尼希米记 8
1 到了七月，以色列人住在自己的城里。那时，他们如同一人聚集在水门前的宽阔处，请文士以斯拉将耶和华借摩西传给以色列人的律法书带来。
And the seventh month came: and the children of Israel were in their cities. And all the people were gathered together as one mall to the street which is before the water gate, and they spoke to Esdras the scribe, to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.
2 七月初一日，祭司以斯拉将律法书带到听了能明白的男女会众面前。
Then Esdras the priest brought the law before the multitude of men and women, and all those that could understand, in the first day of the seventh month.
3 在水门前的宽阔处，从清早到晌午，在众男女、一切听了能明白的人面前读这律法书。众民侧耳而听。
And he read it plainly in the street that was before the water gate, from the morning until midday, before the men, and the women, and all those that could understand: and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book.
4 文士以斯拉站在为这事特备的木台上。玛他提雅、示玛、亚奈雅、乌利亚、希勒家，和玛西雅站在他的右边；毗大雅、米沙利、玛基雅、哈顺、哈拔大拿、撒迦利亚，和米书兰站在他的左边。
And Esdras the scribe stood upon a step of wood, which he had made to speak upon, and there stood by him Mathathias, and Semeia, and Ania, and Uria, and Helcia, and Maasia, on his right hand: and on the left, Phadaia, Misael, and Melchia, and Hasum, and Hasbadana, Zacharia and Mosollam.
5 以斯拉站在众民以上，在众民眼前展开这书。他一展开，众民就都站起来。
And Esdras opened the book before all the people: for he was above all the people: and when he had opened it, all the people stood.
6 以斯拉称颂耶和华至大的 神；众民都举手应声说：“阿们！阿们！”就低头，面伏于地，敬拜耶和华。
And Esdras blessed the Lord the great God: and all the people answered, Amen, amen: lifting up their hands: and they bowed down, and adored God with their faces to the ground.
7 耶书亚、巴尼、示利比、雅悯、亚谷、沙比太、荷第雅、玛西雅、基利他、亚撒利雅、约撒拔、哈难、毗莱雅，和利未人使百姓明白律法；百姓都站在自己的地方。
Now Josue, and Bani, and Serebia, Jamin, Accub, Sephtai, Odia, Maasia, Celtia, Azarias, Jozabed, Hanan, Phalaia, the Levites, made silence among the people to hear the law: and the people stood in their place.
8 他们清清楚楚地念 神的律法书，讲明意思，使百姓明白所念的。
And they read in the book of the law of God distinctly and plainly to be understood: and they understood when it was read.
9 省长尼希米和作祭司的文士以斯拉，并教训百姓的利未人，对众民说：“今日是耶和华—你们 神的圣日，不要悲哀哭泣。”这是因为众民听见律法书上的话都哭了；
And Nehemias (he is Athersatha) and Esdras the priest and scribe, and the Levites who interpreted to all the people, said: This 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 又对他们说：“你们去吃肥美的，喝甘甜的，有不能预备的就分给他，因为今日是我们主的圣日。你们不要忧愁，因靠耶和华而得的喜乐是你们的力量。”
And he said to them: Go, eat fat meats, and drink sweet wine, and send portions to them that have not prepared for themselves: because it is the holy day of the Lord, and be not sad: for the joy of the Lord is our strength.
11 于是利未人使众民静默，说：“今日是圣日；不要作声，也不要忧愁。”
And the Levites stilled all the people, saying: Hold your peace, for the day is holy, and be not sorrowful.
12 众民都去吃喝，也分给人，大大快乐，因为他们明白所教训他们的话。
So all the people went to eat and drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth: because they understood the words that he had taught them.
13 次日，众民的族长、祭司，和利未人都聚集到文士以斯拉那里，要留心听律法上的话。
And on the second day the chiefs of the families of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together to Esdras the scribe, that he should interpret to them the words of the law.
14 他们见律法上写着，耶和华借摩西吩咐以色列人要在七月节住棚，
And they found written in the law, that the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in tabernacles, on the feast, in the seventh month:
15 并要在各城和耶路撒冷宣传报告说：“你们当上山，将橄榄树、野橄榄树、番石榴树、棕树，和各样茂密树的枝子取来，照着所写的搭棚。”
And that they should proclaim and publish the word in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying: Go forth to the mount, and fetch branches of olive, and branches of beautiful wood, branches of myrtle, and branches of palm, and branches of thick trees, to make tabernacles, as it is written.
16 于是百姓出去，取了树枝来，各人在自己的房顶上，或院内，或 神殿的院内，或水门的宽阔处，或以法莲门的宽阔处搭棚。
And the people went forth, and brought. And they made themselves tabernacles every man on the top 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 从掳到之地归回的全会众就搭棚，住在棚里。从嫩的儿子约书亚的时候直到这日，以色列人没有这样行。于是众人大大喜乐。
And all the assembly of them that were returned from the captivity, made tabernacles, and dwelt in tabernacles: for since the days of Josue the son of Nun the children of Israel had not done so, until that day: and there was exceeding great joy.
18 从头一天直到末一天，以斯拉每日念 神的律法书。众人守节七日，第八日照例有严肃会。
And he read in the book of the law of God day by day, from the first day till the last, and they kept the solemnity seven days, and in the eighth day a solemn assembly according to the manner.
