Content

CAP 8
1 And the seuenthe monethe `was comun vndur Esdras and Neemye; sotheli the sones of Israel weren in her cytees. And al the puple was gaderid togydere as o man, to the street which is bifor the yate of watris. And thei seiden to Esdras, the scribe, that he schulde brynge the book of the lawe of Moises, which the Lord hadde comaundid to Israel.
2 Therfor Esdras, the preest, brouyte the lawe bifor the multitude of men and of wymmen, and bifor alle that myyten vndurstonde, `in the firste day of the seuenth monethe.
3 And he redde in it opynli in the street that was bifor the yate of watris, fro the morewtid `til to myddai, in the siyt of men and of wymmen and of wise men; and the eeris of al the puple weren reisid to the book.
4 Forsothe Esdras the writere stood on the grees of tree, which he hadde maad to speke theron; and Mathatie, and Semma, and Ananye, and Vrie, and Elchie, and Maasie stoden bisidis hym at his riyt half; and Phadaie, Mysael, and Melchie, Assum, and Aseph, Dana, and Zacharie, and Mosollam stoden at the left half.
5 And Esdras openyde the book bifor al the puple; for he apperide ouer al the puple; and whanne he hadde openyd the book, al the puple stood.
6 And Esdras blesside the Lord God with greet vois; and al the puple answeride, Amen, Amen, reisynge her hondis. And thei weren bowid, and thei worschipiden God, lowli on the erthe.
7 Forsothe Josue, and Baany, and Serebie, Jamyn, Acub, Septhai, Odia, Maasie, Celitha, Ayarie, Jozabeth, Anan, Phallaie, dekenes, maden silence in the puple for to here the lawe. Sotheli the puple stood in her degree.
8 And thei redden in the book of Goddis lawe distinctli, `ether atreet, and opynli to vndurstonde; `and thei vndurstoden, whanne it was red.
9 Forsothe Neemye seide, he is Athersata, and Esdras, the preest and writere, and the dekenes, expownynge to al the puple, It is a dai halewid to `oure Lord God; nyle ye morne, and nyle ye wepe. For al the puple wepte, whanne it herde the wordis of the lawe.
10 And he seide to hem, Go ye, and `ete ye fatte thingis, and drynke ye wiyn `maad swete with hony, and sende ye partis to hem, that maden not redi to hem silf, for it is an hooli dai of the Lord; `nyle ye be sory, for the ioye of the Lord is youre strengthe.
11 Sotheli the dekenes maden silence in al the puple, and seiden, Be ye stille, for it is an hooli dai, and `nyle ye make sorewe.
12 Therfor al the puple yede for to ete, and drynke, and to sende partis, and `to make greet gladnesse; for thei vndurstoden the wordis, whiche he hadde tauyt hem.
13 And in the secound dai the princes of meynees, alle the puplis, prestis, and dekenes, weren gaderid togidere to Esdras, the writere, that he schulde expowne to hem the wordis of the lawe.
14 And thei foundun writun in the lawe, that the Lord comaundide `in the hond of Moyses, that the sones of Israel dwelle in tabernaclis in the solempne dai, in the seuenthe moneth;
15 and that thei preche, and pupplische a vois in alle her citees, and in Jerusalem; and seie, Go ye out in to the hil, and brynge ye bowis of olyue, and bowis of the faireste tree, the bowis of a myrte tree, and the braunchis of a palm tree, and the bowis of a `tree ful of wode, that tabernaclis be maad, as it is writun.
16 And al the puple yede out, and thei brouyten, and maden to hem silf tabernaclis, `ech man in `his hows roof, and in her stretis, `ether foryerdis, and in the large placis of Goddis hows, and in the street of the yate of watris, and in the street of the yate of Effraym.
17 Therfor al the chirche of hem, that camen ayen fro caytifte, made tabernaclis, and thei dwelliden in tabernaclis. For the sones of Israel hadden not do siche thingis fro the daies of Josue, sone of Nun, `til to that dai; and ful greet gladnesse was.
18 Forsothe Esdras radde in the book of Goddis lawe bi alle daies, fro the firste dai `til to the laste dai; and thei maden solempnytee bi seuene daies, and in the eiyte day thei maden a gaderyng of siluer, `bi the custom.