Nehemiah 8
1 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.
At that time all the people gathered together in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel.
2 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.
On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could listen and understand.
3 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.
So Ezra read it aloud from daybreak until noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate, in front of the men and women and those who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
4 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.
Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for this occasion. At his right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, and at his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 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.
Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was standing above them all, and as he opened it, all the people stood up.
6 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.
Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted, all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
7 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.
The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law as they stood in their places.
8 And thei redden in the book of Goddis lawe distinctli, `ether atreet, and opynli to vndurstonde; `and thei vndurstoden, whanne it was red.
So they read from the Book of the Law of God, explaining it and giving insight, so that the people could understand what was being read.
9 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.
Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the Law.
10 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.
Then Nehemiah told them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send out portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
11 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.
And the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, since today is holy. Do not grieve.”
12 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.
Then all the people began to eat and drink, to send out portions, and to rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that had been made known to them.
13 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.
On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Law.
14 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;
And they found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month.
15 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.
So they proclaimed this message and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill country and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.”
16 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.
And the people went out, brought back branches, and made booths on their own rooftops, in their courtyards, in the court of the house of God, and in the squares by the Water Gate and by the Gate of Ephraim.
17 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.
The whole assembly who had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated like this. And there was great rejoicing.
18 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.
Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. The Israelites kept the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly, according to the ordinance.
