1经学家以斯拉宣读律法书
1All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded to Israel.
2七月初一日,以斯拉祭司把律法书带到所有听了能明白的男女会众面前。
2Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.
3在水门前面的广场,从清早到中午,向众男女和听了能明白的人宣读出来。众民都侧耳倾听这律法书的话。
3He read therein before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
4经学家以斯拉站在为这事特制的木台上;站在他右边的,有玛他提雅、示玛、亚奈雅、乌利亚、希勒家和玛西雅;站在他左边的,有毗大雅、米沙利、玛基雅、哈顺、哈拔大拿、撒迦利亚和米书兰。
4Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5以斯拉在众人眼前展开那书卷;他高高地站在众民以上,他把书卷展开,众民就站起来。
5Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all 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,众民举手应声说:“阿们!阿们!”然后跪下,脸伏在地,敬拜耶和华。
6and Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God. All the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshiped Yahweh with their faces to the ground.
7然后利未人耶书亚、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、哈难和毗莱雅就教导他们明白律法。众人一直站在原处聆听。
7Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stayed in their place.
8他们宣读 神的律法,把意义清楚翻译出来,使众民明白所宣读的。
8They read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.
9省长尼希米和祭司兼经学家以斯拉,以及教导人民明白律法的利未人对众民说:“今天是耶和华你们的 神的圣日,你们不要悲哀哭泣。”因为众人听见律法书上的话,都哭了。
9Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all the people, “This day is holy to Yahweh your God. Don’t mourn, nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10尼希米又对他们说:“你们应当去吃肥美的肉,喝甘甜的酒,把部分饮食分给没有能力预备的人,因为今天是我们的主的圣日;你们不要忧愁,因为靠耶和华而得的喜乐是你们的力量。”
10Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Don’t be grieved; for the joy of Yahweh is your strength.”
11于是利未人使众民安静下来,说:“你们安静吧,因为今天是圣日,也不要再忧愁!”
11So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, “Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be grieved.”
12众民就去吃喝,也把部分饮食与人分享,大大欢乐。因为他们明白教训他们的话。
12All the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
13守住棚节第二天,众民的族长、祭司和利未人都聚集到经学家以斯拉那里,研究律法的话。
13On the second day were gathered together the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe, even to give attention to the words of the law.
14他们发现律法上记载,耶和华曾借着摩西吩咐以色列人,要在七月的节期中,住在棚里,
14They found written in the law, how that Yahweh had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month;
15并且要在自己的城里和在耶路撒冷宣扬布告说:“你们要上到山上,把橄榄树枝、油木树枝、番石榴枝、棕树枝和树叶繁茂大树的枝子带回来,照着律法所写的搭棚。”
15and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the mountain, and get olive branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.”
16于是众民出去,把树枝带回来,各人在自己的房顶上,在院子里, 神的院中,水门的广场,或是在以法莲门的广场搭棚。
16So the people went out, and brought them, and made themselves booths, everyone on the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of God’s house, and in the broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim.
17从被掳归回的全体会众都搭了棚,并且住在棚里;从嫩的儿子约书亚的时候,直到那日,以色列人都没有这样行过。大家都非常快乐。
17All the assembly of those who had come again out of the captivity made booths, and lived in the booths; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness.
18从头一天直到最后一天,每天都宣读 神的律法书。他们守节七天,第八天照典章有严肃会。
18Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.