Ezra 9
1 Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, [doing] according to their abominations, [even] of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, 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 have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of [those] lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
Bathatha amanye amadodakazi abo aba ngomkabo bathathela lamadodana abo, baxubanisa isizwe esingcwele labantu abahlezi labo. Njalo abakhokheli lezikhulu yibo abakhokheleyo kulokhu kungathembeki.”
3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.
Ngathi ngikuzwa lokho ngadabula isigqoko sami lejazi lami, ngadonsa inwele ekhanda lami lezindevu zami ngahlala phansi ngididekile.
4 Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening 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 evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto 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 ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over [our] head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.
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 Since the days of our fathers [have] we [been] in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, [and] our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as [it is] 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 little space grace hath been [shewed] from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.
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 we [were] bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
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 now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments,
Kodwa manje, awu Nkulunkulu wethu, kuyini esingakutsho sekwenzakale lokhu? Ngoba siyidelile imilayo
11 Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.
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 therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave [it] for an inheritance to your children for ever.
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 upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities [deserve], and hast given us [such] deliverance as this;
Osekwenzakele kithi kungumvuzo wezenzo zethu ezimbi lecala lethu elikhulu, ikanti wena Nkulunkulu wethu usijezise okunganeno kwezono zethu wasipha abayinsalela kanje.
14 Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed [us], so that [there should be] no remnant nor 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] righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as [it is] this day: behold, we [are] before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.
Oh Thixo, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ulungile! Namhlanje sisele njengensalela. Nanku silapha phambi kwakho ngecala lethu, lokuba engekho ongema ebukhoneni bakho ngenxa yalo icala lethu.”
