from the morning until midday, before the men, and the women, and
all those that could understand: and the ears of all the people were
attentive to the book.

8:4. And Esdras the scribe stood upon a step of wood, which he had made
to speak upon, and there stood by him Mathathias, and Semeia, and Ania,
and Uria, and Helcia, and Maasia, on his right hand: and on the left,
Phadaia, Misael, and Melchia, and Hasum, and Hasbadana, Zacharia and
Mosollam.

8:5. And Esdras opened the book before all the people: for he was above
all the people: and when he had opened it, all the people stood.

8:6. And Esdras blessed the Lord the great God: and all the people
answered, Amen, amen: lifting up their hands: and they bowed down, and
adored God with their faces to the ground.

8:7. Now Josue, and Bani, and Serebia, Jamin, Accub, Sephtai, Odia,
Maasia, Celtia, Azarias, Jozabed, Hanan, Phalaia, the Levites, made
silence among the people to hear the law: and the people stood in their
place.

8:8. And they read in the book of the law of God distinctly and plainly
to be understood: and they understood when it was read.

8:9. And Nehemias (he is Athersatha) and Esdras the priest and scribe,
and the Levites who interpreted to all the people, said: This is a holy
day to the Lord our God: do not mourn, nor weep: for all the people
wept, when they heard the words of the law.

8:10. And he said to them: Go, eat fat meats, and drink sweet wine, and
send portions to them that have not prepared for themselves: because it
is the holy day of the Lord, and be not sad: for the joy of the Lord is
our strength.

8:11. And the Levites stilled all the people, saying: Hold your peace,
for the day is holy, and be not sorrowful.

8:12. So all the people went to eat and drink, and to send portions, and
to make great mirth: because they understood the words that he had
taught them.

8:13. And on the second day the chiefs of the families of all the
people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together to Esdras
the scribe, that he should interpret to them the words of the law.

8:14. And they found written in the law, that the Lord had commanded by
the hand of Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in
tabernacles, on the feast, in the seventh month:

8:15. And that they should proclaim and publish the word in all their
cities, and in Jerusalem, saying: Go forth to the mount, and fetch
branches of olive, and branches of beautiful woo