Nehemiah 8
1 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.
Pea naʻe fakakātoa fakataha ʻakinautolu ʻe he kakai ʻo hangē ko e tangata pē taha ʻi he hala lahi ʻaia naʻe hangatonu ki he matapā vai: pea naʻa nau lea kia Esela ko e tangata tohi ke ʻomi ʻae tohi ʻoe fono ʻa Mōsese, ʻaia naʻe fekau ʻe Sihova ki ʻIsileli.
2 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.
Pea naʻe ʻomi ʻe Esela ko e tangata tohi ʻae fono ki he ʻao ʻoe fakataha ʻoe kau tangata mo e kau fefine, pea mo kinautolu kotoa pē naʻe faʻa fanongo mo e loto ʻilo, ʻi he ʻuluaki ʻaho ʻi hono fitu ʻoe māhina.
3 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.
Pea naʻa ne lau ʻe ia ʻi ai ʻi he hala ʻaia naʻe hangatonu ki he matapā vai mei he pongipongi ki he hoʻatā, ʻi he ʻao ʻoe kau tangata mo e kau fefine, mo kinautolu naʻe ʻilo hono ʻuhinga; pea naʻe fanongo ʻe he kakai kotoa pē ki he tohi ʻoe fono.
4 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.
Pea naʻe tuʻu ʻa Esela ko e tangata tohi ki he tuʻunga ʻakau, ʻaia naʻa nau ngaohi ki he meʻa ko ia: pea naʻe tuʻu mo ia ʻa Matitia, mo Sema, mo ʻAnaia, mo Ulisa, mo Hilikia, mo Maaseia ʻi hono nima toʻomataʻu; pea ʻi hono toʻohema, ko Pitaia, mo Misaeli, mo Melikia, mo Hasumi, mo Hasipatana, mo Sakalia, mo Mesulami.
5 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.
Pea naʻe folahi ʻe Esela ʻae tohi ʻi he ʻao ʻoe kakai kotoa pē: (he naʻe māʻolunga ia ʻi he kakai kotoa pē; ) pea ʻi heʻene folahi ia, naʻe tuʻu hake ai ʻae kakai kotoa pē:
6 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.
“Pea naʻe fakafetaʻi ʻe Esela kia Sihova, ko e ʻOtua lahi.” Pea naʻe tali ʻe he kakai kotoa pē, “ʻEmeni, ʻEmeni,” ʻo hiki hake honau nima: pea naʻa nau punou hifo honau ʻulu, ʻo hū kia Sihova mo honau mata ki he kelekele.
7 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.
Pea ko Sesua foki mo Pani, mo Selepea, mo Samini, mo ʻAkupi, mo Sapitei, mo Hotisa, mo Maaseia, mo Kilita, mo ʻAsalia, mo Sosapati, mo Hanani, mo Pelaia, mo e kau Livai, naʻa nau ako ki he kakai ke nau ʻilo ʻae fono pea naʻe tutuʻu ʻae kakai ʻi honau potu:
8 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.
Ko ia naʻa nau lau fakapatonu ʻi he tohi ʻi he fono ʻae ʻOtua, mo fakamatala hono ʻuhinga, pea akonakiʻi ʻakinautolu ke ʻilo hono ʻuhinga ʻoe lau.
9 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.
Pea ko Nehemaia, ʻaia ko e ʻeiki pule, mo Esela ko e taulaʻeiki mo e tangata tohi, mo e kau Livai ʻaia naʻe akonakiʻi ʻae kakai, naʻa nau lau ki he kakai kotoa pē, “ʻOku māʻoniʻoni ʻae ʻaho ni kia Sihova ko homou ʻOtua: ʻoua naʻa mou mamahi, pe tangi. He naʻe tangi ʻae kakai kotoa pē, ʻi heʻenau fanongo ki he ngaahi lea ʻoe fono.”
