CHAPTER 9
1 And Ezra rising up from the fore-porch (or the courtyard) of the temple, went into the cell (or the room) of Johanan, the son of Eliasibus.
2 And he harboured there, tasted no bread, nor drank water, for the wickednesses of the multitude.
3 And there was made a preaching in all Judea and in Jerusalem, to all that were of the captivity (that they should be) gathered (together) in Jerusalem,
4 (And) Whosoever again-cometh not to the second or the third day, after the doom of the elder men sitting, his faculties shall be taken away, and (that) he be deemed alien (or stranger, or cast out) from the multitude of the captivity.
5 And all, that were of the lineage(s) of Judah and Benjamin, were gathered together, three days (later) in Jerusalem; this is the ninth month, the twentieth day of the month.
6 And all the multitude sat in the floor (or the open space) of the temple, trembling for winter then being.
7 And Ezra rising up, said to Israel, Ye have done wickedly, setting to you into matrimony heathen wives, (so) that ye add to the sins of Israel.
8 And now give ye to the Lord God of our fathers confession, and great worthiness;
9 and perform ye his will, and goeth away from the heathen folk of the land, and from heathen wives.
10 And all the multitude cried, and they said with a great (or a loud) voice, We shall do, as thou hast said.
11 But for the multitude is great, and the time is winter, and we may not stand unholpen, [or unhelped], (or without help), and this work is not to (or for) us of one day, nor of two; (for) much we have sinned in these things;
12 therefore stand the provosts of the multitude, and all that dwell with us, and how many ever have with them heathen wives;
13 and stand they nigh in the time that is taken [or in the accept(able) time of (or in) all place(s)], priests, and doomsmen, till that they lose (or turn away) the wrath of the Lord, of this need (or over this matter).
14 Jonathan forsooth, the son of Azael, and Hezekiah, (the son of) Thocanus, took after these things, and Mosollamus, and Levi, and Sabba-taeus wrought together with them.
15 And all that were of the captivity stood there, after all these things.
16 And Ezra, (the) priest, chose to him(self) men, (the) great princes, of the fathers of them, after the names; and they sat together, in the new moon of the tenth month, to examine this need (or this matter).
17 And it is determined of the men, that had heathen wives, unto the new moons of the first month.
18 And there be found mingled (or mixed) among of the priests, that had heathen wives;
19 of the sons of Jesus, (or Jeshua, or Joshua), the son of Josedek, and of his brethren, Mathelas, and Eleazar, and Joribus, and Joadanus.
20 And they laid (or put up)their hands, that they should (or would) put away their wives, and for to sacrifice a ram, into prayer for their ignorance.
21 And of the sons of Emmer, Ananias, and Zabdaeus, and Manes, and Samaeus, and Jereel, (and) Azarias;
22 and of the sons of Phaesus, Elionas, Massias, Ishmael, and Nathanael, and Okidelus, and Saloas.
23 And of the deacons [or the Levites], Jozabadus, and Semis, and Colius, who was called Calitas, and Phathaeus, and Judas, and Jonas.
24 And of the hallowed [or the sacred] singers, Eliasibus, (and) Bacchurus.
25 And of the ushers, Sallumus, and Tolbanes. (And of the porters, Shallum, and Telem.)
26 And of Israel, of the sons of Phoros, Jermas, and Jeddias, and Melchias, and Maelus, and Eleazar, and Asibias, and Bannaeas.
27 And of the sons of Ela, Matthanias, and Zechariah, (and) Jezrielus, and Jeremoth, and Aedias.
28 And of the sons of Zamoth, Eliadas, and Eliasimus, and Othonias, and Jarimoth, and Sabathus, and Zardaeus.
29 And of the sons of Bebai, Johannes, and Ananias, and Ozabadus, and Emathis.
30 And of the sons of Mani, Olamus, and Mamuchus, and Jedaeus, and Jasubus, and Asaelus, and Jeremoth.
31 And of the sons of Addi, Naathus, and Moossias, and Laccunus, and Naidus, Matthanias, and Sesthel, and Balnuus, and Manasseas.
