Nehemiah 8
1 And all the people assembled themselues together, in the streete that was before the watergate, and they spake vnto Ezra the Scribe, that hee would bring the booke of ye Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.
Pada bulan tujuh orang Israel telah menetap di kotanya masing-masing. Pada tanggal satu bulan itu mereka semua berkumpul di Yerusalem, di halaman di depan Pintu Gerbang Air. Mereka meminta supaya Buku Hukum diambil oleh Imam Ezra, seorang ahli dalam Hukum yang diberikan TUHAN kepada Israel melalui Musa.
2 And Ezra the Priest brought the Lawe before the Congregation both of men and women, and of all that coulde heare and vnderstand it, in the first day of the seuenth moneth,
Lalu Ezra membawa buku itu ke hadapan sidang yang terdiri dari laki-laki, wanita dan anak-anak yang cukup dewasa untuk mengerti.
3 And he read therein in the streete that was before the watergate (from the morning vntill the midday) before men and women, and them that vnderstoode it, and the eares of all the people hearkened vnto the booke of the Lawe.
Kemudian, dari pagi sampai siang, Ezra membacakan Hukum itu kepada mereka. Mereka semua mendengarkan dengan penuh perhatian.
4 And Ezra the Scribe stoode vpon a pulpit of wood which he had made for the preaching, and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Ananiah, and Vriiah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hande, and on his left hand Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
Ezra berdiri di atas mimbar kayu yang telah dibuat untuk keperluan pertemuan itu. Di sebelah kanannya berdiri orang-orang ini: Matica, Sema, Anaya, Uria, Hilkia dan Maaseya; sedang di sebelah kirinya berdiri: Pedaya, Misael, Malkia, Hasum, Hasbadana, Zakharia dan Mesulam.
5 And Ezra opened the booke before all the people: for hee was aboue all the people: and when he opened it, all the people stoode vp.
Panggung tempat Ezra berdiri itu lebih tinggi dari orang-orang itu, sehingga mereka semua dapat melihatnya. Segera ia membuka buku itu, mereka semua berdiri.
6 And Ezra praysed the Lord the great God, and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting vp their handes: and they bowed themselues, and worshipped the Lord with their faces toward the grounde.
Ezra berkata, "Pujilah TUHAN, Allah yang besar!" Seluruh rakyat mengangkat tangan tinggi-tinggi dan menjawab, "Amin, amin!" Lalu mereka sujud menyembah Allah.
7 Also Ieshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Iamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Iozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Leuites caused the people to vnderstand the lawe, and the people stood in their place.
Setelah itu mereka bangkit dan berdiri di tempat masing-masing, sementara sejumlah orang Lewi menerangkan Hukum itu kepada mereka. Orang-orang Lewi itu ialah: Yesua, Bani, Serebya, Yamin, Akub, Sabetai, Hodia, Maaseya, Kelita, Azarya, Yozabad, Hanan dan Pelaya.
8 And they read in the booke of the Lawe of God distinctly, and gaue the sense, and caused them to vnderstand the reading.
Mereka menterjemahkan Hukum Allah itu bagian demi bagian serta menjelaskannya sehingga rakyat dapat mengerti bacaan itu.
9 Then Nehemiah (which is Tirshatha) and Ezra the Priest and scribe, and the Leuites that instructed the people, saide vnto all the people, This day is holie vnto ye Lord your God: mourne not, neither weepe: for all the people wept, whe they heard the words of the Lawe.
Mendengar pembacaan Hukum itu, rakyat menjadi sangat terharu, lalu menangis. Maka gubernur Nehemia dan Imam Ezra ahli Hukum itu, serta orang-orang Lewi yang menerangkan Hukum itu, mengatakan kepada seluruh rakyat demikian, "Hari ini hari yang khusus bagi TUHAN Allahmu, jadi jangan bersedih atau menangis.
