U-Ezra 7
1 Ngemva kwalezizinto, ngesikhathi sokubusa kuka-Athazekisisi inkosi yasePhezhiya, u-Ezra indodana kaSeraya, indodana ka-Azariya, indodana kaHilikhiya,
Now after these things, when Artaxerxes was king of Persia, Ezra, the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
2 indodana kaShalumi, indodana kaZadokhi indodana ka-Ahithubi,
The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
3 indodana ka-Amariya, indodana ka-Azariya, indodana kaMerayothi,
The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
4 indodana kaZerahiya, indodana ka-Uzi, indodana kaBhukhi,
The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
5 indodana ka-Abhishuwa, indodana kaFinehasi, indodana ka-Eliyazari, indodana ka-Aroni umphristi omkhulu,
The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:
6 u-Ezra lo weza evela eBhabhiloni. Wayeyisifundiswa esazi kakhulu ngoMthetho kaMosi, owawuphiwe nguThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Inkosi yayimuphe konke ayekucelile, ngoba isandla sikaThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe sasiphezu kwakhe.
This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a scribe, expert in the law of Moses which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given: and the king, moved by the Lord his God, gave him whatever he made request for.
7 Abanye abako-Israyeli, labaphristi, lamaLevi, labahlabeleli, labalindi bamasango lezinceku zethempelini labo babuya eJerusalema ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kwenkosi u-Athazekisisi.
And some of the children of Israel went up, with some of the priests and the Levites and the music-makers and the door-keepers and the Nethinim, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
8 U-Ezra wafika eJerusalema ngenyanga yesihlanu ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wenkosi.
And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, in the seventh year of the king's rule.
9 Wayeqalise uhambo lwakhe esuka eBhabhiloni ngelanga lakuqala lenyanga yokuqala, wafika eJerusalema ngelanga lakuqala lenyanga yesihlanu, ngoba isandla somusa sikaNkulunkulu sasiphezu kwakhe.
For, starting his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, he came to Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, by the good help of his God.
10 Ngoba u-Ezra wayezinikele ekufundeni lokugcina uMthetho kaThixo lokufundisa izimiso zawo ko-Israyeli.
For Ezra had given his mind to learning the law of the Lord and doing it, and to teaching his rules and decisions in Israel.
11 Nansi incwadi iNkosi u-Athazekisisi ayeyiphe u-Ezra umphristi lomabhalane, indoda eyayifundile ezindabeni zemithetho lezimiso zikaThixo ku-Israyeli:
Now this is a copy of the letter which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra, the priest and the scribe, who put into writing the words of the orders of the Lord, and of his rules for Israel:
12 Athazekisisi, nkosi yamakhosi, Ku-Ezra umphristi, umfundisi womthetho kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini: Ngiyabingelela.
Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, scribe of the law of the God of heaven, all peace;
13 Manje-ke ngimisa umthetho wokuthi ingqe ngubani wako-Israyeli osembusweni wami, kugoqela abaphristi labaLevi, ofisa ukuhamba lawe eJerusalema, kahambe.
And now it is my order that all those of the people of Israel, and their priests and Levites in my kingdom, who are ready and have a desire to go to Jerusalem, are to go with you.
14 Uthunywa yinkosi labacebisi bayo abayisikhombisa ukuba uyofunisisa ngoJuda langeJerusalema mayelana loMthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho, owuphetheyo.
Because you are sent by the king and his seven wise men, to get knowledge about Judah and Jerusalem, as you are ordered by the law of your God which is in your hand;
15 Njalo ubothatha isiliva legolide elinikwe ngesihle yinkosi labacebisi bayo kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ohlala eJerusalema,
And to take with you the silver and gold freely offered by the king and his wise men to the God of Israel, whose Temple is in Jerusalem,
16 kanye lesiliva legolide lonke ongalizuza elizweni laseBhabhiloni kanye leminikelo yokuzizwela eyabantu labaphristi benikelela ithempeli likaNkulunkulu wabo eJerusalema.
As well as all the silver and gold which you get from the land of Babylon, together with the offering of the people and of the priests, freely given for the house of their God, which is in Jerusalem:
17 Ngaleyomali umele uthenge inkunzi, lenqama, lamazinyane ezimvu amaduna, ndawonye leminikelo yabo yamabele leyokunathwayo, konke kunikelwe e-alithareni lethempeli likaNkulunkulu wenu eJerusalema.