32 And of the sons of Annas, Elionas, and Asaeas, and Melchias, and Sabbaeus, and Simon Chosamaeus.
33 And of the sons of Asom, Altan-naeus, Mattathias, and Bannaeus, and Eliphalat, and Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 And of the sons of Bani, Jeremiah, and Momdis, and Ismaerus, and Juel, and Mandae, and Paedias, and Anos, Carabasion, and Enasibus, and Mamni-tanaemus, and Eliasis, and Bannus, and Eliali, and Somis, and Selemias, and Nathaniah; and of the sons of Ezora, Sessis, and Ezril, and Azael, and Samatus, and Zambris, and Josephus.
35 And of the sons of Nooma, Mazitias, and Zabadaeas, and Edaes, and Juel, (and) Banaeas.
36 All (of) these (had) joined to them-(selves) heathen wives, and (now) left them (or let them go), with their sons.
37 And (the) priests, and deacons, and they that were of Israel, dwelled in Jerusalem in an one region (or dwelled in Jerusalem, and its vicinity), (in) the new moon of the seventh month; and the sons of Israel were in their abidings.
38 And all the multitude gathered together in the floor (or in the open space), that is from the east of the hallowed [or the sacred] gate.
39 And they said to Ezra, (the) bishop and reader, that he should bring forth the law of Moses, that was given of (or by) the Lord God of Israel.
40 And Ezra, the bishop, brought forth the law to all the multitude of them, from man unto woman, and to all the priests, to hear the law, in the new moon of the seventh month.
41 And he read in the floor (or the open space), that is before the holy gate of the temple, from the first light of the day unto even(ing), before men and women; and all they gave wit, (or thought, or understanding) to the law.
42 And Ezra, the priest, and reader of the law, stood [up] upon the treen (or the wooden) chair, that was made therefore.
43 And there stood with him Mattathias, and Sammus, and Ananias, Azariah, Uriah, Hezekiah, and Baal-samus, at the right side;
44 and at the left side, Phaldaeus, Mishael, Melchias, Lothasubus, Nabariah, and Zechariah.
45 And Ezra took a book before all the multitude; forsooth he sat before in worship (or in honour), in the sight of all.
46 And when he had assoiled the law (or had opened, or had expounded upon, the law), all they stood upright. And Ezra blessed the Lord God, alder-Highest God of (the) Sabbath, Almighty or all mighty.
47 And all the people answered, Amen. And again they raised up their hands, and falling down unto the earth, they honoured (or worshipped) the Lord.
48 And Ezra commanded, that these should teach the law, Jesus, (or Jeshua, or Joshua), and Annus, and Sarabias, and Jadinus, and Jacubus, and Sabba-taeas, and Autaeas, and Maeannas, and Calitas, and Azarias, and Jozab-dus, and Ananias, and Phiathas, (the) deacons [or Levites]. The which taught the law of the Lord, and in (or to) the multitude they read the law of the Lord; and each by himself, that under-stood the lesson, told it before them.
49 And Attharates said to Ezra (or And the governor said to Ezra), the bishop and reader, and to the Levites that taught the multitude, saying,
50 This day is holy to the Lord. And all they wept, when they had heard the law.
51 And Ezra said, Ye therefore, after ye be gone atwain, eateth all most fat things, and drinketh all most sweet, and send ye gifts to them that have not;
52 forsooth this day of the Lord is holy; and be ye not sorry, the Lord forsooth shall clarify us (or for the Lord shall glorify us).
53 And the deacons [or the Levites] denounced (or announced), or showed, openly to all men, saying, This day is holy; will ye not (to) be sorry (or resolve not to be sorrowful).
54 And then all they went away, to eat, and to drink, and to have plenty of meat (or food), and to give gifts to them that have not, whereof to eat plenteously.
55 Greatly forsooth they be enhanced in the words, with the which they be taught. And all they were gathered into Jerusalem, to make solemn the gladness, after the testament of the Lord God of Israel.