UNehemiya 8
1 Bonke abantu basebebuthana njengamuntu munye egcekeni eliphambi kwesango lamanzi; bakhuluma kuEzra umbhali ukuletha ugwalo lomlayo kaMozisi, iNkosi eyayiwulaye uIsrayeli.
And the seventh month had arrived. Now the sons of Israel were in their cities. And all the people were gathered together, like one man, in the street which is before the water gate. And they spoke to Ezra the scribe, so that he would bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had instructed to Israel.
2 UEzra umpristi wasewuletha umlayo phambi kwebandla, kusukela kowesilisa kusiya kowesifazana, laye wonke owaqedisisa ukuzwa, ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yesikhombisa.
Therefore, Ezra the priest brought the law before the multitude of men and women, and all those who were able to understand, on the first day of the seventh month.
3 Wasebala kuwo phambi kwegceke eliphambi kwesango lamanzi kusukela emadabukakusa kwaze kwaba semini enkulu, phambi kwabesilisa labesifazana labaqedisisayo; lendlebe zabo bonke abantu zazingasegwalweni lomlayo.
And he read it openly in the street which was before the water gate, from morning even until midday, in the sight of the men and women, and those who understood. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book.
4 UEzra umbhali wasesima phezu kwendawo ephakemeyo yamapulanka ababeyenzele loludaba. Leceleni kwakhe kwakumi oMathithiya loShema loAnaya loUriya loHilikhiya loMahaseya ngakwesokunene sakhe; langakwesokhohlo sakhe oPhedaya, loMishayeli, loMalikiya, loHashuma, loHashibadana, uZekhariya, uMeshulamu.
Then Ezra the scribe stood upon a step of wood, which he had made for speaking. And standing beside him were Mattithiah, and Shemaiah, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right. And on the left were Pedaiah, Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 UEzra wasevula ugwalo phambi kwamehlo abo bonke abantu; ngoba wayengaphezu kwabantu bonke; lapho eluvula, bonke abantu basukuma.
And Ezra opened the book before all the people. For he stood out above all the people. And when he had opened it, all the people stood up.
6 UEzra waseyibusisa iNkosi, uNkulunkulu omkhulu. Bonke abantu basebephendula bathi: Ameni, ameni, ngokuphakamisa izandla zabo; basebekhothama, bayikhonza iNkosi ngobuso emhlabathini.
And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people responded, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed down, and they adored God, facing the ground.
7 OJeshuwa, loBani, loSherebiya, uJamini, uAkubi, uShabethayi, uHodiya, uMahaseya, uKelita, uAzariya, uJozabadi, uHanani, uPelaya, lamaLevi basebesenza abantu baqedisise umlayo, abantu besendaweni yabo.
Then Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, caused the people to be silent in order to hear the law. And the people were standing on their feet.
8 Basebebala egwalweni, emlayweni kaNkulunkulu, ngokucacileyo, bechasisa, bebenza bazwisise ekubaleni.
And they read from the book of the law of God, distinctly and plainly, so as to be understood. And when it was read, they did understand.
9 UNehemiya owayengumbusi, lompristi uEzra umbhali, lamaLevi ayefundisa abantu, basebesithi ebantwini bonke: Lolusuku lungcwele eNkosini uNkulunkulu wenu; lingalili njalo lingakhali inyembezi. Ngoba bonke abantu bakhala inyembezi lapho besizwa amazwi omlayo.
Then Nehemiah (the same is the cupbearer) and Ezra, the priest and scribe, and the Levites, who were interpreting for all the people, said: “This day has been sanctified to the Lord our God. Do not mourn, and do not weep.” For all of the people were weeping, as they were listening to the words of the law.
10 Wasesithi kibo: Hambani, lidle okunonileyo, linathe okumnandi, lithumele izabelo kongalungiselwanga lutho; ngoba lolusuku lungcwele eNkosini yethu, njalo lingadabuki, ngoba intokozo yeNkosi ingamandla enu.
And he said to them: “Go, eat fat foods and drink sweet drinks, and send portions to those who have not prepared for themselves. For it is the holy day of the Lord. And do not be sad. For the joy of the Lord is also our strength.”
11 AmaLevi asebathulisa bonke abantu esithi: Thulani, ngoba lolusuku lungcwele, lingadabuki.
Then the Levites caused the people to be silent, saying: “Be quiet. For the day is holy. And do not be sorrowful.”
12 Bonke abantu basebehamba ukuyakudla, lokunatha, lokuthumela izabelo, lokwenza intokozo enkulu, ngoba babewaqedisisile amazwi ababebazise wona.
And so all the people went forth, so that they might eat and drink, and so that they might send portions, and so that they might make a great rejoicing. For they understood the words that he had taught to them.
13 Langosuku lwesibili kwabuthana inhloko zaboyise zabo bonke abantu, abapristi, lamaLevi, kuEzra umbhali, ukuze baqedisise amazwi omlayo.
And on the second day, the leaders of the families of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together to Ezra the scribe, so that he might interpret for them the words of the law.
14 Basebethola kubhaliwe emlayweni iNkosi eyayiwulayile ngesandla sikaMozisi ukuthi abantwana bakoIsrayeli bahlale emadumbeni ngomkhosi ngenyanga yesikhombisa,
And they found written in the law, which the Lord had instructed by the hand of Moses, that the sons of Israel should live in tabernacles on the day of solemnity in the seventh month,
15 lokuthi bazwakalise bedlulise isimemezelo kuyo yonke imizi yabo laseJerusalema besithi: Phumelani entabeni lilethe ingatsha zezihlahla zemihlwathi, lengatsha zezihlahla zamafutha, lengatsha zezihlahla zamamiteli, lengatsha zamalala, lengatsha zezihlahla ezilamahlamvu aminyeneyo, ukwenza amadumba, njengokubhaliweyo.
and that they should proclaim and send out a voice in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying: “Go forth to the mount, and bring olive branches, and the branches of beautiful trees, myrtle branches, and palm branches, and the branches of thick trees,” so that they might make tabernacles, just as it was written.
16 Basebephuma abantu, baziletha, bazenzela amadumba, ngulowo lalowo ephahleni lwakhe, lemagumeni abo, lemagumeni endlu kaNkulunkulu, legcekeni lesango lamanzi, legcekeni lesango lakoEfrayimi.
And the people went forth and brought. And they made for themselves tabernacles, each one at his own dwelling, 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 Ibandla lonke lalabo ababebuyile ekuthunjweni basebesenza amadumba, bahlala emadumbeni. Ngoba kusukela ensukwini zikaJoshuwa indodana kaNuni kwaze kwaba yilolosuku abantwana bakoIsrayeli babengenzanga njalo. Kwasekusiba lentokozo enkulu kakhulu.
Therefore, the entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made tabernacles and lived in tabernacles. For from the days of Jeshua, the son of Nun, even to that day, the sons of Israel had not done so. And there was exceedingly great rejoicing.
18 Njalo usuku ngosuku kusukela osukwini lokuqala kwaze kwaba lusuku lokucina wabala egwalweni lomlayo kaNkulunkulu. Bawenza-ke umkhosi insuku eziyisikhombisa; kwathi ngosuku lwesificaminwembili kwaba lenhlangano enzulu, njengesimiso.
Now he read in the book of the law of God, throughout each day, from the first day even to the very last day. And they kept the solemnity for seven days. And on the eighth day, there was a gathering according to the ritual.
