Liber Nehemiae, 8

1. Congregatusque est omnis populus quasi vir unus ad plateam, quae est ante portam Aquarum, et dixerunt Esdrae scribae, ut afferret librum legis Moysi, quam praece perat Dominus Israeli.

1. And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel.

2. Attulit ergo Esdras sacerdos legem coram multitudine virorum et mulierum cunctisque, qui poterant intellegere, in die prima mensis septimi.

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.

3. Et legit in eo in platea, quae erat ante portam Aquarum, de mane usque ad mediam diem in conspectu virorum et mulierum et eorum, qui intellegere poterant; et aures omnis populi erant erectae ad librum legis.

3. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning 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.

4. Stetit autem Esdras scriba super gradum ligneum, quem ad hoc fecerant; et steterunt iuxta eum Matthathias et Sema et Anaia et Uria et Helcia et Maasia ad dexteram eius, et ad sinistram Phadaia, Misael et Melchia et Hasum et Hasbadana, Zacharia et Mosollam.

4. And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden pulpit which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithi'ah, Shema, Anai'ah, Uri'ah, Hilki'ah, and Ma-asei'ah on his right hand; and Pedai'ah, Mish'a-el, Malchi'jah, Hashum, Hash-bad'danah, Zechari'ah, and Meshul'lam on his left hand.

5. Et aperuit Esdras librum coram omni populo — super universum quippe populum eminebat — et, cum aperuisset eum, stetit omnis populus.

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.

6. Et benedixit Esdras Domino, Deo magno; et respondit omnis populus: “Amen, amen”, elevans manus suas. Et incurvati sunt et adoraverunt Deum proni in terram.

6. And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God; and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands; and they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

7. Porro Iesua et Bani et Serebia, Iamin, Accub, Sabethai, Hodia, Maasia, Celita, Azarias, Iozabad, Hanan, Phalaia et Levitae erudiebant populum in lege; populus autem stabat in gradu suo.

7. Also Jesh'ua, Bani, Sherebi'ah, Jamin, Akkub, Shab'bethai, Hodi'ah, Ma-asei'ah, Keli'ta, Azari'ah, Jo'zabad, Hanan, Pelai'ah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the law, while the people remained in their places.

8. Et legerunt in libro legis Dei distincte et aperierunt sensum et explicaverunt lectionem.

8. And they read from the book, from the law of God, clearly; and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

9. Dixit autem Nehemias, ipse est praepositus, et Esdras sacerdos et scriba et Levitae instruentes populum universo populo: “Dies iste sanctificatus est Domino Deo nostro! Nolite lugere et nolite flere”. Flebat enim omnis populus, cum audiret verba legis.

9. And Nehemi'ah, 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 wept when they heard the words of the law.

10. Et dixit eis: “Ite, comedite pinguia et bibite mulsum et mittite partes his, qui non praeparaverunt sibi, quia sanctus dies Domini nostri est; et nolite contristari, gaudium etenim Domini est fortitudo vestra”.

10. Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

11. Levitae autem silentium faciebant in omni populo dicentes: “Tacete, quia dies sanctus est, et nolite dolere”.

11. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, "Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved."

12. Abiit itaque omnis populus, ut comederet et biberet et mitteret partes et faceret laetitiam magnam, quia intellexerant verba, quae docuerat eos.

12. And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

13. Et in die secundo congregati sunt principes familiarum universi populi, sacerdotes et Levitae ad Esdram scribam, ut intellegerent verba legis.

13. On the second day the heads of fathers' houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the law.

14. Et invenerunt scriptum in lege, quam praecepit Dominus per Moysen, ut habitent filii Israel in tabernaculis in die sollemni mense septimo

14. And they found it written in the law that the LORD had commanded by Moses that the people of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month,

15. et ut praedicent et divulgent vocem in universis urbibus suis et in Ierusalem dicentes: “Egredimini in montem et afferte frondes olivae et frondes oleastri, frondes myrti et ramos palmarum et frondes ligni nemorosi, ut fiant tabernacula, sicut scriptum est”.

15. and that they should publish and proclaim in all their towns and in Jerusalem, "Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written."

16. Et egressus est populus, et attulerunt feceruntque sibi tabernacula, unusquisque in domate suo et in atriis suis et in atriis domus Dei et in platea portae Aquarum et in platea portae Ephraim.

16. So 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 E'phraim.

17. Fecit ergo universa ecclesia eorum, qui redierant de captivitate, tabernacula et habitaverunt in tabernaculis. Non enim fecerant a diebus Iosue filii Nun taliter filii Israel usque ad diem illum; et fuit laetitia magna nimis.

17. And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and dwelt in the booths; for from the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing.

18. Legit autem in libro legis Dei per dies singulos, a die primo usque ad diem novissimum; et fecerunt sollemnitatem septem diebus et in die octavo conventum iuxta ordinationem.

18. And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the book of the law of God. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.