8:1 And all the people gathered as one man in the open area that was before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded to Israel.
8:2 And Ezra 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.
七月初一日,祭司以斯拉将律法书带到男女会众、并一切听了能明白的人面前。
8:3 And he read in it before the open area that was before the Water Gate from first light until midday in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
他在水门前的宽阔处,从清早到晌午,在众男女,并一切听了能明白的人面前念这律法书。众民侧耳而听。
8:4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden platform that had been made for that purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Uriah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah at his right hand; and at his left hand, Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah and Hashum and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
8:5 And Ezra 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.
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。
8:6 And Ezra blessed Jehovah the great God; and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground.
以斯拉颂赞耶和华至大的神;众民都举手应声说,阿们,阿们;就低头,面伏于地,敬拜耶和华。
8:7 Also Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites helped the people understand the law; and the people stood in their place.
8:8 And they read in the book, in the law of God, interpreting and giving the sense, so that they understood the reading.
他们念神的律法书,翻译并讲明意思,使百姓明白所念的。
8:9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who helped the people understand said to all the people, This day is holy unto Jehovah your God; do not mourn or weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
8:10 Then he said to them, Go your way; eat the fat, and drink the sweet wine, and send portions to him for whom nothing has been prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of Jehovah is your strength.
8:11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Be quiet, for the day is holy; and do not be grieved.
于是利未人使众民静默,说,不要作声,因今日是圣日;也不要忧愁。
8:12 And all the people went their way to eat and to drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
众民都去吃喝,也分给人,大大快乐,因为他们明白所指示他们的话。
8:13 And on the second day the heads of fathers' houses of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe, that is, in order to gain insight into the words of the law.
次日,众民宗族的首领、祭司、和利未人,都聚集到经学家以斯拉那里,要留心听律法书上的话。
8:14 And they found it written in the law that Jehovah had commanded through Moses that the children of Israel dwell in booths during the feast in the seventh month,
他们见律法上写着,耶和华藉摩西吩咐以色列人要在七月节住棚,
8:15 And that they publish and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, Go out to the mountain and bring olive branches and wild olive branches and myrtle branches and palm branches and branches of other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written.
8:16 So the people went out and brought them, and all made booths for themselves on their roofs and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God and in the open area before the Water Gate and in the open area before the Gate of Ephraim.
8:17 And all the assembly of those who returned from the captivity made booths and dwelt in the booths, for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so; and there was very great rejoicing.
8:18 And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they held the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.