1And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel.
1到了七月，以色列人住在自己的城裡。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。
2Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who [could] listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.
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。
3He read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
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。
4Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah [and] Meshullam on his left hand.
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。
5Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up.
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。
6Then Ezra blessed the LORD the great God. And all the people answered, 'Amen, Amen!' while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the LORD with [their] faces to the ground.
6以斯拉稱頌耶和華至大的神；眾民都舉手應聲說：阿們！阿們！就低頭，面伏於地，敬拜耶和華。
7Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, explained the law to the people while the people [remained] in their place.
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。
8They read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.
8他們清清楚楚地念神的律法書，講明意思，使百姓明白所念的。
9Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest [and] scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, 'This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.' For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law.
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─你們神的聖日，不要悲哀哭泣。這是因為眾民聽見律法書上的話都哭了；
10Then he said to them, 'Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.'
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。
11So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, 'Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.'
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。
12All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them.
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。
13Then on the second day the heads of fathers' [households] of all the people, the priests and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe that they might gain insight into the words of the law.
13次日，眾民的族長、祭司，和利未人都聚集到文士以斯拉那裡，要留心聽律法上的話。
14They found written in the law how the LORD had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel should live in booths during the feast of the seventh month.
14他們見律法上寫著，耶和華藉摩西吩咐以色列人要在七月節住棚，
15So they proclaimed and circulated a proclamation in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, 'Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches and branches of [other] leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.'
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，照著所寫的搭棚。
16So the people went out and brought [them] and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim.
16於是百姓出去，取了樹枝來，各人在自己的房頂上，或院內，或神殿的院內，或水門的寬闊處，或以法蓮門的寬闊處搭棚。
17The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them. The sons of Israel had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was great rejoicing.
17從擄到之地歸回的全會眾就搭棚，住在棚裡。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。
18He read from the book of the law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they celebrated the feast seven days, and on the eighth day [there was] a solemn assembly according to the ordinance.
18從頭一天直到末一天，以斯拉每日念神的律法書。眾人守節七日，第八日照例有嚴肅會。