< 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 all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spoke unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded 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,
And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon 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 therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto 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 Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, 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 in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people; ) and when he 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 answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces 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。
Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand 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。
So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand 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 Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, 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。」
Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be all of you sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your 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! 」
So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be all of you grieved.
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 all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great delight, because they had understood the words that were declared unto 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 were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand 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 commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of 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 publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is 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。
So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, 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。
And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
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。
Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.