Nehemia 8
1 Watu wote walikusanyika kama mtu mmoja katika eneo la wazi mbele ya lango la maji. Wakamwomba Ezra mwandishi akilete Kitabu cha Sheria ya Musa, ambacho Bwana aliwaamuru Israeli.
All the people gathered as one man in the open area in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded Israel.
2 Siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa saba, Ezra, kuhani, akaleta sheria mbele ya mkutano, wanaume na wanawake, na wote waliokuwa na uwezo wa kusikia na kuelewa.
On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear and understand.
3 Akatizama eneo lililo wazi mbele ya lango la Maji, na akasoma toka asubuhi hadi adhuhuri, mbele ya wanaume na wanawake, na yeyote ambaye angeweza kuelewa. Na wote wakasikiliza kwa makini kitabu cha Sheria.
He faced the open area in front of the Water Gate, and he read from it from early morning until midday, before men and women, and any who could understand, and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
4 Na Ezra, mwandishi, alisimama juu ya jukwaa la mbao ambalo watu walikuwa wametengeneza kwa kusudi hilo. Pembeni yake walisimama Matithia, Shema, Anaya, Uria, Hilkia na Maaseya, upande wake wa kuume; na Pedaya, Misbaeli, Malkiya, Hashumu, Hashbadani, Zekaria na Meshulamu walikuwa wamesimama upande wake wa kushoto.
Then Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform which the people had made for the purpose. Standing beside him were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right side; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam were standing on his left side.
5 Ezra alifungua kitabu mbele ya watu wote, kwa kuwa alikuwa amesimama juu ya watu, na alipoufungua watu wote wakasimama.
Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above the people, and when he opened it all the people stood up.
6 Ezra akamshukuru Bwana, Mungu mkuu; na watu wote wakainua mikono yao, wakajibu, “Amina! Amina!” Wakainamisha vichwa vyao, wakamwabudu Bwana kwa nyuso zao zikiwa chini.
Ezra gave thanks to Yahweh, the great God, and all the people lifted up their hands and answered, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed their heads and worshiped Yahweh with their faces to the ground.
7 Yeshua, Bani, Sherebia, Yamini, Akubu, Shabethai, Hodai, Maaseya, Kelita, Azaria, Yozabidi, Hanania, Pelaya nao ni Walawi, waliwasaidia watu kuelewa sheria, watu wakakaa mahali pao.
Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah—the Levites—helped the people understand the law, while the people remained in their place.
8 Wao walisoma katika kitabu, Sheria ya Mungu, wakaeleza wazi kwa tafsiri na kutoa maana ili watu waelewe yaliyosomwa.
They read in the book, The Law of God, making it clear with interpretation and giving the meaning so the people understood the reading.
9 Nehemia, gavana, na Ezra kuhani, na mwandishi, na Walawi waliokuwa wakitafsiri kwa watu, wakawaambia watu wote, Siku hii ni takatifu kwa Bwana, Mungu wenu. Msiomboleze au kulia. Kwa kuwa watu wote walilia wakati waliposikia maneno ya sheria.
Nehemiah the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting to the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to Yahweh your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
10 Nehemia akawaambia, 'Nendeni, mle kilichonona, mkate na maji ya kunywa, na mpelekeni mtu asiye na kitu, kwa maana siku hii ni takatifu kwa Bwana wetu. Msiwe na huzuni, kwa kuwa furaha ya Bwana ni nguvu zenu.
Then Nehemiah said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and have something sweet to drink, and send some of it to one who has nothing prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength.”
11 Basi Walawi wakawafanya watu kuwa na utulivu, wakisema, “Nyamazeni! kwa maana siku hii ni takatifu. Msiwe na huzuni.”
So the Levites made the people be quiet, saying, “Hush! for this day is holy. Do not be grieved.”
12 Watu wote wakaenda kula na kunywa na kugawana chakula na kusherehekea kwa furaha kubwa kwa sababu walielewa maneno waliyohubiriwa.
Then all the people went their way to eat and to drink and to share food and to celebrate with great joy because they had understood the words that were made known to them.
13 Siku ya pili viongozi wa nyumba za mababu kutoka kwa watu wote, makuhani na Walawi, wakakusanyika kwa Ezra, mwandishi ili kupata ufahamu kutoka kwenye maneno ya sheria.
On the second day the leaders of the ancestors' families from all the people, the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe to gain insight from the words of the law.
14 Wakaona imeandikwa katika sheria namna Bwana alivyomuamuru Musa kwamba wana wa Israeli waishi katika hema wakati wa sikukuu ya mwezi wa saba.
They found written in the law how Yahweh had commanded through Moses that the people of Israel should live in shelters during the festival of the seventh month.
15 Wanapaswa kutoa tamko katika miji yao yote, na huko Yerusalemu, wakisema, 'Nendeni nje kwenye nchi ya vilima, na mkalete matawi kutoka kwenye mzeituni mwitu, na matawi ya mihadsi, na matawi ya mitende na matawi ya miti minene ili kufanya vibanda vya muda kama ilivyoandikwa.”
They should make a proclamation in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out into the hill country, and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtle, palms and shade trees, to make shelters, as it is written.”
16 Basi watu wakatoka na kuleta matawi, wakajifanyia mahema, kila mmoja juu ya paa zao, katika ua zao, katika mahakama za nyumba ya Mungu, mahali pa wazi pa lango la Maji, na katika mraba wa lango la Efraimu.
So the people went out and brought the branches back and made themselves shelters, each on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God, in the open area in front of the Water Gate, and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim.
17 Kisha kusanyiko lote la wale waliorudi kutoka kifungoni wakafanya mahema na kukaa ndani yake. Kwa kuwa tangu siku za Yoshua, mwana wa Nuni hata siku hiyo, watu wa Israeli hawakuadhimisha sikukuu hii. Na furaha ilikuwa kubwa sana.
All the assembly of those who had returned from captivity made shelters and lived in them. For since the days of Joshua son of Nun to that day, the people of Israel had not celebrated this festival, and so their joy was very great.
18 Pia siku kwa siku, tangu siku ya kwanza hadi mwisho, Ezra alisoma kutoka Kitabu cha Sheria ya Mungu. Walifanya sikukuu kwa siku saba na siku ya nane kilikuwa na kusanyiko zuri, kwa utiifu wa amri.
Also day by day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the book of the law of God. They kept the festival for seven days and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, in obedience to the decree.
