U-Ezra 10
1 Kwathi uEzra esakhuleka esavuma, ekhala inyembezi eziwisela phansi phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu, kwabuthana kuye ibandla elikhulu kakhulu lamadoda labesifazana labantwana, livela kuIsrayeli, ngoba abantu bakhala inyembezi ngokukhala okukhulu.
While I was kneeling down in front of the temple and praying and crying, I was confessing [the sins that the Israeli people had committed]. Many people, men and women and children, gathered around me and also cried very much.
2 UShekaniya indodana kaJehiyeli owamadodana kaElamu wasephendula wathi kuEzra: Thina siphambukile kuNkulunkulu wethu, sathatha abafazi bezizweni abavela ezizweni zelizwe; kodwa khathesi kukhona ithemba koIsrayeli mayelana lalokhu.
Then Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel from the clan of Elam, said this to me: “We have disobeyed God. [Some of] us have married women who are not Israelis. But we can still confidently expect [Yahweh to be merciful to] us Israeli people.
3 Ngakho-ke asenze isivumelwano loNkulunkulu wethu ukuze sikhuphe bonke abafazi lokuzelwe yibo ngokweseluleko senkosi yami lesabathuthumela emlayweni kaNkulunkulu wethu; kakwenziwe-ke ngokomlayo.
We will do what you, and the others who have an awesome respect for what our God has commanded, tell us to do. We will do what God told us in his laws. We will make an agreement with our God, saying that we will divorce our wives who are not Israelis, and we will send them away with their children.
4 Sukuma, ngoba udaba luphezu kwakho, lathi silawe. Qina, wenze.
(It is your responsibility to/Because you are our leader, you must) [tell us what to do]. So get up, and be courageous, and do [what is necessary]. We will (support you/tell people to do what you say).”
5 Wasesukuma uEzra, wafungisa induna zabapristi, amaLevi, loIsrayeli wonke, ukuthi benze ngokwalelilizwi. Basebefunga.
So I stood up and demanded that the leaders of the priests, the [other] descendants of Levi, and all [the other] Israeli people solemnly declare that they would do what Shecaniah said that they should do. So they all solemnly promised to do that.
6 UEzra wasesukuma esuka phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu, waya endlini kaJehohanani indodana kaEliyashibi; wathi efika lapho kadlanga sinkwa kanathanga manzi, ngoba elilela ububi babathunjiweyo.
Then I went away from the front of the temple and went to the room where Jehohanan lived. I stayed there that night, but I did not eat or drink anything. I was still sad because some of the Israelis who had returned [from Babylonia] had not faithfully obeyed [God’s laws].
7 Basebesenza isimemezelo sedlule koJuda leJerusalema kubo bonke abantwana bokuthunjwa ukuthi babuthane eJerusalema,
Then we sent a message to all [the people in] Jerusalem and [in other towns in] Judah, saying that all those who had returned [from Babylonia] should come to Jerusalem immediately.
8 lokuthi loba ngubani ongafikanga ngensuku ezintathu, ngokweseluleko seziphathamandla labadala, impahla yakhe yonke izadliwa, yena ehlukaniswe lebandla labathunjiweyo.
We said that if any of them did not arrive within three days, the leaders of the people would order that all the property of those people would be taken from them, and that they would no longer be considered to belong to the Israeli people; [they would be considered to be foreigners].
9 Wonke amadoda akoJuda loBhenjamini asebuthana eJerusalema ngensuku ezintathu. Kwakuyinyanga yesificamunwemunye ngolwamatshumi amabili lwenyanga. Bonke abantu basebehlala egumeni lendlu kaNkulunkulu beqhaqhazela ngenxa yaloludaba langenxa yezulu elikhulu.
So within three days, on December 19, all the people of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem. They were there, sitting in the courtyard in front of the temple. They were trembling because it was raining hard and because they were worried [that they would be punished for what they had done].
10 UEzra umpristi wasukuma wathi kibo: Lina liphambukile lathatha abafazi bezizweni, ukwandisa isiphambeko sikaIsrayeli.
Then I stood up and said to them, “[Some of] you men have committed a very bad sin. You have married women who are not Israelis. By doing that, you have made us Israeli people more guilty [than we were before].
11 Ngakho-ke yenzani uvumo eNkosini uNkulunkulu waboyihlo, lenze intando yayo, lizehlukanise lezizwe zelizwe, lakubafazi bezizweni.
So now you must confess to Yahweh, the God whom your ancestors [worshiped/belonged to], the sin which you have committed, and you must do what he wants. Separate yourselves from the people of other nations and from the women from those nations whom you have married.”
12 Ibandla lonke laseliphendula lathi ngelizwi elikhulu: Njengamazwi akho, ngokunjalo kuphezu kwethu ukuthi sikwenze.
The whole group answered, shouting loudly, “Yes, what you have said is right! We will do what you have said.”
13 Kodwa abantu banengi, njalo kuyisikhathi sezulu elinengi, njalo singeme phandle. Futhi kakusimsebenzi wosuku olulodwa njalo hatshi owezimbili, ngoba sibanengi esiphambukileyo kuloludaba.
But then [one of] them said, “But we are a very large group, and it is raining hard. Also, there are many of us who have committed this bad sin. This is something that we cannot (take care of/handle) in one or two days, and we cannot stand here in this rain.
