Ezra 9
1 When as these things were done, the rulers came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the Priestes, and the Leuites are not separated from the people of the lands (as touching their abominations) to wit, of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Iebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
Sezenziwe zonke lezi izinto, abakhokheli beza kimi bathi, “Abantu bako-Israyeli bonke, labaphristi, labaLevi kabazehlukanisanga labantu bezizwe abalezenzo ezinengekayo, abanjengamaKhenani, amaHithi, amaPherizi, amaJebusi, ama-Amori, amaMowabi, amaGibhithe lama-Amoni.
2 For they haue taken their daughters to theselues, and to their sonnes, and they haue mixed the holy seede with the people of the landes, and the hande of the princes and rulers hath bene chiefe in this trespasse.
Bathatha amanye amadodakazi abo aba ngomkabo bathathela lamadodana abo, baxubanisa isizwe esingcwele labantu abahlezi labo. Njalo abakhokheli lezikhulu yibo abakhokheleyo kulokhu kungathembeki.”
3 But when I heard this saying, I rent my clothes and my garment, and pluckt off the heare of mine head, and of my beard, and sate downe astonied.
Ngathi ngikuzwa lokho ngadabula isigqoko sami lejazi lami, ngadonsa inwele ekhanda lami lezindevu zami ngahlala phansi ngididekile.
4 And there assembled vnto me all that feared the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of them of the captiuitie. And I sate downe astonied vntil the euening sacrifice.
Kwasekusithi wonke lowo owethuswa ngamazwi kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli waziqoqa phansi kwami ngenxa yalokhu ukona kwezithunjwa. Ngahlala khonapho ngididekile kwaze kwaba ngumhlatshelo wakusihlwa.
5 And at the euening sacrifice I arose vp from mine heauinesse, and when I had rent my clothes and my garment, I fell vpon my knees, and spred out mine hands vnto the Lord my God,
Kwathi-ke ngomhlatshelo wakusihlwa, ngaphakama ekuzehliseni kwami, isigqoko sami lejazi lami kudabukile, ngaguqa, izandla zami zivuliwe kuThixo uNkulunkulu wami
6 And said, O my God, I am confounded and ashamed, to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee my God: for our iniquities are increased ouer our head, and our trespasse is growen vp vnto the heauen.
ngakhuleka ngathi: “Oh Nkulunkulu wami, ngiyangekile kakhulu njalo ngilenhloni ukuphakamisela ubuso bami kuwe, Nkulunkulu wami, ngoba izono zethu ziphakeme kulamakhanda ethu lecala lethu selifikile emazulwini.
7 From the dayes of our fathers haue we bin in a great trespasse vnto this day, and for our iniquities haue we, our Kings, and our Priestes bene deliuered into the hand of the kings of the lands, vnto the sword, into captiuitie, into a spoyle, and into confusion of face, as appeareth this day.
Kusukela ensukwini zabokhokho bethu kuze kube manje, icala lethu likhulu. Ngenxa yezono zethu, thina lamakhosi ethu labaphristi bethu sesilokhu sidliwa yinkemba njalo sigqilazwa, siphangwa njalo siyangiswa ngamakhosi ezizwe, njengoba kunjalo lalamuhla.
8 And now for a litle space grace hath bene shewed from the Lord our God, in causing a remnant to escape, and in giuing vs a nayle in his holy place, that our God may light our eyes, and giue vs a litle reuiuing in our seruitude.
Kodwa khathesi, okwesikhatshana nje, uThixo uNkulunkulu wethu ube lomusa ngokusitshiyela insalela lokusipha indawo eqinileyo endlini yakhe engcwele, okuthi ngakho uNkulunkulu wethu uletha ukukhanya emehlweni ethu lokukhululeka kancinyane ekugqilazweni kwethu.
9 For though we were bondmen, yet our God hath not forsaken vs in our bondage, but hath enclined mercy vnto vs in the sight of the Kings of Persia, to giue vs life, and to erect the house of our God, and to redresse the places thereof, and to giue vs a wall in Iudah and in Ierusalem.
Lokuba siyizigqili, uNkulunkulu wethu kasidelanga ebugqilini bethu. Usitshengise umusa emehlweni amakhosi asePhezhiya; usiphile impilo entsha ukuba sakhe kutsha indlu kaNkulunkulu wethu sivuselele amanxiwa ayo, njalo usesiphile umduli wokusivikela koJuda laseJerusalema.
10 And nowe, our God, what shall we say after this? for we haue forsaken thy commandements,
Kodwa manje, awu Nkulunkulu wethu, kuyini esingakutsho sekwenzakale lokhu? Ngoba siyidelile imilayo
11 Which thou hast commanded by thy seruants the Prophets, saying, The land whereunto ye go to possesse it, is an vncleane land, because of the filthines of the people of the lands, which by their abominations, and by their vncleannes haue filled it from corner to corner.
owayinika ngezinceku zakho abaphrofethi uze uthi: ‘Ilizwe eselingena kulo ukulithatha yilizwe elingcolisiweyo ngokuxhwala kwabantu balo. Ngemikhuba yabo enengekayo sebeligcwalise ngamanyala abo kusukela ngapha kwalo kuze kufike ekucineni ngale.
12 Now therfore shall ye not giue your daughters vnto their sonnes, neither shall ye take their daughters vnto your sonnes, nor seeke their peace nor wealth for euer, that yee may be strong and eate the goodnes of the lande, and leaue it for an inheritance to your sonnes for euer.
Ngakho-ke lingendiseli amadodakazi enu emadodaneni abo kumbe amadodana enu athathe amadodakazi abo. Lingadingi isibopho sobudlelwano labo loba nini, ukuze liqine lidle izinto ezinhle zelizwe elizalitshiyela abantwabenu njengelifa laphakade.’
13 And after all that is come vpon vs for our euill deedes, and for our great trespasses, (seeing that thou our God hast stayed vs from being beneath for our iniquities, and hast giuen vs such deliuerance)
Osekwenzakele kithi kungumvuzo wezenzo zethu ezimbi lecala lethu elikhulu, ikanti wena Nkulunkulu wethu usijezise okunganeno kwezono zethu wasipha abayinsalela kanje.
14 Should we returne to breake thy commadements, and ioyne in affinitie with the people of such abominations? wouldest not thou be angrie towarde vs till thou haddest consumed vs, so that there should be no remnant nor any escaping?
Sizaphinda njalo sephule imilayo yakho sendiselane labantu bezizwe abagila imikhuba eyenyanyekayo kangaka na? Ungaze wasizondela kakhulu na usibhubhise ungasitshiyeli lansalela loba abasindileyo na?
15 O Lord God of Israel, thou art iust, for we haue bene reserued to escape, as appeareth this day: beholde, we are before thee in our trespasse: therfore we canot stand before thee because of it.
Oh Thixo, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ulungile! Namhlanje sisele njengensalela. Nanku silapha phambi kwakho ngecala lethu, lokuba engekho ongema ebukhoneni bakho ngenxa yalo icala lethu.”
