from the days of Jeshua, the son of Nun, even to that day, the sons of Israel had not done so. And there was exceedingly great rejoicing.
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。
Now he read in the book of the law of God, throughout each day, from the first day even to the very last day. And they kept the solemnity for seven days. And on the eighth day, there was a gathering according to the ritual.
