Nehemiah 8
1 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.
到了七月，以色列人住在自己的城裏。那時，他們如同一人聚集在水門前的寬闊處，請文士以斯拉將耶和華藉摩西傳給以色列人的律法書帶來。
2 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.
七月初一日，祭司以斯拉將律法書帶到聽了能明白的男女會眾面前。
3 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.
在水門前的寬闊處，從清早到晌午，在眾男女、一切聽了能明白的人面前讀這律法書。眾民側耳而聽。
4 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.
文士以斯拉站在為這事特備的木臺上。瑪他提雅、示瑪、亞奈雅、烏利亞、希勒家，和瑪西雅站在他的右邊；毗大雅、米沙利、瑪基雅、哈順、哈拔大拿、撒迦利亞，和米書蘭站在他的左邊。
5 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.
以斯拉站在眾民以上，在眾民眼前展開這書。他一展開，眾民就都站起來。
6 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.
以斯拉稱頌耶和華至大的上帝；眾民都舉手應聲說：「阿們！阿們！」就低頭，面伏於地，敬拜耶和華。
7 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.
耶書亞、巴尼、示利比、雅憫、亞谷、沙比太、荷第雅、瑪西雅、基利他、亞撒利雅、約撒拔、哈難、毗萊雅，和利未人使百姓明白律法；百姓都站在自己的地方。
8 And they read in the book of the law of God distinctly and plainly to be understood: and they understood when it was read.
他們清清楚楚地念上帝的律法書，講明意思，使百姓明白所念的。
9 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.
省長尼希米和作祭司的文士以斯拉，並教訓百姓的利未人，對眾民說：「今日是耶和華－你們上帝的聖日，不要悲哀哭泣。」這是因為眾民聽見律法書上的話都哭了；
10 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.
又對他們說：「你們去吃肥美的，喝甘甜的，有不能預備的就分給他，因為今日是我們主的聖日。你們不要憂愁，因靠耶和華而得的喜樂是你們的力量。」
11 And the Levites stilled all the people, saying: Hold your peace, for the day is holy, and be not sorrowful.
於是利未人使眾民靜默，說：「今日是聖日；不要作聲，也不要憂愁。」
12 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.
眾民都去吃喝，也分給人，大大快樂，因為他們明白所教訓他們的話。
13 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.
次日，眾民的族長、祭司，和利未人都聚集到文士以斯拉那裏，要留心聽律法上的話。
14 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:
他們見律法上寫着，耶和華藉摩西吩咐以色列人要在七月節住棚，
15 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.
並要在各城和耶路撒冷宣傳報告說：「你們當上山，將橄欖樹、野橄欖樹、番石榴樹、棕樹，和各樣茂密樹的枝子取來，照着所寫的搭棚。」
16 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.
於是百姓出去，取了樹枝來，各人在自己的房頂上，或院內，或上帝殿的院內，或水門的寬闊處，或以法蓮門的寬闊處搭棚。
17 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.
從擄到之地歸回的全會眾就搭棚，住在棚裏。從嫩的兒子約書亞的時候直到這日，以色列人沒有這樣行。於是眾人大大喜樂。
18 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.
從頭一天直到末一天，以斯拉每日念上帝的律法書。眾人守節七日，第八日照例有嚴肅會。
