Ezra 7
1 Many years later, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
Ngemva kwalezizinto, ngesikhathi sokubusa kuka-Athazekisisi inkosi yasePhezhiya, u-Ezra indodana kaSeraya, indodana ka-Azariya, indodana kaHilikhiya,
2 the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
indodana kaShalumi, indodana kaZadokhi indodana ka-Ahithubi,
3 the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
indodana ka-Amariya, indodana ka-Azariya, indodana kaMerayothi,
4 the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
indodana kaZerahiya, indodana ka-Uzi, indodana kaBhukhi,
5 the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—
indodana ka-Abhishuwa, indodana kaFinehasi, indodana ka-Eliyazari, indodana ka-Aroni umphristi omkhulu,
6 this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted Ezra all his requests, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.
u-Ezra lo weza evela eBhabhiloni. Wayeyisifundiswa esazi kakhulu ngoMthetho kaMosi, owawuphiwe nguThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Inkosi yayimuphe konke ayekucelile, ngoba isandla sikaThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe sasiphezu kwakhe.
7 So in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, he went up to Jerusalem with some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants.
Abanye abako-Israyeli, labaphristi, lamaLevi, labahlabeleli, labalindi bamasango lezinceku zethempelini labo babuya eJerusalema ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kwenkosi u-Athazekisisi.
8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king.
U-Ezra wafika eJerusalema ngenyanga yesihlanu ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wenkosi.
9 He had begun the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him.
Wayeqalise uhambo lwakhe esuka eBhabhiloni ngelanga lakuqala lenyanga yokuqala, wafika eJerusalema ngelanga lakuqala lenyanga yesihlanu, ngoba isandla somusa sikaNkulunkulu sasiphezu kwakhe.
10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.
Ngoba u-Ezra wayezinikele ekufundeni lokugcina uMthetho kaThixo lokufundisa izimiso zawo ko-Israyeli.
11 This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in the commandments and statutes of the LORD to Israel:
Nansi incwadi iNkosi u-Athazekisisi ayeyiphe u-Ezra umphristi lomabhalane, indoda eyayifundile ezindabeni zemithetho lezimiso zikaThixo ku-Israyeli:
12 Artaxerxes, king of kings. To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.
Athazekisisi, nkosi yamakhosi, Ku-Ezra umphristi, umfundisi womthetho kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini: Ngiyabingelela.
13 I hereby decree that any volunteers among the Israelites in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may go up with you to Jerusalem.
Manje-ke ngimisa umthetho wokuthi ingqe ngubani wako-Israyeli osembusweni wami, kugoqela abaphristi labaLevi, ofisa ukuhamba lawe eJerusalema, kahambe.
14 You are sent by the king and his seven counselors to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.
Uthunywa yinkosi labacebisi bayo abayisikhombisa ukuba uyofunisisa ngoJuda langeJerusalema mayelana loMthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho, owuphetheyo.
15 Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
Njalo ubothatha isiliva legolide elinikwe ngesihle yinkosi labacebisi bayo kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ohlala eJerusalema,
16 together with all the silver and gold you may find in all the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem.
kanye lesiliva legolide lonke ongalizuza elizweni laseBhabhiloni kanye leminikelo yokuzizwela eyabantu labaphristi benikelela ithempeli likaNkulunkulu wabo eJerusalema.
17 With this money, therefore, you are to buy as many bulls, rams, and lambs as needed, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem.
Ngaleyomali umele uthenge inkunzi, lenqama, lamazinyane ezimvu amaduna, ndawonye leminikelo yabo yamabele leyokunathwayo, konke kunikelwe e-alithareni lethempeli likaNkulunkulu wenu eJerusalema.
18 You and your brothers may do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God.
Wena labazalwane bakho abangamaJuda selingenza lokho okuyabe kufanele ngesiliva legolide eliseleyo, mayelana lentando kaNkulunkulu wenu.
19 You must deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God.
Hambisani kuNkulunkulu weJerusalema zonke impahla eliziphathisiweyo ezokukhonza ethempelini likaNkulunkulu wenu.
20 And if anything else is needed for the house of your God that you may have occasion to supply, you may pay for it from the royal treasury.
Akuthi loba yini efunekayo ethempelini likaNkulunkulu wenu elifuna ukuthi izuzakale, kayidingwe ngendleko ephuma esikhwameni senkosi.
21 I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers west of the Euphrates: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it must be provided promptly,
Mina, iNkosi Athazekisisi ngimisa umthetho wokuthi bonke abaphathi bezikhwama abangaphetsheya kweYufrathe baphe u-Ezra umphristi, umfundisi woMthetho kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini ngokuphangisa loba yini ayicelayo kini,
22 up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit.
kuze kube ngamathalenta esiliva alikhulu, lamasaka alikhulu engqoloyi, imigqomo elikhulu yewayini, imigqomo elikhulu yamafutha e-oliva, letswayi elingelakulinganiswa.
23 Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for His house. For why should wrath fall on the realm of the king and his sons?
Ingqe yini emiswe nguNkulunkulu wasezulwini, kakwenziwe ngokukhuthala kusenzelwa ithempeli likaNkulunkulu wasezulwini. Kakudingeki ukuthi ulaka luze lwehliselwe phezu kwenkosi lamadodana ayo.
24 And be advised that you have no authority to impose tribute, duty, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
Yazini njalo ukuthi kalilamvumo yokubiza imithelo loba inkongozelo yenkosi kumbe imbadalo yokungenisa impahla elizweni kubaphristi, labaLevi, labahlabeleli, labalindimasango, lezinceku zethempelini loba kwezinye izisebenzi zale indlu kaNkulunkulu.
25 And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which you possess, are to appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people west of the Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach these laws to anyone who does not know them.
Yikho wena Ezra, ngokuhlakanipha olakho okukaNkulunkulu wakho, beka abathonisi labehluleli ukwahlulela kuhle bonke abantu abangaphetsheya kweYufrathe, bonke abayaziyo imithetho kaNkulunkulu wenu. Kumele ufundise labo abangayaziyo.
26 If anyone does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let a strict judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.
Lowo ongawulaleliyo umthetho kaNkulunkulu wenu lomthetho wenkosi ngeqiniso umele ajeziswe ngokufa, loba ngokuxotshwa, loba ngokuhluthunelwa impahla loba ngokufakwa entolongweni.
27 Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put into the heart of the king to so honor the house of the LORD in Jerusalem,
Udumo kalube kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho bethu, okufakileyo enhliziyweni yenkosi ukuletha inhlonipho endlini kaThixo eJerusalema ngale indlela
28 and who has shown me favor before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officials. And because the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, I took courage and gathered the leaders of Israel to return with me.
njalo otshengise umusa wakhe kini phambi kwenkosi labeluleki bakhe lazozonke izinduna zakhe ezilamandla. Ngenxa yokuthi isandla sikaThixo uNkulunkulu wami besiphezu kwami, ngaba lesibindi ngaqoqa amadoda angabakhokheli ko-Israyeli ukuthi bahambe lami.
