Nehemiah 8
1 Ezra, who taught people the laws of Moses, [had a scroll on which] the laws of Moses were written. Those were the laws that Yahweh had commanded the Israeli people [to obey]. On October 8 of that year, all the people gathered together in the plaza/square that was close to the Water Gate. Men and women and [children] who [were old enough to] understand gathered together. Someone told Ezra to bring out that scroll.
And the seuenthe monethe `was comun vndur Esdras and Neemye; sotheli the sones of Israel weren in her cytees. And al the puple was gaderid togydere as o man, to the street which is bifor the yate of watris. And thei seiden to Esdras, the scribe, that he schulde brynge the book of the lawe of Moises, which the Lord hadde comaundid to Israel.
Therfor Esdras, the preest, brouyte the lawe bifor the multitude of men and of wymmen, and bifor alle that myyten vndurstonde, `in the firste day of the seuenth monethe.
3 So he brought it out and read it to the people. He started reading it early in the morning and continued reading it until noontime. All the people listened carefully to the laws that were written on the scroll.
And he redde in it opynli in the street that was bifor the yate of watris, fro the morewtid `til to myddai, in the siyt of men and of wymmen and of wise men; and the eeris of al the puple weren reisid to the book.
4 Ezra stood on top of a high wooden platform that had been built just for that event. At his right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. At his left side stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
Forsothe Esdras the writere stood on the grees of tree, which he hadde maad to speke theron; and Mathatie, and Semma, and Ananye, and Vrie, and Elchie, and Maasie stoden bisidis hym at his riyt half; and Phadaie, Mysael, and Melchie, Assum, and Aseph, Dana, and Zacharie, and Mosollam stoden at the left half.
5 Ezra stood on the platform above the people, where they could all see him. He opened the scroll; and as he did that, all the people stood up, [and they continued to stand, to show respect for God’s word].
And Esdras openyde the book bifor al the puple; for he apperide ouer al the puple; and whanne he hadde openyd the book, al the puple stood.
6 Then Ezra praised Yahweh, the great God, and all the people lifted up their hands and said, “Amen! Amen!” Then they all bowed down with their foreheads touching the ground, and they worshiped Yahweh.
And Esdras blesside the Lord God with greet vois; and al the puple answeride, Amen, Amen, reisynge her hondis. And thei weren bowid, and thei worschipiden God, lowli on the erthe.
7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, were all (Levites/men who worked in the temple). They explained the meaning of the laws of Moses to the people who were standing there.
Forsothe Josue, and Baany, and Serebie, Jamyn, Acub, Septhai, Odia, Maasie, Celitha, Ayarie, Jozabeth, Anan, Phallaie, dekenes, maden silence in the puple for to here the lawe. Sotheli the puple stood in her degree.
8 They also read from scrolls that contained the laws that God [gave to Moses], and they interpreted [into the Aramaic language] what they read, making the meaning clear so that the people could understand the meaning.
And thei redden in the book of Goddis lawe distinctli, `ether atreet, and opynli to vndurstonde; `and thei vndurstoden, whanne it was red.
9 Then I, Nehemiah the governor, and Ezra, and the Levites who were interpreting what was being read to the people, said to them, “Yahweh your God considers that this day is very holy/sacred. So do not be sad or cry!” They said that because all the people were crying as they were listening to the laws of Moses.
Forsothe Neemye seide, he is Athersata, and Esdras, the preest and writere, and the dekenes, expownynge to al the puple, It is a dai halewid to `oure Lord God; nyle ye morne, and nyle ye wepe. For al the puple wepte, whanne it herde the wordis of the lawe.
10 Then I said to them, “Now go home and enjoy [some] good food and drink [some] sweet wine. And send some of it to people who do not have anything [to eat or drink]. This is a day that Yahweh considers sacred. Do not be sad! Yahweh will cause you to be joyful and make you strong.”
And he seide to hem, Go ye, and `ete ye fatte thingis, and drynke ye wiyn `maad swete with hony, and sende ye partis to hem, that maden not redi to hem silf, for it is an hooli dai of the Lord; `nyle ye be sory, for the ioye of the Lord is youre strengthe.
11 The Levites also caused the people to be quiet, saying “Be quiet [and do not cry], because this is a sacred day! Do not be sad!”
Sotheli the dekenes maden silence in al the puple, and seiden, Be ye stille, for it is an hooli dai, and `nyle ye make sorewe.
12 So the people went away, and they ate and drank, and they sent portions of food [to those who did not have any]. They celebrated very joyfully, because they had heard and understood what had been read to them.
Therfor al the puple yede for to ete, and drynke, and to sende partis, and `to make greet gladnesse; for thei vndurstoden the wordis, whiche he hadde tauyt hem.
13 The next day, the leaders of the families and the priests and [other] descendants of Levi met with Ezra to study carefully the laws that Yahweh had given to Moses.
And in the secound dai the princes of meynees, alle the puplis, prestis, and dekenes, weren gaderid togidere to Esdras, the writere, that he schulde expowne to hem the wordis of the lawe.
14 While they were doing that, they realized that Yahweh had told Moses to command the Israeli people to live in shelters during that month, [to remember that their ancestors lived in shelters when they left Egypt].
And thei foundun writun in the lawe, that the Lord comaundide `in the hond of Moyses, that the sones of Israel dwelle in tabernaclis in the solempne dai, in the seuenthe moneth;
15 They also learned that they should proclaim in Jerusalem and in all the towns that the people should go to the hills and cut branches from olive trees [that they have planted] and from wild olive trees and from myrtle trees and palm trees and fig trees. They should make shelters from these branches, and live in those shelters during the festival, just as Moses wrote [that they should do].
and that thei preche, and pupplische a vois in alle her citees, and in Jerusalem; and seie, Go ye out in to the hil, and brynge ye bowis of olyue, and bowis of the faireste tree, the bowis of a myrte tree, and the braunchis of a palm tree, and the bowis of a `tree ful of wode, that tabernaclis be maad, as it is writun.
16 So the people went out [of the city] and cut branches and used them to build shelters. They built shelters on the [flat] roofs [of their houses], in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the temple, and in the plazas/squares close to the Water Gate and the Ephraim Gate.
And al the puple yede out, and thei brouyten, and maden to hem silf tabernaclis, `ech man in `his hows roof, and in her stretis, `ether foryerdis, and in the large placis of Goddis hows, and in the street of the yate of watris, and in the street of the yate of Effraym.
17 All of the Israeli people who had returned from Babylon built shelters and lived in them [for one week]. The Israeli people had not celebrated that festival like that since the time that Joshua lived. And they were very joyful.
Therfor al the chirche of hem, that camen ayen fro caytifte, made tabernaclis, and thei dwelliden in tabernaclis. For the sones of Israel hadden not do siche thingis fro the daies of Josue, sone of Nun, `til to that dai; and ful greet gladnesse was.
18 Every day during that week Ezra read to the people from the scroll that contained the laws that God [gave Moses]. Then on the eighth day, just as one of the laws of God said that they should do, they gathered together to end the celebration.
Forsothe Esdras radde in the book of Goddis lawe bi alle daies, fro the firste dai `til to the laste dai; and thei maden solempnytee bi seuene daies, and in the eiyte day thei maden a gaderyng of siluer, `bi the custom.