10 He saide also vnto the, Go, and eate of the fat, and drinke the sweete, and send part vnto them, for whome none is prepared: for this day is holie vnto our Lord: be ye not sorie therefore: for the ioy of the Lord is your strength.
Sekarang pulanglah; makanlah dan minumlah dengan gembira. Berilah sebagian dari makanan dan anggurmu kepada mereka yang berkekurangan. Hari ini hari yang khusus bagi Tuhan kita, jadi jangan bersusah. Kegembiraan yang diberikan TUHAN kepada kalian akan menguatkan kalian."
11 And the Leuites made silence throughout all the people, saying, Holde your peace: for the day is holy, be not sad therefore.
Juga orang-orang Lewi menenangkan rakyat dan berkata berulang-ulang, "Jangan bersedih pada hari yang khusus ini."
12 Then all the people went to eate and to drinke, and to send away part, and to make great ioy, because they had vnderstand the wordes that they had taught them.
Maka pulanglah seluruh rakyat untuk makan dan minum serta membagi-bagikan makanan kepada orang-orang lain. Mereka bergembira karena telah mengerti arti bacaan yang mereka dengar itu.
13 And on the second day the chiefe fathers of all the people, the Priests and the Leuites were gathered vnto Ezra the scribe, that he also might instruct them in the wordes of the Lawe.
Besoknya berkumpullah semua kepala kaum, para imam dan orang-orang Lewi, lalu pergi kepada Ezra untuk mempelajari ajaran-ajaran Hukum TUHAN.
14 And they found written in the Law, (that the Lord had commanded by Moses) that the children of Israel should dwel in boothes in the feast of the seuenth moneth,
Mereka mendapati bahwa di dalam Hukum yang diberikan TUHAN melalui Musa, TUHAN menyuruh umat Israel tinggal di dalam pondok-pondok darurat selama pesta Pondok Daun.
15 And that they shoulde cause it to bee declared and proclaimed in all their cities, and in Ierusalem, saying, Go forth vnto the mount, and bring oliue branches, and pine branches, and branches of myrtus, and palme branches, and branches of thicke trees, to make boothes, as it is written.
Sebab itu di seluruh Yerusalem di kota-kota dan di desa-desa, mereka mengumumkan perintah ini, "Pergilah ke pegunungan dan ambillah dahan-dahan pohon cemara, zaitun, pohon minyak, palma dan pohon-pohon lain untuk membuat pondok sesuai dengan peraturan di dalam Buku Hukum."
16 So the people went foorth and brought them, and made them boothes, euerie one vpon the roofe of his house, and in their courtes, and in the courtes of the house of God, and in the streete by the watergate, and in the streete of the gate of Ephraim.
Lalu pergilah rakyat mengambil dahan-dahan itu. Mereka semua membuat pondok-pondok pada atap-atap datar di atas rumah mereka, di halaman rumahnya, di halaman depan Rumah TUHAN, di lapangan dekat Pintu Gerbang Air dan di lapangan dekat Pintu Gerbang Efraim.
17 And all the Congregation of them that were come againe out of the captiuitie made boothes, and sate vnder the boothes: for since the time of Ieshua the sonne of Nun vnto this day, had not the children of Israel done so, and there was very great ioy.
Seluruh rakyat yang telah pulang dari pembuangan itu membuat pondok-pondok itu, lalu tinggal di situ. Inilah pertama kali hal itu dilakukan sejak zaman Yosua anak Nun, maka semuanya senang dan bahagia.
18 And he read in the booke of the Lawe of God euery day, from the first day vnto the last day. and they kept the feast seuen dayes, and on the eight day a solemne assemblie, according vnto the maner.
Tujuh hari lamanya mereka berpesta. Tiap-tiap hari bagian-bagian buku Hukum Allah dibacakan oleh Ezra. Pada hari yang kedelapan diadakan upacara penutupan, sesuai dengan peraturan Hukum.
