< Ezra 5 >

1 Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem; in the name of the God of Israel [did they prophesy] to them.
Abaprofethi, oHagayi umprofethi loZekhariya indodana kaIdo, basebeprofetha kumaJuda ayekoJuda laseJerusalema, ebizweni likaNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli phezu kwawo.
2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, who helped them.
Khonokho kwasuka oZerubhabheli indodana kaSalatiyeli loJeshuwa indodana kaJozadaki, baqala ukwakha indlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema, njalo kanye labo abaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu bebasekela.
3 At that time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus to them: Who gave you orders to build this house and to complete this wall?
Ngalesosikhathi kwafika kibo oTathenayi umbusi nganeno komfula loShethari-Bozenayi, labangane babo, bakhuluma kanje kibo: Ngubani obeke umthetho kini wokwakha lindlu lokuqedisa lumduli?
4 And they said to them after this manner: What are the names of the men that build this building?
Sasesibatshela ngokunjalo: Ngobani amabizo abantu abakha lesisakhiwo?
5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease till the matter came to Darius; and then they returned answer by letter concerning it.
Kodwa ilihlo likaNkulunkulu wabo laliphezu kwabadala bamaJuda, ukuthi kababenzanga beme, ize ifike leyondaba kuDariyusi, baze babuyisele-ke incwadi ngayo.
6 The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, who were on this side the river, sent to Darius the king.
Ikhophi yencwadi oTathenayi umbusi nganeno komfula loShethari-Bozenayi labangane bakhe amaAfarisathiki ayenganeno komfula abayithumela kuDariyusi inkosi;
7 They sent a report to him in which was written thus: To Darius the king, all peace!
bathumeza incwadi kuye, njalo kwabhalwa kanje kuyo: KuDariyusi inkosi, ukuthula konke.
8 Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work is being carried on with diligence, and prospers in their hand.
Kakwaziwe enkosini ukuthi saya esabelweni sakoJuda, endlini kaNkulunkulu omkhulu, eyakhiwe ngamatshe amakhulu, izigodo sezifakiwe emidulwini; njalo lumsebenzi uyenziwa ngokuphangisa, uphumelela esandleni sabo.
9 Then asked we those elders: thus we said to them, Who gave you orders to build this house and to complete this wall?
Sasesibabuza labobadala sakhuluma kanje kubo: Ngubani obeke umthetho kini wokwakha lindlu lokuqedisa lumduli?
10 We asked their names also, to inform thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.
Njalo sababuza amabizo abo ukuze sikwazise, ukuze sibhale amabizo abantu abazinhloko zabo.
11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of the heavens and the earth, and build the house that was built these many years ago; and a great king of Israel built and completed it.
Langokunjalo babuyisela ilizwi kithi besithi: Thina siyizinceku zikaNkulunkulu wamazulu lomhlaba, sakha indlu eyayakhiwe iminyaka eminengi phambi kwalokhu, inkosi enkulu yakoIsrayeli eyayakha yayiqeda.
12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of the heavens to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, and he destroyed this house, and carried the people away unto Babylon.
Kodwa emva kwalokho obaba bamthukuthelisa uNkulunkulu wamazulu, wabanikela esandleni sikaNebhukadinezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni, umKhaladiya, owachitha lindlu, wathumbela abantu eBhabhiloni.
13 But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, king Cyrus gave orders to build this house of God.
Kodwa ngomnyaka wokuqala kaKoresi inkosi yeBhabhiloni, uKoresi inkosi wamisa umthetho wokwakha lindlu kaNkulunkulu.
14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was at Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, those did king Cyrus take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one Sheshbazzar by name, whom he had appointed governor.
Njalo lezitsha zendlu kaNkulunkulu ezingezegolide lesiliva uNebhukadinezari ayezithethe wazisusa ethempelini eliseJerusalema waziletha ethempelini leBhabhiloni, lezo uKoresi inkosi wazikhupha ethempelini leBhabhiloni, zanikwa olebizo elinguSheshibazari ayembeke ukuthi abe ngumbusi.
15 And he said to him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is at Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in its place.
Wasesithi kuye: Thatha lezizitsha, uyezibeka ethempelini eliseJerusalema, lendlu kaNkulunkulu kayakhiwe endaweni yayo.
16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, [and] laid the foundation of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and since that time even until now has it been in building, and it is not completed.
Ngakho uSheshibazari lo wafika wabeka izisekelo zendlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema; njalo kusukela kulesosikhathi kuze kube khathesi ilokhu isakhiwa, kayikapheli.
17 And now, if it seem good to the king, let search be made in the king's treasure-house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that orders were given by king Cyrus to build this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.
Ngakho-ke uba kulungile enkosini kakuhlolisiswe endlini yokuligugu kwenkosi ekhona eBhabhiloni ukuthi kungaba yikuthi umthetho wenziwa yini nguKoresi inkosi wokwakha lindlu kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema. Kayithumele-ke intando yenkosi kithi mayelana lalinto.

< Ezra 5 >