9. “How was the pouring out of the water?” “A golden pitcher holding three logs[266] was filled from Siloam. When they came (with it) to the water-gate they blew the trumpet, an alarm, and a blast. The priest then went up the ascent to the altar, and turned to his left. Two silver basins were there.” R. Judah says, “they were of lime, but their look was dark from the wine.” And they were bored with two narrow nostrils, one wider, the other narrower, that both might get empty at once. “The one to the west was for the water; the other to the east was for the wine; but if the water was poured into the wine basin, or the wine into the water basin, it was allowed.” R. Judah said, “they poured out one log on each of the eight days.” To him, who poured out, they said, “lift your hand;” for once it happened, that one poured over his feet,[267] and all the people pelted him to death with their citrons.
10. As they did on the week-days, so they did on the Sabbath; save that on the Sabbath eve an unconsecrated golden cask was filled from Siloam, and placed in a chamber. If it were spilt or uncovered, it was refilled from the laver, as water and wine which had been uncovered were disallowed on the altar.
Chapter V
1. The musical pipes were (played) for five and (sometimes) six days. That is to say, the pipes of the water-drawing, which supersedes neither the Sabbath day nor the feast. The (Sages) said, “he who has not seen the joy[268] of the water-drawing, has never seen joy in his life.”
2. With the departure of the first day of the feast, they went [pg 133] down into the women's court, and made great preparations.[269] Four golden candlesticks were there, and four golden basins on their tops, and four ladders to each candlestick, and four lads from the young priests, and in their hands were jars of oil containing 120 logs, with which they replenished each basin.
3. The cast-off breeches and belts of the priests were torn to wicks, which they lighted. And there was not a court in Jerusalem that was not lit up by the lights of the water-drawing.
4. Pious and experienced men danced with lighted torches in their hands, singing hymns and lauds before them. And the Levites accompanied them with harps, psalteries, cymbals, trumpets, and numberless musical instruments. On the fifteen steps which went down from the court of Israel into the women's court, corresponding with the fifteen songs of degrees,[270] stood the Levites with their musical instruments, and sang. And at the upper gate, which went down from the court of Israel to the court of the women, stood two priests with trumpets in their hands. When the cock crew, they blew a blast, an alarm, and a blast.[271] When they reached the tenth step, they blew a blast, an alarm, and a blast. And when they got into the court, they blew a blast, an alarm, and a blast. They went on blowing as they went, until they reached the gate, that leads out to the east. When they reached the gate, that leads out to the east, they turned their faces westward,[272] and said,
“Our fathers, who were in this place,
Turned their backs upon the Temple;