Nekkemiya 8
1 abantu bonna nga bassa kimu ne bakuŋŋaanira mu kifo ekigazi ekyali mu maaso g’Omulyango gw’Amazzi. Ne bagamba Ezera omuwandiisi, okuleeta Ekitabo ky’Amateeka ga Musa, Mukama ge yalagira Isirayiri.
and the people gathered together as one in the square beside the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had ordered Israel to follow.
2 Ku lunaku olw’olubereberye olw’omwezi ogw’omusanvu, Ezera kabona n’aleeta Ekitabo ky’Amateeka mu maaso g’ekibiina ekyalimu abasajja n’abakazi n’abalala abaali basobola okutegeera.
On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly—men and women, and all those children who could listen and understand.
3 N’akisomera mu kifo ekigazi mu maaso g’Omulyango gw’Amazzi mu ddoboozi ery’omwanguka, okuva ku makya okutuusa essaawa mukaaga ez’omu tuntu, mu maaso g’abasajja n’abakazi n’abalala abasobola okutegeera. Abantu bonna ne batega amatu okuwulira ebyava mu Kitabo ky’Amateeka.
He read from it in front of the square before the Water Gate from early morning till noon to everyone there, the men and the women and those who could understand. All the people listened carefully to the Book of the Law.
4 Ezera omuwandiisi n’ayimirira ku kituuti eky’embaawo kye baazimbira omukolo ogwo. Mattisiya, ne Sema, ne Anaya, ne Uliya, ne Kirukiya ne Maaseya be baamuliraana ku mukono gwe ogwa ddyo, ate Pedaya, ne Misayeri, ne Malukiya, ne Kasimu, ne Kasubaddana, ne Zekkaliya ne Mesullamu be baamuliraana ku mukono gwe ogwa kkono.
Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden stage built for this event. On his right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, and on his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 Awo Ezera n’abikkula ekitabo, abantu bonna nga bamutunuulidde kubanga ekifo we yali ayimiridde kyali waggulu w’abantu bonna, era bwe yali ng’ayanjuluza ekitabo, abantu bonna ne bayimirira.
Ezra opened the book while they were all watching because the whole crowd could see him. When he opened it they all stood up.
6 Ezera ne yeebaza Mukama Katonda omukulu; abantu bonna ne bayimusa emikono gyabwe ne baddamu nti, “Amiina! Amiina!” Ne bavuunama amaaso gaabwe ku ttaka ne basinza Mukama.
Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and everyone answered, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted up their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 Yesuwa, ne Baani, ne Serebiya, ne Yamini, ne Akkubu, ne Sabbesayi, ne Kodiya, ne Masseya, ne Kerita, ne Azaliya, ne Yozabadi, ne Kanani ne Peraya, Abaleevi ne bannyonnyola abantu Amateeka, abantu nga bayimiridde mu bifo byabwe.
Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, who were the Levites present, explained the Law to the people as they remained standing there.
8 Ne basoma mu Kitabo ky’Amateeka ga Katonda, nga bataputa, era nga bannyonnyola amakulu, abantu bategeere ebyasomebwa.
They read from the Book of the Law of God, making clear the meaning so that the people could understand what it said.
9 Naye Nekkemiya owessaza, ne Ezera kabona era omuwandiisi, n’Abaleevi abaali bayigiriza abantu, ne bagamba abantu bonna nti, “Olunaku lwa leero lutukuvu eri Mukama Katonda wammwe; temunakuwala so temukaaba.”
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were teaching the people told them all, “This is a holy day to the Lord your God. Don't mourn or cry,” for everyone was crying as they heard the Law being read.
10 Nekkemiya n’abagamba nti, “Mugende mulye ebyassava, munywe n’ebiwoomerera, muweerezeeko n’abo abatalina kye bateeseteese. Leero lunaku lutukuvu eri Mukama, temunakuwala, kubanga essanyu eriva eri Mukama ge maanyi gammwe.”
Nehemiah went on, “Go and enjoy some good food and sweet drinks, and share some with those who don't have anything ready, because today is a special, holy day to our Lord. Don't be sad, for your strength comes from the Lord who makes you happy.”
11 Awo Abaleevi ne bakkakkanya abantu bonna, nga boogera nti, “Mubeere bakkakkamu kubanga leero lunaku lutukuvu. Temunakuwala.”
The Levites too were quieting everyone down, telling them, “Don't cry! This is a holy day and you shouldn't be sad.”
12 Oluvannyuma abantu bonna ne beddirayo ewaabwe ne balya ne banywa ne baweerezaako ne bannaabwe abatalina kyakulya, era ne basanyuka nnyo, kubanga baategeera amakulu g’ebigambo ebyabategeezebwa.
Then everyone went away to eat and drink, and to share their food. They celebrated happily because now they understood the Law as it had been explained to them.
13 Ku lunaku olwokubiri olw’omwezi ogwo, abakulu b’ennyumba awamu ne bakabona n’Abaleevi, ne bakuŋŋaanira eri Ezera omuwandiisi okusoma n’okutegeera ebigambo by’Amateeka.
The next day family leaders of all the people, as well as the priests and Levites, joined with Ezra the scribe to study the Law in more depth.
14 Ne basanga mu byawandiikibwa mu Mateeka, Mukama ge yalagira Musa, nga Abayisirayiri baali bateekwa okusulanga mu weema mu biseera eby’embaga ey’omwezi ogw’omusanvu,
They discovered written in the Law the Lord had ordered to be observed through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in shelters during the festival of the seventh month.
15 era nga kibagwanidde okubunyisa amawulire ago n’okulangirira mu bibuga byabwe byonna ne mu Yerusaalemi, nga boogera nti, “Mugende mu nsozi mukuŋŋaanye amatabi ag’emizeeyituuni n’ago ag’emizeeyituuni egy’omu nsiko, n’ag’emikadasi, n’ag’enkindu, n’ag’emiti emirala egirina ebikoola ebingi okuzimba weema nga bwe kyawandiikibwa.”
They were to make an announcement in all their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go into the hills and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees, to make shelters to live in, as the Law requires.”
16 Awo abantu ne bagenda ne bagaleeta ne beezimbira weema, abamu ku busolya bwabwe, ne mu mpya zaabwe, ne mu luggya lw’ennyumba ya Katonda, ne mu kibangirizi okuliraana Omulyango gw’Amazzi, ne mu kibangirizi okuliraana Omulyango gwa Efulayimu.
So they went out and brought back branches and made shelters for themselves on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of God's Temple, and in the squares near the Water Gate and the Ephraim Gate.
17 Awo ekibiina kyonna ekyakomawo okuva mu buwaŋŋanguse, ne beezimbira weema ne babeera omwo; kubanga okuva mu biro bya Yesuwa mutabani wa Nuuni okutuusa ku lunaku olwo, Abayisirayiri baali tebakwatanga kiseera ekyo bwe batyo. Ne basanyuka nnyo nnyini.
Everyone who came back from exile made shelters and stayed in them. They had not celebrated like this since the time of Joshua, son of Nun. Everyone was very happy.
18 Buli lunaku, Ezera n’asomanga mu Kitabo ky’Amateeka ga Katonda okuva ku lunaku olwasooka okutuusa ku lunaku olwasembayo. Ne bakwata embaga okumala ennaku musanvu, ne ku lunaku olw’omunaana, ne bakola olukuŋŋaana, ng’ekiragiro bwe kiri.
Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God every day, from the first day to the last. The Israelites observed the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day they met together in assembly, as the Law required.