14 Ake zime iziphathamandla zethu zebandla lonke, labo bonke abasemizini yethu abathethe abafazi bezizweni beze ngezikhathi ezimisiweyo, njalo kanye labo abadala bomuzi ngomuzi labahluleli bawo, size sidedise ukuvutha kolaka lukaNkulunkulu wethu mayelana laloludaba.
So allow our leaders to decide for all of us what we should do. Tell everyone who has married a woman who is not Israeli to come at a time that you decide. They should come with the elders and judges from each city. If we do that, our God will stop being angry with us [because of what we have done].”
15 NgoJonathani indodana kaAsaheli loJahazeya indodana kaTikiva kuphela abamelana lalokho; loMeshulamu loShabethayi umLevi babancedisa.
Jonathan the son of Asahel, Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah, Meshullam, and Shabbethai, a descendant of Levi, were the only ones who objected to this.
16 Abantwana bokuthunjwa besebesenza njalo. UEzra umpristi, amadoda, inhloko zaboyise ngendlu yaboyise, labo bonke ngamabizo, basebesehlukaniswa; basebehlala ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yetshumi ukuhlola loludaba.
All the others who had returned from Babylonia said that they would do it. So I chose leaders of each of the clans, and I wrote down their names. On December 29, these men came and sat down to investigate the matter.
17 Basebeqeda lawo wonke amadoda ayethethe abafazi bezizweni kwaze kwaba lusuku lokuqala lwenyanga yokuqala.
By March 27 of the next year they finished determining which men had married women who were not Israelis.
18 Kwasekutholakala phakathi kwamadodana abapristi ayethethe abafazi bezizweni: Emadodaneni kaJeshuwa indodana kaJozadaki labafowabo: OMahaseya loEliyezeri loJaribi loGedaliya.
This is a list of the names of the priests who had married non-Israeli women, and the clans to which they belonged. From the clan of Jeshua and his brothers, who were sons of Jehozadak, there were Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
19 Basebenika isandla sabo ukuthi bazakhupha abafazi babo; ngoba belecala banikela inqama yomhlambi ngecala labo.
They solemnly promised to divorce their wives, and they each sacrificed a ram to be an offering [to atone] for their sins.
20 Lemadodaneni kaImeri: OHanani loZebhadiya.
From the clan of Immer there were Hanani and Zebadiah.
21 Lemadodaneni kaHarimi: OMahaseya loEliya loShemaya loJehiyeli loUziya.
From the clan of Harim there were Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 Lemadodaneni kaPashuri: OEliyowenayi, uMahaseya, uIshmayeli, uNethaneli, uJozabadi, loElasa.
From the clan of Pashhur there were Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 LakumaLevi: OJozabadi, loShimeyi, loKelaya onguKelita, uPethahiya, uJuda, loEliyezeri.
The [other] descendants of Levi [who had married non-Israeli women] were Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (whose other name was Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 Lakubahlabeleli: UEliyashibi. Lakubalindimasango: OShaluma loTelema loUri.
There was Eliashib the musician. From the temple guards there were Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 LakuIsrayeli: Emadodaneni kaParoshi: ORamiya loIziya loMalikiya loMijamini loEleyazare loMalikiya loBhenaya.
This is a list of the names of the other Israelis who had married foreign wives: From the clan of Parosh there were Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, and Benaiah.
26 Lemadodaneni kaElamu: OMathaniya, uZekhariya, loJehiyeli, loAbidi, loJeremothi, loEliya.
From the clan of Elam there were Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27 Lemadodaneni kaZathu: OEliyowenayi, uEliyashibi, uMathaniya, loJeremothi, loZabadi, loAziza.
From the clan of Zattu there were Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28 Lemadodaneni kaBebayi: OJehohanani, uHananiya, uZabayi, uAthilayi.
From the clan of Bebai there were Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29 Lemadodaneni kaBani: OMeshulamu, uMaluki, loAdaya, uJashubi, loSheyali, loRamothi.
From the clan of Bani there were Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
30 Lemadodaneni kaPahathi-Mowabi: OAdina, loKelali, uBhenaya, uMahaseya, uMathaniya, uBhezaleli, loBinuwi, loManase.
From the clan of Pahath-Moab there were Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 Lamadodana kaHarimi: OEliyezeri, uIshiya, uMalikiya, uShemaya, uShimeyoni,
From the clan of Harim there were Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32 uBhenjamini, uMaluki, uShemariya.
Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 Emadodaneni kaHashuma: OMathenayi, uMathatha, uZabadi, uElifeleti, uJeremayi, uManase, uShimeyi.
From the clan of Hashum there were Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 Emadodaneni kaBani: OMahadayi, uAmramu, loUweli,
From the clan of Bigvai there were Maadai, Amram, Uel,
35 uBhenaya, uBedeya, uKeluhi,
Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi,
36 uVaniya, uMeremothi, uEliyashibi,
Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37 uMathaniya, uMathenayi, loJahasa,
Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
38 loBani, loBinuwi, uShimeyi,
From the clan of Binnui there were Shimei,
39 loShelemiya, loNathani, loAdaya,
Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
40 uMakinadebayi, uShashayi, uSharayi,
Macnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41 uAzareli, uShelemiya, uShemariya,
Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42 uShaluma, uAmariya, uJosefa.
Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43 Lemadodaneni kaNebo: OJeyiyeli, uMathithiya, uZabadi, uZebina, uJadayi, loJoweli, uBhenaya.
From the clan of Nebo there were Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 Bonke laba babethethe abafazi bezizweni; njalo kwakukhona phakathi kwabo abafazi ababezele abantwana.
Each of those men had married a woman who was not an Israeli. [But immediately] they divorced those women and sent them and their children away.
