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.

Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before God’s house, there was gathered together to him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very bitterly.

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.

Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land. Yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.

3 Ngakho-ke asenze isivumelwano loNkulunkulu wethu ukuze sikhuphe bonke abafazi lokuzelwe yibo ngokweseluleko senkosi yami lesabathuthumela emlayweni kaNkulunkulu wethu; kakwenziwe-ke ngokomlayo.

Now therefore let’s make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and those who are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God. Let it be done according to the law.

4 Sukuma, ngoba udaba luphezu kwakho, lathi silawe. Qina, wenze.

Arise, for the matter belongs to you and we are with you. Be courageous, and do it.”

5 Wasesukuma uEzra, wafungisa induna zabapristi, amaLevi, loIsrayeli wonke, ukuthi benze ngokwalelilizwi. Basebefunga.

Then Ezra arose, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel to swear that they would do according to this word. So they swore.

6 UEzra wasesukuma esuka phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu, waya endlini kaJehohanani indodana kaEliyashibi; wathi efika lapho kadlanga sinkwa kanathanga manzi, ngoba elilela ububi babathunjiweyo.

Then Ezra rose up from before God’s house, and went into the room of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. When he came there, he didn’t eat bread or drink water, for he mourned because of the trespass of the exiles.

7 Basebesenza isimemezelo sedlule koJuda leJerusalema kubo bonke abantwana bokuthunjwa ukuthi babuthane eJerusalema,

They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem;

8 lokuthi loba ngubani ongafikanga ngensuku ezintathu, ngokweseluleko seziphathamandla labadala, impahla yakhe yonke izadliwa, yena ehlukaniswe lebandla labathunjiweyo.

and that whoever didn’t come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his possessions should be forfeited, and he himself separated from the assembly of the captivity.

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.

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the wide place in front of God’s house, trembling because of this matter, and because of the great rain.

10 UEzra umpristi wasukuma wathi kibo: Lina liphambukile lathatha abafazi bezizweni, ukwandisa isiphambeko sikaIsrayeli.

Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, increasing the guilt of Israel.

11 Ngakho-ke yenzani uvumo eNkosini uNkulunkulu waboyihlo, lenze intando yayo, lizehlukanise lezizwe zelizwe, lakubafazi bezizweni.

Now therefore make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers and do his pleasure. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women.”

12 Ibandla lonke laseliphendula lathi ngelizwi elikhulu: Njengamazwi akho, ngokunjalo kuphezu kwethu ukuthi sikwenze.

Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “We must do as you have said concerning us.

13 Kodwa abantu banengi, njalo kuyisikhathi sezulu elinengi, njalo singeme phandle. Futhi kakusimsebenzi wosuku olulodwa njalo hatshi owezimbili, ngoba sibanengi esiphambukileyo kuloludaba.

But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand outside. This is not a work of one day or two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.

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.

Now let our princes be appointed for all the assembly, and let all those who are in our cities who have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city and its judges, until the fierce wrath of our God is turned from us, until this matter is resolved.”

15 NgoJonathani indodana kaAsaheli loJahazeya indodana kaTikiva kuphela abamelana lalokho; loMeshulamu loShabethayi umLevi babancedisa.

Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.

16 Abantwana bokuthunjwa besebesenza njalo. UEzra umpristi, amadoda, inhloko zaboyise ngendlu yaboyise, labo bonke ngamabizo, basebesehlukaniswa; basebehlala ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yetshumi ukuhlola loludaba.

The children of the captivity did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers’ households, after their fathers’ houses, and all of them by their names, were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

17 Basebeqeda lawo wonke amadoda ayethethe abafazi bezizweni kwaze kwaba lusuku lokuqala lwenyanga yokuqala.

They finished with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month.

18 Kwasekutholakala phakathi kwamadodana abapristi ayethethe abafazi bezizweni: Emadodaneni kaJeshuwa indodana kaJozadaki labafowabo: OMahaseya loEliyezeri loJaribi loGedaliya.

Among the sons of the priests there were found who had married foreign women: of the sons of Yeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.

19 Basebenika isandla sabo ukuthi bazakhupha abafazi babo; ngoba belecala banikela inqama yomhlambi ngecala labo.

They gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guilt.

20 Lemadodaneni kaImeri: OHanani loZebhadiya.

Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

21 Lemadodaneni kaHarimi: OMahaseya loEliya loShemaya loJehiyeli loUziya.

Of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.

22 Lemadodaneni kaPashuri: OEliyowenayi, uMahaseya, uIshmayeli, uNethaneli, uJozabadi, loElasa.

Of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

23 LakumaLevi: OJozabadi, loShimeyi, loKelaya onguKelita, uPethahiya, uJuda, loEliyezeri.

Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

24 Lakubahlabeleli: UEliyashibi. Lakubalindimasango: OShaluma loTelema loUri.

Of the singers: Eliashib. Of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

25 LakuIsrayeli: Emadodaneni kaParoshi: ORamiya loIziya loMalikiya loMijamini loEleyazare loMalikiya loBhenaya.

Of Israel: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.

26 Lemadodaneni kaElamu: OMathaniya, uZekhariya, loJehiyeli, loAbidi, loJeremothi, loEliya.

Of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.

27 Lemadodaneni kaZathu: OEliyowenayi, uEliyashibi, uMathaniya, loJeremothi, loZabadi, loAziza.

Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.

28 Lemadodaneni kaBebayi: OJehohanani, uHananiya, uZabayi, uAthilayi.

Of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

29 Lemadodaneni kaBani: OMeshulamu, uMaluki, loAdaya, uJashubi, loSheyali, loRamothi.

Of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.

30 Lemadodaneni kaPahathi-Mowabi: OAdina, loKelali, uBhenaya, uMahaseya, uMathaniya, uBhezaleli, loBinuwi, loManase.

Of the sons of Pahathmoab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.

31 Lamadodana kaHarimi: OEliyezeri, uIshiya, uMalikiya, uShemaya, uShimeyoni,

Of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 uBhenjamini, uMaluki, uShemariya.

Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

33 Emadodaneni kaHashuma: OMathenayi, uMathatha, uZabadi, uElifeleti, uJeremayi, uManase, uShimeyi.

Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

34 Emadodaneni kaBani: OMahadayi, uAmramu, loUweli,

Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,

35 uBhenaya, uBedeya, uKeluhi,

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,

36 uVaniya, uMeremothi, uEliyashibi,

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 uMathaniya, uMathenayi, loJahasa,

Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu,

38 loBani, loBinuwi, uShimeyi,

Bani, Binnui, Shimei,

39 loShelemiya, loNathani, loAdaya,

Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

40 uMakinadebayi, uShashayi, uSharayi,

Machnadebai, 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.

Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, Joel, and Benaiah.

44 Bonke laba babethethe abafazi bezizweni; njalo kwakukhona phakathi kwabo abafazi ababezele abantwana.

All these had taken foreign wives. Some of them had wives by whom they had children.