< U-Ezra 1 >

1 Ngomnyaka wakuqala wenkosi yasePhezhiya uKhurosi, ukuze kugcwaliseke ilizwi likaThixo elakhulunywa nguJeremiya, uThixo wathinta inhliziyo kaKhurosi inkosi yasePhezhiya ukuba yenze isimemezelo kuwo wonke umbuso wayo, ukuthi sibhalwe phansi kuthiwe:
Awo mu mwaka ogw’olubereberye ogw’obufuzi bwa Kuulo kabaka wa Buperusi, ekigambo Mukama kye yayogerera mu Yeremiya ne kituukirira, Mukama n’akoma ku mutima gwa Kuulo kabaka w’e Buperusi okulangirira mu bwakabaka bwe bwonna, n’okukiteeka mu buwandiike nti,
2 “Nanku okutshiwo yinkosi uKhurosi wasePhezhiya: ‘UThixo, uNkulunkulu wasezulwini, ungiphile yonke imbuso yasemhlabeni njalo ungikhethile ukuthi ngimakhele ithempeli eJerusalema koJuda.
“Bw’ati bw’ayogera Kuulo kabaka w’e Buperusi nti, “‘Obwakabaka bwonna obw’omu nsi Mukama Katonda w’eggulu abumpadde, era annonze okumuzimbira yeekaalu e Yerusaalemi mu Yuda.
3 Loba ngubani wabantu bakhe phakathi kwenu angahamba aye eJerusalema koJuda ayekwakha ithempeli likaThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uNkulunkulu oseJerusalema njalo sengathi uNkulunkulu wabo angaba labo.
Omuntu yenna mu mmwe abantu be, Katonda we abeere naye, agende e Yerusaalemi mu Yuda addaabirize yeekaalu ya Mukama, Katonda wa Isirayiri, Katonda ali mu Yerusaalemi.
4 Akuthi abantu loba ngabakuyiphi indawo lapho okungabe kuseselensalela kabamuphe isiliva legolide, impahla lezifuyo, leminikelo yokuzithandela yethempeli likaNkulunkulu eJerusalema.’”
Na buli Muyisirayiri eyasigalawo gy’ali, abantu abo baabeeramu, banaamuwa ffeeza ne zaabu, n’ebintu n’ebisolo ebirundibwa, obutasaako ebiweebwayo bye bawaayo ku bwabwe ebya yeekaalu ya Katonda eri mu Yerusaalemi.’”
5 Kwasekusithi abazinhloko zemizi yakoJuda lakoBhenjamini, kanye labaphristi labaLevi, labo bonke ababethintwe inhliziyo zabo nguNkulunkulu, bazilungisela ukuhamba ukuyakwakha indlu kaThixo eJerusalema.
Awo abakulu b’ennyumba za Yuda ne Benyamini, ne bakabona, n’Abaleevi, na buli muntu Katonda gwe yakubiriza, ne beeteekateeka okwambuka okugenda okuddaabiriza yeekaalu ya Mukama eri mu Yerusaalemi.
6 Bonke omakhelwane babo babancedisa ukuzuza izinto zesiliva legolide, impahla lezifuyo, lezipho eziligugu phezu kwayo yonke iminikelo yokuzizwela.
Baliraanwa baabwe bonna ne babawa ebintu ebya ffeeza ne zaabu, n’ebintu ebirala n’ebisolo ebirundibwa, n’ebirabo eby’omuwendo omungi, okwo nga kwe kuli ebiweebwayo bye baawaayo nga beeyagalidde.
7 Phezu kwalokho iNkosi uKhurosi yakhupha zonke izitsha ezazingezethempeli likaThixo ezazithunjwe nguNebhukhadineza eJerusalema zabekwa ethempelini likankulunkulu wakhe.
Ebintu ebyali mu yeekaalu ya Mukama, Nebukadduneeza bye yanyaga mu Yerusaalemi n’abiteeka mu ssabo lya bakatonda be, Kabaka Kuulo, n’abiggyayo.
8 UKhurosi inkosi yasePhezhiya wathi kazilethwe nguMithiredathi umgcinisikhwama onguye owazibalayo ezibalela uSheshibhazari inkosana yakoJuda.
Kuulo kabaka w’e Buperusi n’abikwasa Misuledasi omuwanika, eyabikwasa Sesubazzali omulangira wa Yuda.
9 Nanzi-ke lezompahla: imiganu yegolide yayingamatshumi amathathu, imiganu yesiliva yayiyinkulungwane, amapane esiliva ayengamatshumi amabili lasificamunwemunye,
Guno gwe gwali omuwendo gwabyo: Esowaani eza zaabu amakumi asatu 30, Esowaani eza ffeeza lukumi 1,000, Ebiso ebya ffeeza amakumi abiri mu mwenda 29,
10 imiganu yegolide ezingubhe yayingamatshumi amathathu, eyesiliva efana layo yayingamakhulu amane letshumi, ezinye impahla zaziyinkulungwane.
Ebibya ebya zaabu amakumi asatu 30, n’ebibya ebya ffeeza ebigenderako ebikumi bina mu kumi 410, n’ebintu ebirala lukumi 1,000.
11 Sekukonke, kwakuyizinkulungwane ezinhlanu lamakhulu amane ezinto zegolide lesiliva. USheshibhazari weza lazozonke lezizinto lapho izithunjwa zafika eJerusalema zivela eBhabhiloni.
Byonna awamu ebintu ebya zaabu ne ffeeza byali enkumi ttaano mu ebikumi bina. Sesubazzali n’agenda nabyo byonna e Yerusaalemi okuva e Babulooni mu buwaŋŋanguse.

< U-Ezra 1 >