1
Na watu wote wakakusanyika kama mtu mmoja katika uwanja uliokuwa mbele ya lango la maji; wakamwambia Ezra, mwandishi, akilete kitabu cha torati ya Musa, Bwana aliyowaamuru Israeli.
At that time all the people gathered together in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel.
2
Naye Ezra, kuhani, akaileta torati mbele ya kusanyiko, la wanaume na wanawake, na wote walioweza kusikia na kufahamu, siku ya kwanza na mwezi wa saba.
On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could listen and understand.
3
Akasoma humo mbele ya uwanja uliokuwa ukikabili lango la maji, tangu mapambazuko hata adhuhuri, mbele ya hao wanaume na wanawake, na wale walioweza kufahamu; na masikio ya watu wote yakasikiliza kitabu cha torati.
So Ezra read it aloud from daybreak until noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate, in front of the men and women and those who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
4
Naye Ezra, kuhani, akasimama juu ya mimbari ya mti, waliyokuwa wameifanya kwa kusudi hilo; na karibu naye wakasimama Matithia, na Shema, na Anaya, na Uria, na Hilkia, na Maaseya, mkono wake wa kuume; na mkono wake wa kushoto, Pedaya, na Misbaeli, na Malkiya, na Hashumu, na Hashbadani, na Zekaria, na Meshulamu.
Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for this occasion. At his right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, and at his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5
Ezra akakifunua kitabu machoni pa watu wote; (maana alikuwa juu ya watu wote); na hapo alipokifungua, watu wote walisimama;
Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was standing above them all, and as he opened it, all the people stood up.
6
Ezra akamhimidi Bwana, Mungu Mkuu. Nao watu wote wakaitika, Amina, Amina, pamoja na kuinua mikono yao; kisha wakainama vichwa vyao, wakamsujudu Bwana kifudifudi.
Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted, all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
7
Tena Yeshua, na Bani, na Sherebia, na Yamini, na Akubu, na Shabethai, na Hodai, na Maaseya, na Kelita, na Azaria, na Yozabadi, na Hanani, na Pelaya, nao ni Walawi, wakawafahamisha watu torati; na watu wakasimama mahali pao.
The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law as they stood in their places.
8
Nao wakasoma katika kitabu, katika torati ya Mungu, kwa sauti ya kusikilika; wakaeleza maana yake, hata wakayafahamu yaliyosomwa.
So they read from the Book of the Law of God, explaining it and giving insight, so that the people could understand what was being read.
9
Naye Nehemia, ndiye aliyekuwa Tirshatha, na Ezra kuhani, mwandishi, na Walawi waliowafundisha watu, wakawaambia watu wote, Siku hii ni takatifu kwa Bwana, Mungu wenu; msiomboleze wala msilie. Maana watu wote walilia, walipoyasikia maneno ya torati.
Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the Law.
10
Kisha akawaambia, Enendeni zenu, mle kilichonona, na kunywa kilicho kitamu, tena mpelekeeni sehemu yeye asiyewekewa kitu; maana siku hii ni takatifu kwa Bwana wetu; wala msihuzunike; kwa kuwa furaha ya Bwana ni nguvu zenu.
Then Nehemiah told them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send out portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
11
Hivyo Walawi wakawatuliza watu wote, wakasema, Nyamazeni, kwa maana siku hii ni takatifu; wala msihuzunike.
And the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, since today is holy. Do not grieve.”
12
Na watu wote wakaenda zao kula na kunywa, na kuwapelekea watu sehemu, na kufanya furaha nyingi, kwa sababu walikuwa wameyafahamu maneno yale waliyohubiriwa.
Then all the people began to eat and drink, to send out portions, and to rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that had been made known to them.
13
Hata siku ya pili wakuu wa mbari za mababa za watu wote, na makuhani, na Walawi, wakamkusanyikia Ezra, mwandishi, ili wapate kuyasikiliza maneno ya torati.
On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Law.
14
Wakaona ya kuwa imeandikwa katika torati, jinsi Bwana alivyoamuru kwa mkono wa Musa, ya kwamba wana wa Israeli wakae katika vibanda, katika sikukuu ya mwezi wa saba;
And they found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month,
15
na ya kwamba wahubiri na kutangaza katika miji yao yote, na katika Yerusalemu, kusema, Enendeni mlimani, mkalete matawi ya mzeituni, na matawi ya mzeituni-mwitu, na matawi ya mihadasi, na matawi ya mitende, na matawi ya miti minene, ili kufanya vibanda, kama ilivyoandikwa.
and that they should proclaim this message and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill country and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.”
16
Basi watu wote wakatoka, wakayaleta, wakajifanyizia vibanda, kila mtu juu ya dari ya nyumba yake, na katika nyua zao, na katika nyua za nyumba ya Mungu, na katika uwanja wa lango la maji, na katika uwanja wa lango la Efraimu.
And the people went out, brought back branches, and made booths on their own rooftops, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God, and in the squares by the Water Gate and by the Gate of Ephraim.
17
Na mkutano wote wa watu, waliorudi kutoka nchi ya uhamisho wao, wakafanyiza vibanda, wakakaa katika vibanda hivyo; maana tokea siku za Yoshua, mwana wa Nuni, hata siku ile, wana wa Israeli hawakufanya hivyo. Pakawa na furaha kubwa sana.
The whole assembly that had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated like this. And there was great rejoicing.
18
Tena siku baada ya siku, tangu siku ya kwanza hata siku ya mwisho, akasoma katika kitabu cha torati ya Mungu. Wakafanya sikukuu muda wa siku saba; na siku ya nane palikuwa na kusanyiko la makini, kama ilivyoagizwa.
Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. The Israelites kept the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly, according to the ordinance.