Nehemiah
Chapter 8
1 Now when the seventh month came, the whole people gathered as one man in the open space before the Water Gate, and they called upon Ezra the scribe to bring forth the book of the law of Moses which the LORD prescribed for Israel.
所有的人民，都一致聚集到水门前的广场上，要求厄斯德拉经师，拿出上主命以色列当遵守的梅瑟法律书来。
2 On the first day of the seventh month, therefore, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, which consisted of men, women, and those children old enough to understand.
厄斯德拉司祭便在七月一日，将法律书拿到会众前，及男女和所有能听懂的人面前，
3 Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate, he read out of the book from daybreak till midday, in the presence of the men, the women, and those children old enough to understand; and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
在水门前的广场上，从早晨到中午，在男女和所有能听懂的人面前，宣读了法律，所有的人民都侧耳静听法律书。
4 Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the occasion; at his right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, and on his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, Meshullam.
厄斯德拉经师站在为此特备的木台上，他右边站着玛提提雅、舍玛、阿纳雅、乌黎雅、希耳克雅和玛阿色雅；他左边有培达雅、米沙耳、玛耳基雅、哈雄、哈协巴达纳、则加黎雅、和默叔蓝。
5 Ezra opened the scroll so that all the people might see it (for he was standing higher up than any of the people); and, as he opened it, all the people rose.
厄斯德拉在众目注视下展开了书，因他高立在众人以上，他展开书时，众人都立起来。
6 Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people, their hands raised high, answered, ＂Amen, amen!＂ Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD, their faces to the ground.
厄斯德拉先赞颂了上主，伟大的天主，全民众举手回答说：＂阿们，阿们！＂以后跪下，伏首至地，钦崇上主。
7 (The Levites Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah explained the law to the people, who remained in their places.)
肋未人耶叔亚、巴尼、舍勒彼雅、雅明、阿谷布、沙贝泰、曷狄雅、玛阿色雅、刻里达、阿匝黎雅、约匝巴得、哈南和培拉雅，为民众讲解法律，民众立在原处不动。
8 Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God, interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.
厄斯德拉读一段天主的法律书，及做翻译和解释，如此民众可以懂清所诵读的。
9 Then (Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and) Ezra the priest-scribe (and the Levites who were instructing the people) said to all the people: ＂Today is holy to the LORD your God. Do not be sad, and do not weep＂-for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.
乃赫米雅省长和厄斯德拉司祭兼经师，并教导民众的肋未人，向民众说：＂今天是上主你们天主的圣日，你们不可忧愁哭泣！＂因为全民众听了法律的话，都在哭泣。
10 He said further: ＂Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks, and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared; for today is holy to our LORD. Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!＂
为此，乃赫米雅又向他们说：＂你们应该去吃肥美的肉，喝甘甜的酒，且赠送一部份，给那些没有预备的人，因为今天是吾主的圣日；你们不可忧愁，因为喜乐于上主，就是你们的力量。＂
11 (And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, ＂Hush, for today is holy, and you must not be saddened.＂)
肋未人也安慰民众说：＂你们要安静，因为今天是圣日，不应忧愁！＂
12 Then all the people went to eat and drink, to distribute portions, and to celebrate with great joy, for they understood the words that had been expounded to them.
民众遂去吃喝，且赠送一部份给他人，大家异常欢乐，因为都明白了向他们所讲的话。
13 On the second day, the family heads of the whole people and also the priests and the Levites gathered around Ezra the scribe and examined the words of the law more closely.
第二天，全民族的族长和司祭并肋未人，都聚集在厄斯德拉经师身旁，研究法律上的话。
14 They found it written in the law prescribed by the LORD through Moses that the Israelites must dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month;
发现法律上记载：上主曾借梅瑟，命令以色列子民，在七月的庆节日，应住在帐棚内。
15 and that they should have this proclamation made throughout their cities and in Jerusalem: ＂Go out into the hill country and bring in branches of olive trees, oleasters, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees, to make booths, as the law prescribes.＂
他们一听说如此，遂在各城和耶路撒冷，宣布这命令说：＂你们上山去，取橄榄树的枝叶、野橄榄树的枝叶、长春树的枝叶、棕树的枝叶，和其它茂盛树的枝叶，照经上所写的，搭造帐棚。＂
16 The people went out and brought in branches with which they made booths for themselves, on the roof of their houses, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God, and in the open spaces of the Water Gate and the Gate of Ephraim.
民众就去采了树枝来，在屋顶上，院子里，天主殿宇的庭院内，水门的广场上，和厄弗辣因广场上，搭了帐棚。
17 Thus the entire assembly of the returned exiles made booths and dwelt in them. Now the Israelites had done nothing of this sort from the days of Jeshua, son of Nun, until this occasion; therefore there was very great joy.
由充军回来的全会众，都搭造帐了棚，住在帐棚内；从农的儿子若苏厄之日起，直到今日，以色列没有举行过如此的盛事，大家都非常欢乐。
18 Ezra read from the book of the law of God day after day, from the first day to the last. They kept the feast for seven days, and the solemn assembly on the eighth day, as was required.
从第一日直到最后一日，天天宣读天主的法律书；七天之久过了庆节，第八天按规定举行了盛会。
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