尼希米记 8
1 到了七月，以色列人住在自己的城里。那时，他们如同一人聚集在水门前的宽阔处，请文士以斯拉将耶和华借摩西传给以色列人的律法书带来。
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 七月初一日，祭司以斯拉将律法书带到听了能明白的男女会众面前。
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 在水门前的宽阔处，从清早到晌午，在众男女、一切听了能明白的人面前读这律法书。众民侧耳而听。
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 文士以斯拉站在为这事特备的木台上。玛他提雅、示玛、亚奈雅、乌利亚、希勒家，和玛西雅站在他的右边；毗大雅、米沙利、玛基雅、哈顺、哈拔大拿、撒迦利亚，和米书兰站在他的左边。
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 以斯拉站在众民以上，在众民眼前展开这书。他一展开，众民就都站起来。
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 以斯拉称颂耶和华至大的 神；众民都举手应声说：“阿们！阿们！”就低头，面伏于地，敬拜耶和华。
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 耶书亚、巴尼、示利比、雅悯、亚谷、沙比太、荷第雅、玛西雅、基利他、亚撒利雅、约撒拔、哈难、毗莱雅，和利未人使百姓明白律法；百姓都站在自己的地方。
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 他们清清楚楚地念 神的律法书，讲明意思，使百姓明白所念的。
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 省长尼希米和作祭司的文士以斯拉，并教训百姓的利未人，对众民说：“今日是耶和华—你们 神的圣日，不要悲哀哭泣。”这是因为众民听见律法书上的话都哭了；
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 又对他们说：“你们去吃肥美的，喝甘甜的，有不能预备的就分给他，因为今日是我们主的圣日。你们不要忧愁，因靠耶和华而得的喜乐是你们的力量。”
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 于是利未人使众民静默，说：“今日是圣日；不要作声，也不要忧愁。”
So the Levites made the people be quiet, saying, “Hush! for this day is holy. Do not be grieved.”
12 众民都去吃喝，也分给人，大大快乐，因为他们明白所教训他们的话。
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 次日，众民的族长、祭司，和利未人都聚集到文士以斯拉那里，要留心听律法上的话。
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 他们见律法上写着，耶和华借摩西吩咐以色列人要在七月节住棚，
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 并要在各城和耶路撒冷宣传报告说：“你们当上山，将橄榄树、野橄榄树、番石榴树、棕树，和各样茂密树的枝子取来，照着所写的搭棚。”
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 于是百姓出去，取了树枝来，各人在自己的房顶上，或院内，或 神殿的院内，或水门的宽阔处，或以法莲门的宽阔处搭棚。
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 从掳到之地归回的全会众就搭棚，住在棚里。从嫩的儿子约书亚的时候直到这日，以色列人没有这样行。于是众人大大喜乐。
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 从头一天直到末一天，以斯拉每日念 神的律法书。众人守节七日，第八日照例有严肃会。
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.
