Numbers 8
1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
上主訓示梅瑟說：「
2 “Speak to Aaron, and you shall say to him: When you place the seven lamps, let the lampstand be set up on the south side. Therefore, give this instruction: that the lamps should look out from the region opposite the north, toward the table of the bread of the presence; they shall give light opposite that area, toward the area that the lampstand faces.”
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。」
3 And Aaron did so, and he placed the lamps on the lampstand, just as the Lord had instructed Moses.
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。
4 Now this was the workmanship of the lampstand: it was of ductile gold, both the main shaft and all that originated from both sides of the branches. According to the example that the Lord revealed to Moses, so did he make the lampstand.
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。
5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
上主訓示梅瑟說：「
6 “Take the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, and you shall purify them
你由以色列子民中選出肋未人，並要潔淨他們。
7 according to this ritual: Let them be sprinkled with the water of illumination, and let them shave off all the hairs of their body. And when they have washed their garments and have been cleansed,
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。
8 they shall take an ox from the herd, with its libation of fine wheat flour sprinkled with oil; then you shall receive another ox from the herd for sin.
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；
9 And you shall bring forward the Levites before the tabernacle of the covenant, calling together all the multitude of the sons of Israel.
領肋未人到會幕前，並召集以色列子民全會眾。
10 And when the Levites are before the Lord, the sons of Israel shall place their hands upon them.
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，
11 And Aaron shall offer the Levites as a gift in the sight of the Lord, from the sons of Israel, so that they may serve in his ministry.
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。
12 Likewise, the Levites shall place their hands upon the heads of the oxen; you shall make use of one of these for sin, and the other as a holocaust to the Lord, so that you may intercede for them.
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。
13 And you shall set the Levites in the sight of Aaron and his sons, and you shall consecrate those being offered to the Lord,
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。
14 and you shall separate them from the midst of the sons of Israel, so that they may be for me.
為此，你要由以色列子民中分出肋未人來，使他們屬於我。
15 And after this, they shall enter the tabernacle of the covenant, in order to serve me. And so shall you purify and consecrate them as an oblation to the Lord. For they were given to me as a gift from the sons of Israel.
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，
16 I have accepted them in place of the firstborn which open every womb in Israel.
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，
17 For all the firstborn of the sons of Israel, as much from men as from beasts, are mine. From the day when I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I have sanctified them to myself.
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。
18 And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the sons of Israel.
我取了肋未人，替代以色列子民中的一切首生；
19 And I have delivered them as a gift to Aaron and his sons, from the midst of the people, in order to serve me, for Israel, in the tabernacle of the covenant, and in order to pray for them, lest there be a scourge among the people, if they were to dare to approach to my Sanctuary.”
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。」
20 And Moses and Aaron, and all the multitude of the sons of Israel, accomplished all that the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites.
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。
21 And they were purified, and they washed their garments. And Aaron lifted them up in the sight of the Lord, and he prayed for them,
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。
22 so that, having been purified, they might enter to their duties in the tabernacle of the covenant before Aaron and his sons. Just as the Lord had instructed Moses about the Levites, so was it done.
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。
23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
上主訓示梅瑟說：「
24 “This is the law of the Levites: From twenty-five years and above, they shall enter to minister in the tabernacle of the covenant.
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；
25 And when they will have completed the fiftieth year of age, they shall cease to serve.
到了五十歲就退休，不再服役；
26 And they shall be the ministers of their brothers in the tabernacle of the covenant, in order to care for the things that have been commended to them, but not to perform the works themselves. So shall you assign the Levites in their duties.”
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。」
