民數記 8
1 上主訓示梅瑟說：「
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:
2 你告訴亞郎說：你安放燈盞時，要使七盞燈光，光照燈台的前面。」
'Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him: When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the candlestick.'
3 亞郎就照樣做了：安放了燈盞，使燈光照耀燈台的前面，如上主對梅瑟所吩咐的。
And Aaron did so: he lighted the lamps thereof so as to give light in front of the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses.
4 這燈台是用金子打成的，從座到花朵都是打成的；梅瑟是照上主指示的式樣，製造了燈台。
And this was the work of the candlestick, beaten work of gold; unto the base thereof, and unto the flowers thereof, it was beaten work; according unto the pattern which the LORD had shown Moses, so he made the candlestick.
5 上主訓示梅瑟說：「
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:
6 你由以色列子民中選出肋未人，並要潔淨他們。
'Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.
7 為潔淨他們，你應這樣做：將取潔水灑在他們身上，命他們用刀剃全身，然後洗自己的衣服，使自己潔淨。
And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification upon them, and let them cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves.
8 以後，他們應帶一隻公牛犢和同獻的素祭，即油調的細麵；你應另帶一頭公牛犢，為作贖罪祭；
Then let them take a young bullock, and its meal-offering, fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin-offering.
9 領肋未人到會幕前，並召集以色列子民全會眾。
And thou shalt present the Levites before the tent of meeting; and thou shalt assemble the whole congregation of the children of Israel.
10 領肋未人到上主面前以後，以色列子民將自己的手放在肋未人身上，
And thou shalt present the Levites before the LORD; and the children of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites.
11 亞郎就以搖禮把肋未人獻於上主面前，當作以色列子民的獻儀：這樣，他們纔可以行服事上主的事。
And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for a wave-offering from the children of Israel, that they may be to do the service of the LORD.
12 以後肋未人應按手在兩頭公牛犢頭上：一隻你要獻給上主作贖罪祭，一隻作全燔祭，為肋未人贖罪。
And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks; and offer thou the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering, unto the LORD, to make atonement for the Levites.
13 你應使肋未人站在亞郎和他的兒子們面前，以搖禮把他們獻給上主。
And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for a wave-offering unto the LORD.
14 為此，你要由以色列子民中分出肋未人來，使他們屬於我。
Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be Mine.
15 此後，肋未人纔可進入會幕服務。為此你應潔淨他們，以搖禮奉獻他們，
And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tent of meeting; and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for a wave-offering.
16 因為他們是以色列子民中完全獻與我的人；我使他們歸於我。以代替以色列子民中一切開胎的首生，
For they are wholly given unto Me from among the children of Israel; instead of all that openeth the womb, even the first-born of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto Me.
17 因為以色列子民中的一切首生，不拘是人是獸，都屬於我；自從我在埃及地擊殺了一切首生的那一日起，我就將他們祝聖歸屬於我。
For all the first-born among the children of Israel are Mine, both man and beast; on the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for Myself.
18 我取了肋未人，替代以色列子民中的一切首生；
And I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel.
19 我由以色列子民中委派了肋未人，作亞郎和他兒子們的屬下，為替代以色列子民在會幕內服務，為以色列子民贖罪，免得以色列子民因接近聖所而遭受災禍。」
And I have given the Levites — they are given to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tent of meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no plague among the children of Israel, through the children of Israel coming nigh unto the sanctuary.'
20 梅瑟、亞郎以及以色列子民全會眾，對肋未人就如此做了；上主關於肋未人怎樣吩咐了梅瑟，以色列子民就對他們怎樣做了。
Thus did Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the Levites; according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses touching the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them.
21 肋未人潔淨了自己，洗了自己的衣服，亞郎遂以搖禮把他們獻在上主面前，亞郎並為他們贖了罪，使他們潔淨。
And the Levites purified themselves, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them for a sacred gift before the LORD; and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them.
22 此後，肋未人纔進入會幕內，在亞郎和他的兒子們面前執行自己的職務。上主關於肋未人怎樣吩咐了，梅瑟就對他們怎樣做了。
And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tent of meeting before Aaron, and before his sons; as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them.
23 上主訓示梅瑟說：「
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:
24 這是關於肋未人的法令：由二十五歲以上，應來服役，在會幕內工作；
'This is that which pertaineth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to perform the service in the work of the tent of meeting;
25 到了五十歲就退休，不再服役；
and from the age of fifty years they shall return from the service of the work, and shall serve no more;
26 以後在會幕內輔助自己的兄弟照管該遵守的事，自己卻不必服勞役。關於肋未人的職務，你應這樣安排。」
but shall minister with their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, but they shall do no manner of service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charges.'
