< Nehemiah 8 >

1 All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the square that was before the Water Gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the scroll of the law of Moses, which Jehovah 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 Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on 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 before the square that was before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the scroll of the law.
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 Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
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 Ezra opened the scroll in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people; ) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
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 Ezra blessed Jehovah, the great God. All the people answered, "Amen, Amen," with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshiped Jehovah 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 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, explained the law to the people, and the people stayed 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 They read in the scroll, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.
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 Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all the people, "This day is holy to Jehovah your 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 Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved; for the joy of Jehovah is your 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 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, "Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be grieved."
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 All the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared to 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 On the second day were gathered together the heads of ancestral houses of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe, even to give attention to 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 They found written in the law, how that Jehovah had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of 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 publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the mountain, and get olive branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, 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 So the people went out, and brought them, and made themselves booths, everyone on the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of God's house, and in the broad place of the Water Gate, and in the broad place of the Ephraim Gate.
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 All the assembly of those who had come again out of the captivity made booths, and lived in the booths; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness.
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 Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the scroll of the law of God. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.
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。

< Nehemiah 8 >