Numbers 8
1 Yahweh said to Moses/me,
上主訓示梅瑟說：「
2 “Tell Aaron to put the seven lamps on the lampstand and place them in such a way that they shine toward the front of the lampstand.”
你告訴亞郎說：你安放燈盞時，要使七盞燈光，光照燈台的前面。」
3 So [Moses/I told him what Yahweh said], and he did that.
亞郎就照樣做了：安放了燈盞，使燈光照耀燈台的前面，如上主對梅瑟所吩咐的。
4 The lampstand had been made from gold that had been hammered [from one large lump of gold], from its base to the decorations at the top [that resembled] flowers. The lampstand was made exactly like Yahweh had told Moses/me that it should be made.
這燈台是用金子打成的，從座到花朵都是打成的；梅瑟是照上主指示的式樣，製造了燈台。
5 Yahweh also said to Moses/me,
上主訓示梅瑟說：「
6 “You must cause the descendants of Levi to be acceptable to me by setting them apart from the other Israeli people.
你由以色列子民中選出肋未人，並要潔淨他們。
7 Do that by sprinkling them with water [which will symbolize] their being freed/cleansed from [the guilt of] their sins. Then they must shave [off all the hair on] their bodies and wash their clothes.
為潔淨他們，你應這樣做：將取潔水灑在他們身上，命他們用刀剃全身，然後洗自己的衣服，使自己潔淨。
8 Then they must bring to the Sacred Tent one bull and some grain mixed with [olive] oil. [Those things will be burned] as sacrifices. They must also bring another bull [that will enable me to forgive them] for the sins they have committed.
以後，他們應帶一隻公牛犢和同獻的素祭，即油調的細麵；你應另帶一頭公牛犢，為作贖罪祭；
9 Then you must summon all the Israeli people to come together in front of the Sacred Tent, to [gather around] the descendants of Levi.
領肋未人到會幕前，並召集以色列子民全會眾。
10 Then the Israeli people must lay their hands on the descendants of Levi.
領肋未人到上主面前以後，以色列子民將自己的手放在肋未人身上，
11 Aaron must then present them to me to be a gift from the Israeli people, in order that they can work for me [at the Sacred Tent].
亞郎就以搖禮把肋未人獻於上主面前，當作以色列子民的獻儀：這樣，他們纔可以行服事上主的事。
12 “After that, the descendants of Levi must place their hands on the heads of the two bulls. Then the bulls will be [killed and] burned on the altar. One will be an offering to enable me [to forgive them for] sins they have committed, and the other will be completely burned [to please me].
以後肋未人應按手在兩頭公牛犢頭上：一隻你要獻給上主作贖罪祭，一隻作全燔祭，為肋未人贖罪。
13 The descendants of Levi must stand [at the altar] in front of Aaron and his sons, and you must then dedicate to me the descendants of Levi.
你應使肋未人站在亞郎和他的兒子們面前，以搖禮把他們獻給上主。
14 This ritual will show that the descendants of Levi are set apart from the other Israelis and that they belong to me.
為此，你要由以色列子民中分出肋未人來，使他們屬於我。
15 “After the descendants of Levi have been made acceptable to me, and presented to me like a special offering, they may start to work at the Sacred Tent.
此後，肋未人纔可進入會幕服務。為此你應潔淨他們，以搖禮奉獻他們，
16 They will belong to me. They will work for me as substitutes for the firstborn males of all the Israelis, [who also belong to me].
因為他們是以色列子民中完全獻與我的人；我使他們歸於我。以代替以色列子民中一切開胎的首生，
17 All the firstborn males in Israel, both the people and the animals, are mine. When I caused all the firstborn sons of the people of Egypt to die, [I (spared/did not kill) the firstborn males of the Israelis]. I set them apart to belong to me. I said that the firstborn males of all their domestic animals would also belong to me.
因為以色列子民中的一切首生，不拘是人是獸，都屬於我；自從我在埃及地擊殺了一切首生的那一日起，我就將他們祝聖歸屬於我。
18 But now I have chosen the descendants of Levi to take the places of the firstborn males of other Israelis.
我取了肋未人，替代以色列子民中的一切首生；
19 I have appointed the descendants of Levi to help Aaron and his sons at the Sacred Tent, as Aaron and his sons offer the sacrifices so that the Israeli people’s sins will be forgiven, and to prevent the Israelis from coming close to the tent with the result that a plague would cause many of them to become sick and die.”
我由以色列子民中委派了肋未人，作亞郎和他兒子們的屬下，為替代以色列子民在會幕內服務，為以色列子民贖罪，免得以色列子民因接近聖所而遭受災禍。」
20 Aaron and Moses/I and the other Israelis helped the descendants of Levi to do everything that Yahweh had commanded.
梅瑟、亞郎以及以色列子民全會眾，對肋未人就如此做了；上主關於肋未人怎樣吩咐了梅瑟，以色列子民就對他們怎樣做了。
21 The descendants of Levi [sprinkled themselves with water to symbolize that] they had been freed/cleansed from [the guilt of] their sins, and they washed their clothes. Then Aaron brought them to [the altar to] present them to Yahweh, and he offered sacrifices to cleanse them from [the guilt of] their sins and cause them to become acceptable to Yahweh.
肋未人潔淨了自己，洗了自己的衣服，亞郎遂以搖禮把他們獻在上主面前，亞郎並為他們贖了罪，使他們潔淨。
22 After that, the descendants of Levi started to work at the Sacred Tent to assist Aaron and his sons. They did that just as Yahweh had commanded Moses/me.
此後，肋未人纔進入會幕內，在亞郎和他的兒子們面前執行自己的職務。上主關於肋未人怎樣吩咐了，梅瑟就對他們怎樣做了。
23 Yahweh also said this to Moses/me:
上主訓示梅瑟說：「
24 “The descendants of Levi who are between 25 and 50 years old will work at the Sacred Tent.
這是關於肋未人的法令：由二十五歲以上，應來服役，在會幕內工作；
25 But after they become 50 years old, they must (retire/not do that work any more).
到了五十歲就退休，不再服役；
26 They may help the other descendants of Levi to do their work at the Sacred Tent, but they must not do the work themselves. That is what you must tell them about the work they will do.”
以後在會幕內輔助自己的兄弟照管該遵守的事，自己卻不必服勞役。關於肋未人的職務，你應這樣安排。」
