< 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 open place which is before the water-gate; and they said unto 'Ezra the expounder that he should bring forward the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord 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,
Then did 'Ezra the priest bring forward the law before the congregation both of men and women, and every one that had understanding to listen [attentively], 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 therein in the open place which is before the water-gate from the first daylight until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand: and the ears of all the people were directed 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 expounder stood upon an elevated stand of wood, which they had made for the purpose: and beside him stood Matthithyah, and Shema', and 'Anayah, and Uriyah, and Chilkiyah, and Ma'asseyah, on his right hand; and on his left, Pedayah, and Mishael, and Malkiyah, and Chashum, and Chashbadanah, 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 the eyes of all the people; for he was [standing] higher than all the people; and as he opened it, all the people became silent.
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 prostrated themselves before 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 Sherebyah, Jamin, 'Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiyah, Ma'asseyah, Kelita, 'Azaryah, Jozabad, Chanan, Pelayah, and the Levites, explained to the people the law: while the people remained where they stood.
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 exhibiting the sense: so that [the people] understood what was read.
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 said Nehemiah, that is the Thirshatha, and 'Ezra the priest the expounder, and the Levites that explained to the people, unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God: mourn not, and weep not. For all the people were weeping, 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 said he unto them, Go your way, eat fat things, and drink sweet drinks, and send portions unto him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord: and do not grieve yourselves; but let the joy of the Lord be your stronghold.
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 quieted all the people, saying, Be still! for the day is holy: and do not grieve yourselves.
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 out portions, and to prepare for themselves great joy: because they had understood the words which [the others] had made known 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 there gathered themselves together the chiefs of the divisions of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto 'Ezra the expounder, to obtain again intelligence of 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 that the Lord had commanded through means of Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during 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 [they ordered] that they should publish and have proclamation made throughout all their cities, and through Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mountain and fetch olive-leaves, and oleaster-leaves, and myrtle-leaves, and palm-leaves, and leaves of the three-leaved myrtle, 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。
And the people went forth, and brought them; and they made themselves booths, every one upon his roof, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the open place by the water-gate, and in the open place by 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 that were returned out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths; for since the days of Jeshua' the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very 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 he read in the book of the law of God, day by day, from the first day until the last day. And they celebrated the feast seven days, and on the eighth day the solemn assembly, after the prescribed manner.

< 尼希米記 8 >