尼希米記 8
1 到了七月，以色列人住在自己的城裏。那時，他們如同一人聚集在水門前的寬闊處，請文士以斯拉將耶和華藉摩西傳給以色列人的律法書帶來。
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，祭司以斯拉將律法書帶到聽了能明白的男女會眾面前。
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 在水門前的寬闊處，從清早到晌午，在眾男女、一切聽了能明白的人面前讀這律法書。眾民側耳而聽。
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 文士以斯拉站在為這事特備的木臺上。瑪他提雅、示瑪、亞奈雅、烏利亞、希勒家，和瑪西雅站在他的右邊；毗大雅、米沙利、瑪基雅、哈順、哈拔大拿、撒迦利亞，和米書蘭站在他的左邊。
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 以斯拉站在眾民以上，在眾民眼前展開這書。他一展開，眾民就都站起來。
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 以斯拉稱頌耶和華至大的上帝；眾民都舉手應聲說：「阿們！阿們！」就低頭，面伏於地，敬拜耶和華。
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 耶書亞、巴尼、示利比、雅憫、亞谷、沙比太、荷第雅、瑪西雅、基利他、亞撒利雅、約撒拔、哈難、毗萊雅，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 他們清清楚楚地念上帝的律法書，講明意思，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 省長尼希米和作祭司的文士以斯拉，並教訓百姓的利未人，對眾民說：「今日是耶和華－你們上帝的聖日，不要悲哀哭泣。」這是因為眾民聽見律法書上的話都哭了；
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 又對他們說：「你們去吃肥美的，喝甘甜的，有不能預備的就分給他，因為今日是我們主的聖日。你們不要憂愁，因靠耶和華而得的喜樂是你們的力量。」
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 於是利未人使眾民靜默，說：「今日是聖日；不要作聲，也不要憂愁。」
So the Levites made the people be quiet, saying, “Hush! for this day is holy. Do not be grieved.”
12 眾民都去吃喝，也分給人，大大快樂，因為他們明白所教訓他們的話。
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，眾民的族長、祭司，和利未人都聚集到文士以斯拉那裏，要留心聽律法上的話。
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 他們見律法上寫着，耶和華藉摩西吩咐以色列人要在七月節住棚，
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 並要在各城和耶路撒冷宣傳報告說：「你們當上山，將橄欖樹、野橄欖樹、番石榴樹、棕樹，和各樣茂密樹的枝子取來，照着所寫的搭棚。」
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 於是百姓出去，取了樹枝來，各人在自己的房頂上，或院內，或上帝殿的院內，或水門的寬闊處，或以法蓮門的寬闊處搭棚。
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 從擄到之地歸回的全會眾就搭棚，住在棚裏。從嫩的兒子約書亞的時候直到這日，以色列人沒有這樣行。於是眾人大大喜樂。
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 從頭一天直到末一天，以斯拉每日念上帝的律法書。眾人守節七日，第八日照例有嚴肅會。
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.
