U-Ezra 5

1 Ngalesosikhathi uHagayi umphrofethi loZakhariya umphrofethi, umzukulu ka-Ido babephrofitha kubaJuda laseJerusalema ngebizo likaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli onguye owayephezu kwabo.

Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, to them.

2 Kwasekusithi uZerubhabheli indodana kaShelathiyeli loJeshuwa indodana kaJozadaki baqalisa ukwakha kutsha indlu kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema. Abaphrofethi bakaNkulunkulu babelabo bebancedisa.

Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, rose up and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem, and with them were the prophets of God, helping them.

3 Ngalesosikhathi uThathenayi umbusi wangaphetsheya kweYufrathe loShethari-Bhozenayi labaphathisi babo baya kubo bababuza bathi, “Ngubani olivumeleyo ukwakha kutsha ithempeli leli lokuvuselela lesisakhiwo?”

At the same time Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and their companions, came to them, and said thus to them, Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?

4 Babuza njalo bathi, “Ngobani amabizo amadoda ayakhayo indlu le na?”

Then we told them after this manner, namely, what the names of the men were who were making this building.

5 Kodwa ilihlo likaNkulunkulu wabo lalibalindile abadala babaJuda njalo kabazange beme kuze kuyefika umbiko kuDariyu kubuye njalo impendulo yakhe ibhaliwe.

But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease till the matter should come to Darius, and then answer should be returned by letter concerning it.

6 Le yiyo incwadi eyathunyelwa nguThathenayi umbusi wangaphetsheya kweYufrathe loShethari-Bhozenayi labasekeli babo, izinduna zaphetsheya kweYufrathe yaya kuDariyu iNkosi.

The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and his companions the Apharsachites, who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king;

7 Umbiko abawuthumelayo wawubhalwe kanje: Kuyo iNkosi uDariyu: Ukubingelela okuhle.

they sent a letter to him, in which was written thus: To Darius the king, all peace.

8 Inkosi kufanele yazi ukuthi saya esiqintini sakoJuda, ethempelini likaNkulunkulu omkhulu. Abantu bayalakha ngamatshe amakhulu, kunqunyiswa imijabo emidulini. Umsebenzi uqhutshwa ngokukhuthala, njalo uyaphambili ngokuphangisa ukhokhelwa yibo.

Be it known to the king, that we went into the province of Judah to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls. And this work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands.

9 Sabuza abadala bakhona sathi, “Ngubani oliphe imvumo yokwakha kutsha leli ithempeli lokuvuselela isakhiwo lesi?”

Then we asked those elders, and said to them thus: Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?

10 Njalo sababuza amabizo abo ukuze sibhale amabizo abakhokheli babo sisenzela ukukwazisa.

Also, we asked them their names, to certify to thee, that we might write the names of the men who were at the head of them.

11 Nansi impendulo abasipha yona: “Siyizinceku zikaNkulunkulu wezulu lomhlaba, yikho silakha kutsha ithempeli elakhiwa kudala, elakhiwa yinkosi enkulu yako-Israyeli yaliqeda.

And thus they returned us an answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. And are building the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.

12 Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi okhokho bethu bamthukuthelisa uNkulunkulu wasezulwini, wabanikela ezandleni zikaNebhukhadineza umKhaladiya, inkosi yaseBhabhiloni owalibhidlizayo lelithempeli abantu wabaxotshela eBhabhiloni.

But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath. He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.

13 Kodwa ngomnyaka wokuqala kaKhurosi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, iNkosi uKhurosi wakhupha isimemezelo sokuthi kwakhiwe indlu kaNkulunkulu.

But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God.

14 Wabuye wasusa ethempelini laseBhabhiloni impahla zegolide lesiliva ezendlu kaNkulunkulu ezazithethwe nguNebhukhadineza ethempelini eJerusalema waziletha ethempelini eBhabhiloni. Kwathi iNkosi uKhurosi yazinika indoda eyayithiwa nguSheshibhazari, eyamkhetha ukuba ngumbusi,

And also the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought into the temple of Babylon, those Cyrus the king took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbazzar whom he had made governor.

15 wamtshela wathi, ‘Thatha impahla lezi uhambe lazo uyezibeka ethempelini eJerusalema. Njalo yakha kakutsha indlu kaNkulunkulu endaweni yayo.’

And he said to him, Take these vessels. Go put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in its place.

16 Yikho uSheshibhazari weza wabeka izisekelo zendlu kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema. Kusukela ngalelolanga kuze kube manje ibilokhu isakhiwa kodwa kayikapheli.”

Then the same Sheshbazzar came, and laid the foundations of the house of God which is in Jerusalem. And since that time even until now it has been in building, and yet it is not completed.

17 Ngakho-ke nxa kulungile enkosini, kakudingisiswe ezincwadini zezindaba zamakhosi aseBhabhiloni kubonwe ingabe yikho na ukuthi iNkosi uKhurosi wayesenzile isimemezelo sokuthi yakhiwe indlu le kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema. Lapho-ke inkosi kayisithumele isinqumo sayo ngendaba le.

Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure-house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made from Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.