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.
watu wote wakakusanyika kama mtu mmoja kwenye uwanja mbele ya Lango la Maji. Wakamwambia Ezra mwandishi alete Kitabu cha Sheria ya Mose, ambacho Bwana aliamuru kwa ajili ya Israeli.
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;
Basi katika siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa saba, kuhani Ezra akaleta Sheria mbele ya kusanyiko, ambamo walikuwamo wanaume, wanawake na watu wote walioweza kufahamu.
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.
Akaisoma kwa sauti kubwa tangu mapambazuko mpaka adhuhuri, akiwa ameuelekea uwanja uliokuwa mbele ya Lango la Maji mbele ya wanaume, wanawake na wengine ambao waliweza kufahamu. Watu wote wakasikiliza kwa makini kile Kitabu cha Sheria.
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.
Mwandishi Ezra alikuwa amesimama juu ya jukwaa la miti lililojengwa kwa kusudi hilo. Karibu naye upande wa kuume alisimama Matithia, Shema, Anaya, Uria, Hilkia na Maaseya. Upande wake wa kushoto walikuwepo Pedaya, Mishaeli, Malkiya, Hashumu, Hashbadani, Zekaria na Meshulamu.
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.
Ezra akakifungua kile kitabu. Watu wote waliweza kumwona kwa sababu alikuwa amesimama juu zaidi, naye alipokifungua watu wote wakasimama.
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.
Ezra akamsifu Bwana, Mungu mkuu, nao watu wote wakainua mikono yao na kuitikia, “Amen! Amen!” Kisha wakasujudu na kumwabudu Bwana hali nyuso zao zikigusa ardhi.
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.
Watu wakiwa wamesimama pale, Walawi wafuatao waliwafunza ile Sheria: Yeshua, Bani, Sherebia, Yamini, Akubu, Shabethai, Hodia, Maaseya, Kelita, Azaria, Yozabadi, Hanani na Pelaya.
8 So they read in the book of the law of God, distinctly, —and, giving the sense, caused them to understand the reading.
Walisoma kutoka kile Kitabu cha Sheria ya Mungu, wakiifafanua na kuwapa maelezo ili watu waweze kufahamu kile kilichokuwa kikisomwa.
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.
Ndipo Nehemia aliyekuwa mtawala, Ezra kuhani na mwandishi, pamoja na Walawi waliokuwa wakiwafundisha watu wakawaambia wote, “Siku hii ni takatifu kwa Bwana Mungu wenu. Msiomboleze wala msilie.” Kwa kuwa watu wote walikuwa wakilia walipokuwa wakisikiliza maneno ya ile Sheria.
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.
Nehemia akasema, “Nendeni mkafurahie chakula kizuri na vinywaji vitamu, na mpeleke sehemu kwa wale ambao hawana chochote cha kula. Siku hii ni takatifu kwa Bwana. Msihuzunike, kwa kuwa furaha ya Bwana ni nguvu zenu.”
11 And, the Levites, were quieting all the people, saying—Hush! for, the day, is holy, —and be not grieved.
Walawi wakawatuliza watu wote wakisema, “Kuweni watulivu, kwa kuwa hii ni siku takatifu. Msihuzunike.”
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.
Kisha watu wote wakaondoka kwenda kula na kunywa, na kupeana sehemu ya chakula, na wakaadhimisha kwa furaha kubwa, kwa sababu sasa walifahamu maneno yale waliyokuwa wameelezwa.
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.
Katika siku ya pili ya mwezi, wakuu wa mbari zote, pamoja na makuhani na Walawi, walikusanyika wakimzunguka Ezra mwandishi ili wapate kusikiliza kwa makini maneno ya Sheria.
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;
Wakakuta imeandikwa katika ile Sheria, ambayo Bwana aliiamuru kupitia kwa Mose, kwamba Waisraeli walipaswa kukaa katika vibanda wakati wa sikukuu ya mwezi wa saba,
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.
na kwamba walipaswa kutangaza neno hili na kulieneza katika miji yao na katika Yerusalemu wakisema: “Enendeni katika nchi ya mlima na kuleta matawi kutoka miti ya mizeituni, mizeituni mwitu, mihadasi, mitende na miti ya kivuli, ili kutengeneza vibanda,” kama ilivyoandikwa.
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.
Basi watu wakaenda na kuleta matawi, nao wakajijengea vibanda juu ya paa za nyumba zao, katika nyua zao, katika nyua za nyumba ya Mungu, na katika uwanja karibu na Lango la Maji na uwanja wa Lango la Efraimu.
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.
Jamii yote ya watu waliorudi kutoka utumwani wakajenga vibanda na kuishi ndani yake. Tangu wakati wa Yoshua mwana wa Nuni mpaka siku ile, Waisraeli hawakuwahi kuiadhimisha namna hii. Furaha yao ilikuwa kubwa sana.
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.
Siku baada ya siku, kuanzia siku ya kwanza hadi ya mwisho, Ezra alisoma kutoka kwenye kile Kitabu cha Sheria ya Mungu. Wakaiadhimisha sikukuu ile kwa siku saba, nayo siku ya nane, kufuatana na maagizo, kulikuwa na kusanyiko maalum.