So with this money get with care oxen, sheep, and lambs, with their meal offerings and their drink offerings, to be offered on the altar of the house of your God, which is in Jerusalem.
18 Wena labazalwane bakho abangamaJuda selingenza lokho okuyabe kufanele ngesiliva legolide eliseleyo, mayelana lentando kaNkulunkulu wenu.
And whatever seems right to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, that do, as may be pleasing to your God.
19 Hambisani kuNkulunkulu weJerusalema zonke impahla eliziphathisiweyo ezokukhonza ethempelini likaNkulunkulu wenu.
And the vessels which have been given to you for the uses of the house of your God, you are to give to the God of Jerusalem.
20 Akuthi loba yini efunekayo ethempelini likaNkulunkulu wenu elifuna ukuthi izuzakale, kayidingwe ngendleko ephuma esikhwameni senkosi.
And whatever more is needed for the house of your God, and which you may have to give, take it from the king's store-house.
21 Mina, iNkosi Athazekisisi ngimisa umthetho wokuthi bonke abaphathi bezikhwama abangaphetsheya kweYufrathe baphe u-Ezra umphristi, umfundisi woMthetho kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini ngokuphangisa loba yini ayicelayo kini,
And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, now give orders to all keepers of the king's money across the river, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may have need of from you, is to be done with all care,
22 kuze kube ngamathalenta esiliva alikhulu, lamasaka alikhulu engqoloyi, imigqomo elikhulu yewayini, imigqomo elikhulu yamafutha e-oliva, letswayi elingelakulinganiswa.
Up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred measures of grain, a hundred measures of wine, and a hundred measures of oil, and salt without measure.
23 Ingqe yini emiswe nguNkulunkulu wasezulwini, kakwenziwe ngokukhuthala kusenzelwa ithempeli likaNkulunkulu wasezulwini. Kakudingeki ukuthi ulaka luze lwehliselwe phezu kwenkosi lamadodana ayo.
Whatever is ordered by the God of heaven, let it be done completely for the house of the God of heaven; so that there may not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons.
24 Yazini njalo ukuthi kalilamvumo yokubiza imithelo loba inkongozelo yenkosi kumbe imbadalo yokungenisa impahla elizweni kubaphristi, labaLevi, labahlabeleli, labalindimasango, lezinceku zethempelini loba kwezinye izisebenzi zale indlu kaNkulunkulu.
In addition, we make it clear to you, that it will be against the law to put any tax or payment in goods or forced payment on any of the priests or Levites, the music-makers, door-keepers, Nethinim, or any servants of this house of God.
25 Yikho wena Ezra, ngokuhlakanipha olakho okukaNkulunkulu wakho, beka abathonisi labehluleli ukwahlulela kuhle bonke abantu abangaphetsheya kweYufrathe, bonke abayaziyo imithetho kaNkulunkulu wenu. Kumele ufundise labo abangayaziyo.
And you, Ezra, by the wisdom of your God which is in you, are to put rulers and judges to have authority over all the people across the river who have knowledge of the laws of your God; and you are to give teaching to him who has no knowledge of them.
26 Lowo ongawulaleliyo umthetho kaNkulunkulu wenu lomthetho wenkosi ngeqiniso umele ajeziswe ngokufa, loba ngokuxotshwa, loba ngokuhluthunelwa impahla loba ngokufakwa entolongweni.
And if anyone does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, take care that punishment is given to him, by death or by driving him from his country or by taking away his goods or by putting him in prison.
27 Udumo kalube kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho bethu, okufakileyo enhliziyweni yenkosi ukuletha inhlonipho endlini kaThixo eJerusalema ngale indlela
Praise be to the Lord, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing into the heart of the king, to make fair the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem;
28 njalo otshengise umusa wakhe kini phambi kwenkosi labeluleki bakhe lazozonke izinduna zakhe ezilamandla. Ngenxa yokuthi isandla sikaThixo uNkulunkulu wami besiphezu kwami, ngaba lesibindi ngaqoqa amadoda angabakhokheli ko-Israyeli ukuthi bahambe lami.
And has given mercy to me before the king and his government and before all the king's great captains. And I was made strong by the hand of the Lord my God which was on me, and I got together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
