UNehemiya 8
1 Kwathi sekuyinyanga yesikhombisa abako-Israyeli basebehlezi emadolobheni akibo. Bonke abantu babuthana ngangqondo yinye egcekeni elaliphambi kweSango laManzi. Bacela u-Ezra umbhali ukuthi alethe iNcwadi yoMthetho kaMosi, uThixo ayelaye ngawo ama-Israyeli.
And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spoke unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
2 Yikho kwathi ngelanga lokuqala lenyanga yesikhombisa u-Ezra umphristi wawuletha uMthetho phambi komhlangano, owawugcwele amadoda labafazi labo bonke ababelokuzwisisa.
And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
3 Wafunda kakhulu kusukela ekuphumeni kwelanga kwaze kwaba semini enkulu ekhangele egcekeni leSango laManzi phambi kwamadoda, labafazi labanye ababelokuzwisisa. Bonke abantu balalelisisa ukuzwa iNcwadi yoMthetho.
And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
4 U-Ezra umbhali wayemi phezu kwethala eliphakemeyo elalenziwe ngezigodo lenzelwe umkhosi lo. Eceleni kwakhe kwesokunene kwakumi uMathithiya, loShema, lo-Anaya, lo-Uriya, loHilikhiya, loMaseya; kwathi kwesokhohlo kunguPhedaya, loMishayeli, loMalikhija, loHashumi, loHashibhadana, loZakhariya loMeshulami.
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 U-Ezra wayivula incwadi. Bonke abantu babembona ngoba wayemi ekuphakameni ngaphezu kwabo; kwathi lapho eyivula abantu basukuma.
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people; ) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
6 U-Ezra wamdumisa uThixo, uNkulunkulu omkhulu, kwathi bonke abantu baphendula baphakamisa izandla zabo bathi, “Ameni! Ameni!” Basebekhothama bekhonza uThixo bethe mbo ngobuso phansi.
And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
7 AbaLevi ababalisa uJeshuwa, loBhani, loSherebhiya, loJamini, lo-Akhubi, loShabhethayi, loHodiya, loMaseya, loKhelitha, lo-Azariya, loJozabhadi, loHanani loPhelaya bafundisa abantu uMthetho abantu belokhu bemi khonapho.
Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.
8 Babebala eNcwadini yoMthetho kaNkulunkulu, bewuchasisa baveze lokho okutshoyo ukuze abantu bakuzwisise lokho okwakubalwa.
So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
9 Kwasekusithi uNehemiya umbusi, lo-Ezra umphristi lombhali, kanye labaLevi ababefundisa abantu bathi kubo bonke, “Lelilanga lingcwele kuThixo uNkulunkulu wenu. Lingalili kumbe likhale.” Kwakungoba bonke babekhala lapho babelalele amazwi oMthetho.
And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10 UNehemiya wathi, “Hambani liyozitika ngokudla okumnandi lokunathwayo okumnandi, okunye likuthumele labo abangelakho okulungisiweyo. Ilanga lanamhla lingcwele kuThixo wethu. Malingadani, ngoba ukuthokoza kukaThixo kungamandla enu.”
Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be all of you sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
11 AbaLevi babathulisa bonke abantu, bathi, “Thulani, ngoba lolu lusuku olungcwele. Lingadani.”
So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be all of you grieved.
12 Kwathi abantu bonke basebehamba bayakudla banatha, bathumela okunye ukudla kwabanye bazithokozisa kakhulu, ngoba manje basebewazwisisa lawomazwi abasebewazwile.
And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great delight, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
13 Ngosuku lwesibili lwenyanga, abazinhloko zezimuli zonke, kanye labaphristi labaLevi, babuthana ku-Ezra umbhali ukuba bahlolisise amazwi oMthetho.
And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.
14 Bakufumana kubhaliwe eMthethweni, owalaywa nguThixo ngoMosi, ukuthi ama-Israyeli babemele bahlale ezihonqweni ngesikhathi somkhosi wenyanga yesikhombisa
And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:
15 lokuthi njalo lelilizwi babemele balimemezele liye kuwo wonke amadolobho abo laseJerusalema elithi: “Phumani liye emaqaqeni liyokhwebula amagatsha ama-oliva lama-oliva eganga, lamamithili, lamalala lezihlahla ezilomthunzi, lenze izihonqo,” njengoba kulotshiwe.
And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
16 Ngakho abantu baphuma babuya lamagatsha bazakhela izihonqo ephahleni lwezindlu zabo, emagumeni abo, emagumeni endlu kaNkulunkulu lasegcekeni eliseSangweni laManzi lalelo elaliseSangweni lika-Efrayimi.
So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
17 Ixuku lonke elavela ebugqilini lakha izihonqo lahlala kuzo. Kusukela ensukwini zikaJoshuwa indodana kaNuni kuze kube yilolosuku, ama-Israyeli ayengazange awenze kanjalo lowo mkhosi. Kwakukukhulu ukuthokoza kwabo.
And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
18 Insuku ngensuku, kusukela kolokuqala kusiya kolokucina, u-Ezra wayebala eNcwadini yoMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Bawuthakazelela lowo mkhosi okwensuku eziyisikhombisa, kwathi ngosuku lwesificaminwembili, kwabakhona umhlangano omkhulu, njengokumisiweyo emthethweni.
Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
