Nehemia 8
1 Ary rehefa tonga ny volana fahafito, dia samy tany an-tanànany avy ny Zanak’ Isiraely. Dia nivory tahaka ny olona iray izy rehetra ho eo an-kalalahana teo anoloan’ ny vavahadin-drano; ary niteny tamin’ i Ezra mpanora-dalàna izy mba ho entiny ny bokin’ ny lalan’ i Mosesy izay nandidian’ i Jehovah ny Isiraely.
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 Dia nentin’ i Ezra mpisorona ny lalàna tamin’ ny andro voalohany tamin’ ny volana fahafito ho eo anatrehan’ ny fiangonana, na lehilahy na vehivavy, mbamin’ izay rehetra efa mahahaino.
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 Dia novakina teo an-kalalahana teo anoloan’ ny vavahadin-drano izy hatramin’ ny vao maraina koa ka ambara-pitataovovonan’ ny andro, dia teo anatrehan’ ny lehilahy sy ny vehivavy mbamin’ izay efa mahahaino; ary ny olona rehetra dia nampandry sofina hihaino ny bokin’ ny lalàna.
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 Ary Ezra mpanora-dalàna nitsangana teo ambonin’ ny lampihazo fitoriana, izay efa natao ho fitoriana izany; ary Matitia sy Sema sy Anaia sy Oria sy Hilkia ary Mahaseia no nitsangana teo anilany ankavanana; ary Pedaia sy Misaela sy Malkia sy Hasoma sy Hasbadana sy Zakaria ary Mesolama no teo anilany ankavia kosa.
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 Dia nosokafan’ i Ezra teo imason’ ny olona rehetra ny boky (fa ambony toerana noho ny olona rehetra izy); ary rehefa nosokafany izany, dia nitsangana koa ny olona rehetra.
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 Ary Ezra nisaotra an’ i Jehovah, Andriamanitra lehibe; ary ny olona rehetra nanandra-tanana ka namaly hoe: Amena, Amena; dia niondrika izy sady niankohoka tamin’ ny tany teo anatrehan’ i Jehovah.
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 Ary Jesoa sy Bany sy Serebia sy Jamina sy Akoba sy Sabetahy sy Hodia sy Mahaseia sy Kelita sy Azaria sy Jozabada sy Hanana sy Pelaia ary ny Levita dia nampianatra ny olona ny lalàna; ary ny olona dia teo amin’ izay nitoerany ihany.
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 Dia novakiny mazava ny teny tao amin’ ny bokin’ ny lalàn’ Andriamanitra, sady nohazavainy tsara ny heviny, ka dia azon’ ny olona tsara ny teny novakina.
They read from the Book of the Law of God, making clear the meaning so that the people could understand what it said.
9 Ary Nehemia governora sy Ezra mpisorona, mpanora-dalàna, ary ny Levita izay nampianatra ny olona dia nanao tamin’ ny olona rehetra hoe: Masìna ho an’ i Jehovah Andriamanitrareo ity andro ity; koa aza malahelo na mitomany. Fa nitomany ny olona rehetra raha nandre ny tenin’ ny lalàna.
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 Dia hoy izy taminy: Mandehana, hano ny matavy, ary sotroy ny mamy, dia mba anatero anjara izay tsy manan-javatra voavoatra; fa masìna ho an’ ny Tompontsika ity andro ity; koa aza malahelo ianareo, fa ny fifaliana avy amin’ i Jehovah no fiarovana mafy ho anareo.
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 Ary ny Levita nampangina ny olona rehetra ka nanao hoe: Mangìna ianareo, fa masìna ity andro ity; koa aza malahelo ianareo.
The Levites too were quieting everyone down, telling them, “Don't cry! This is a holy day and you shouldn't be sad.”
12 Dia nandeha ny olona rehetra hihinana sy hisotro sy hanatitra anjara ho an’ ny sasany ary hifaly indrindra, satria azony tsara ny teny izay notorina taminy.
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 Ary nony ampitson’ iny dia vory teo amin’ i Ezra mpanora-dalàna ny lohan’ ny fianakaviana tamin’ ny olona rehetra sy ny mpisorona ary ny Levita mba handinika ny tenin’ ny lalàna.
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 Dia hitany voasoratra teo amin’ ny lalàna, izay nampandidian’ i Jehovah an’ i Mosesy, fa tokony hitoetra ao amin’ ny trano rantsan-kazo ny Zanak’ Isiraely amin’ ny andro firavoravoana amin’ ny volana fahafito,
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 ary tokony hampandre ny olona sy handefa teny mitety ny tanànany rehetra sy Jerosalema ka hanao hoe: Mandehana any an-tendrombohitra, ka makà sampan’ oliva sy sampan’ oliva maniry ho azy sy sampan-drotra sy sampan-drofia ary sampan-kazo be ravina hanaovana trano rantsan-kazo araka, ny voasoratra.
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 Dia nandeha ny olona ka naka, ary samy nanao trano rantsan-kazo ho azy teo amin’ ny tampon-tranony avy sy teo anatin’ ny tokotaniny avy sy teo anatin’ ny kianjan’ ny tranon’ Andriamanitra sy teo an-kalalahana teo akaikin’ ny vavahadin-drano ary teo an-kalalahana akaikin’ ny vavahadin’ i Efraima.
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 Eny, nanao trano rantsan-kazo avokoa ny fiangonana rehetra izay efa niverina avy tamin’ ny fahababoana, ka nipetraka tao anatiny izy; fa tsy mbola nanao toy izany ny Zanak’ Isiraely hatramin’ ny andron’ i Josoa, zanak’ i Nona, ka hatramin’ izany andro izany. Ary dia nisy fifaliana lehibe indrindra.
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 Ary namaky ny teny tao amin’ ny bokin’ ny lalàn’ Andriamanitra isan’ andro isan’ andro izy hatramin’ ny andro voalohany ka hatramin’ ny andro farany. Ary nanao andro firavoravoana hafitoana izy; ary tamin’ ny andro fahavalo dia fara-fivoriana araka ny fanao.
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.
