A Great Assembly
1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
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.
2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
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.
3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
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.
4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
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.
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:
Ezra akakifunua kitabu machoni pa watu wote; (maana alikuwa juu ya watu wote); na hapo alipokifungua, watu wote walisimama;
6 and Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
Ezra akamhimidi Bwana, Mungu Mkuu. Nao watu wote wakaitika, Amina, Amina, pamoja na kuinua mikono yao; kisha wakainama vichwa vyao, wakamsujudu Bwana kifudifudi.
7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.
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.
8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
Nao wakasoma katika kitabu, katika torati ya Mungu, kwa sauti ya kusikilika; wakaeleza maana yake, hata wakayafahamu yaliyosomwa.
9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
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.
10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
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.
11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
Hivyo Walawi wakawatuliza watu wote, wakasema, Nyamazeni, kwa maana siku hii ni takatifu; wala msihuzunike.
12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
Na watu wote wakaenda zao kula na kunywa, na kuwapelekea watu sehemu, na kufanya furaha nyingi, kwa sababu walikuwa wameyafahamu maneno yale waliyohubiriwa.
13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.
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.
14 And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:
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;
15 and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
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.
16 So the people went forth, and brought them , and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
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.
17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
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.
18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
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.