10 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.”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe ia kiate kinautolu, “ʻAlu ʻi homou hala, kai ʻae ngako, pea inu ʻae meʻa melie, pea fekau ke ʻave ʻae ngaahi ʻinasi kiate kinautolu ʻaia naʻe ʻikai teuteu ha meʻa ʻe taha ki ai: he ʻoku māʻoniʻoni ʻae ʻaho ni ki hotau ʻOtua: pea ʻoua naʻa mou loto mamahi: he ko e fiefia ʻa Sihova ko homou mālohi.”
11 Then the Levites caused the people to be silent, saying: “Be quiet. For the day is holy. And do not be sorrowful.”
Pea naʻe lolomi ʻe he kau Livai ʻae kakai kotoa pē, ʻo pehē, “Mou longo pe, he ʻoku māʻoniʻoni ʻae ʻaho ni: pea ʻoua foki naʻa mou mamahi.”
12 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.
Pea naʻe ʻalu ʻae kakai kotoa pē ʻi honau hala ke kai, mo inu, pea ke feʻaveʻaki ʻae ngaahi ʻinasi, pea ke fai ʻae fiefia lahi, ko e meʻa ʻi heʻenau ʻilo hono ʻuhinga ʻoe ngaahi lea naʻe fakapapau kiate kinautolu.
13 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.
Pea naʻe fakakātoa fakataha ʻi hono ua ʻoe ʻaho ʻae kau tuʻukimuʻa ʻi he mātuʻa ʻoe kakai, mo e kau taulaʻeiki, mo e kau Livai, kia Esela ko e tangata tohi, ʻio, ke nau ʻilo hono ʻuhinga ʻoe ngaahi lea ʻoe fono.
14 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,
Pea naʻa nau ʻilo kuo tohi ʻi he fono ʻaia naʻe fekau ʻe Sihova ʻia Mōsese, ʻo pehē ʻe nofo ʻae fānau ʻa ʻIsileli ʻi he ngaahi fale fehikitaki ʻi he kātoanga ʻo hono fitu ʻoe māhina:
15 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.
Pea ke nau fakahā mo fanongonongo ʻi heʻenau ngaahi kolo, pea ʻi Selūsalema, ʻo pehē, “Mou ʻalu atu ki he moʻunga, pea fetuku mei ai ʻae ngaahi ʻuluʻi ʻolive, mo e ʻuluʻi paini, mo e ngaahi maile, mo e ngaahi vaʻa ponga, mo e ngaahi vaʻa ʻakau matolutolu, ke ngaohiʻaki ʻae ngaahi falefehikitaki, ʻo hangē ko ia kuo tohi.”
16 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.
Ko ia naʻe ʻalu atu ai ʻae kakai, ʻo fetuku ia, pea naʻe ngaohi ʻaki ʻae ngaahi tuʻu fale, ʻo taki taha ki he tuʻa fale ʻo hono fale, pea ʻi honau ngaahi loto ʻā, pea mo e lotoʻā ʻoe fale ʻoe ʻOtua, pea ʻi he hala lahi ʻoe matapā vai, pea ʻi he hala lahi ʻoe matapā ʻo ʻIfalemi.
17 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.
Pea ko e fakataha kotoa pē ʻokinautolu naʻe toe haʻu mei he pōpula, naʻa nau ngaohi honau ngaahi tuʻu fale, pea nofo ʻi he malu ʻoe ngaahi tuʻu fale: he ʻoku talu mei he ngaahi ʻaho ʻo Siosiua ko e foha ʻo Nuni ʻo aʻu ki he ʻaho ko ia naʻe ʻikai fai pehē ʻe he fānau ʻa ʻIsileli. Pea naʻe ʻi ai ʻae fiefia lahi ʻaupito.
18 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.
Pea naʻa ne lau ʻi he tohi ʻoe fono ʻoe ʻOtua ʻi he ʻaho hokohoko pe, mei he ʻuluaki ʻaho ʻo aʻu ki he ʻaho ki mui. Pea naʻa nau fai ʻae kātoanga ʻi he ʻaho ʻe fitu; pea ʻi hono valu ʻoe ʻaho naʻe ʻi ai ʻae fakakātoa molumalu, ʻo fakatatau mo hono anga.
