Nehemiah 8
1 Then all the people gathered themselves together as one man, into the broad way that was before the water-gate, —and they spake unto Ezra the scribe, to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded Israel.
所有的人民，都一致聚集到水門前的廣場上，要求厄斯德拉經師，拿出上主命以色列當遵守的梅瑟法律書來。
2 So then Ezra the priest brought the law, before the convocation of both men and women, and all that had understanding to hearken, —on the first day of the seventh month;
厄斯德拉司祭便在七月一日，將法律書拿到會眾前，及男女和所有能聽懂的人面前，
3 and read therein, before the broad place which was before the water-gate, from the time it was light, until the noon of the day, in presence of the men and the women, and such as had understanding, —and, the ears of all the people, were unto the book of the law.
在水門前的廣場上，從早晨到中午，在男女和所有能聽懂的人面前，宣讀了法律，所有的人民都側耳靜聽法律書。
4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a lofty platform of wood, which they had made for the purpose, and there stood, beside him, Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Uriah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah, on his right hand, —and, on his left, Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah and Hashum and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, Meshullam.
厄斯德拉經師站在為此特備的木台上，他右邊站著瑪提提雅、舍瑪、阿納雅、烏黎雅、希耳克雅和瑪阿色雅；他左邊有培達雅、米沙耳、瑪耳基雅、哈雄、哈協巴達納、則加黎雅、和默叔藍。
5 And Ezra the scribe opened the book before the eyes of all the people, for, above all the people, was he, —and, when he opened it, all the people, stood up.
厄斯德拉在眾目注視下展開了書，因他高立在眾人以上，他展開書時，眾人都立起來。
6 And Ezra blessed Yahweh the great God, —and all the people responded, Amen! Amen! with the lifting up of their hands, —and they bent their heads and bowed themselves down unto Yahweh, with their faces to the ground.
厄斯德拉先讚頌了上主，偉大的天主，全民眾舉手回答說：「阿們，阿們! 」以後跪下，伏首至地，欽崇上主。
7 And, Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, did cause the people to understand the law, the people, remaining in their places.
肋未人耶叔亞、巴尼、舍勒彼雅、雅明、阿谷布、沙貝泰、曷狄雅、瑪阿色雅、刻里達、阿匝黎雅、約匝巴得、哈南和培拉雅，為民眾講解法律，民眾立在原處不動。
8 So they read in the book of the law of God, distinctly, —and, giving the sense, caused them to understand the reading.
厄斯德拉讀一段天主的法律書，及做翻譯和解釋，如此民眾可以懂清所誦讀的。
9 Then Nehemiah—he, was the governor—and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites who were causing the people to understand, said unto all the people, To-day, is, holy, unto Yahweh your God, do not mourn, nor weep, —for, weeping, were all the people, when they heard the words of the law.
乃赫米雅省長和厄斯德拉司祭兼經師，並教導民眾的肋未人，向民眾說：「今天是上主你們天主的聖日，你們不可憂愁哭泣! 」因為全民眾聽了法律的話，都在哭泣。
10 So he said unto them—Go your way, eat the fat and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared, for holy is the day, unto our Lord, —and be not grieved, for, the joy of Yahweh, is your strength.
為此，乃赫米雅又向他們說：「你們應該去吃肥美的肉，喝甘甜的酒，且贈送一部份，給那些沒有預備的人，因為今天是吾主的聖日；你們不可憂愁，因為喜樂於上主，就是你們的力量。」
11 And, the Levites, were quieting all the people, saying—Hush! for, the day, is holy, —and be not grieved.
肋未人也安慰民眾說：「你們要安靜，因為今天是聖日，不應憂愁! 」
12 And all the people went their way, to eat and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great rejoicing, —because they had understood the words which were made known unto them.
民眾遂去吃喝，且贈送一部份給他人，大家異常歡樂，因為都明白了向他們所講的話。
13 And, on the second day, were gathered together—the ancestral heads of all the people, the priests and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, —even to give attention unto the words of the law.
第二天，全民族的族長和司祭並肋未人，都聚集在厄斯德拉經師身旁，研究法律上的話。
14 And they found written in the law, —that Yahweh gave command through Moses, that the sons of Israel should dwell in booths, during the festival of the seventh month;
發現法律上記載：上主曾藉梅瑟，命令以色列子民，在七月的慶節日，應住在帳棚內。
15 and that they should publish and send along a proclamation throughout all their cities and throughout Jerusalem, saying, Forth to the mountain, and bring in branches of olive, and branches of oleaster, and branches of myrtle, and branches of palms, and branches of thick trees, —to make booths, as it is written.
他們一聽說如此，遂在各城和耶路撒冷，宣佈這命令說：「你們上山去，取橄欖樹的枝葉、野橄欖樹的枝葉、長春樹的枝葉、棕樹的枝葉，和其他茂盛樹的枝葉，照經上所寫的，搭造帳棚。」
16 So the people went forth, and brought in, and made themselves booths, every one upon his roof, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water-gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim.
民眾就去採了樹枝來，在屋頂上，院子裏，天主殿宇的庭院內，水門的廣場上，和厄弗辣因廣場上，搭了帳棚。
17 And all the convocation of them who had returned out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in booths, for, since the days of Jeshua son of Nun, had not the sons of Israel done so, unto that day, —and there was very great rejoicing.
由充軍回來的全會眾，都搭造帳了棚，住在帳棚內；從農的兒子若蘇厄之日起，直到今日，以色列沒有舉行過如此的盛事，大家都非常歡樂。
18 So he read in the book of the law of God, day by day, from the first day unto the last day, and they kept the festival seven days, and, on the eighth day, a closing feast, according to the regulation.
從第一日直到最後一日，天天宣讀天主的法律書；七天之久過了慶節，第八天按規定舉行了盛會。
