⁹ Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and ·teacher [scribe], and the Levites who were ·teaching [instructing; interpreting] said to all the people, “This is a ·holy [sacred] day to the Lord your God. Don’t ·be sad [mourn] or ·cry [weep].” All the people had been ·crying [weeping] as they listened to the words of the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions; ^LTorah].

¹⁰ Nehemiah said, “Go and ·enjoy good food [^Leat of the fat] and sweet drinks [Lev. 3; 2 Sam. 6:19; 1 Chr. 12:40–41; 29:22; 2 Chr. 7:8–10; 30:21–26]. Send ·some [portions] to people who have ·none [nothing prepared], because today is a ·holy [sacred] day to the Lord. Don’t ·be sad [grieve; mourn], because the joy of the Lord ·will make you strong [is your strength].”

¹¹ The Levites helped calm the people, saying, “Be ·quiet [still], because this is a ·holy [sacred] day. Don’t ·be sad [grieve; mourn].”

¹² Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to ·send some of their food to others [share; send portions], and to ·celebrate with [^Lmake] great joy. They finally understood ·what they had been taught [the words/matters that had been made known to them].