U-Ezra 4
1 Kwathi izitha zakoJuda loBhenjamini sezizwile ukuthi abantwana bokuthunjwa babesakhela iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli ithempeli,
Kwathi lapho izitha zakoJuda lakoBhenjamini sezizwile ukuthi ababeyizithunjwa basebesakha ithempeli likaThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli
2 basebesondela kuZerubhabheli lenhlokweni zaboyise bathi kibo: Kasakhe lani, ngoba siyamdinga uNkulunkulu wenu njengani, samhlabela kusukela ensukwini zikaEsarihadoni inkosi yeAsiriya owasenyusela lapha.
beza kuZerubhabheli lakulabo ababezinhloko zezimuli bathi, “Yekelani silincedise ukwakha ngoba lathi, njengani, siyamdinga uNkulunkulu wenu njalo kukade sisenza imihlatshelo kuye kusukela esikhathini sika-Esarihadoni inkosi yase-Asiriya, onguye owasiletha lapha.”
3 Kodwa uZerubhabheli loJeshuwa lezinye inhloko zaboyise zakoIsrayeli bathi kibo: Kayisikho kwenu lathi ukwakhela uNkulunkulu wethu indlu, kodwa yithi sodwa esizakwakhela iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli njengokusilaya kwenkosi uKoresi inkosi yePerisiya.
Kodwa uZerubhabheli, loJeshuwa labo bonke ababezinhloko zezimuli zako-Israyeli baphendula bathi, “Kalilani lakho ukwakhisana lathi ithempeli likaNkulunkulu wethu. Thina sodwa sizalakha, silakhela uThixo, uNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli, njengokulaywa kwethu nguKhurosi, inkosi yasePhezhiya.”
4 Kwasekusithi abantu balelolizwe badondisa izandla zabantu bakoJuda, babesabisa ekwakheni.
Kwasekusithi abantu balelolizwe baqalisa ukubadondisa abantu bakoJuda babenza besaba ukuqhubeka besakha.
5 Basebebaqhatshela abeluleki ukufubisa icebo labo zonke izinsuku zikaKoresi inkosi yePerisiya, kwaze kwaba sekubuseni kukaDariyusi inkosi yePerisiya.
Bathenga abacebisi bokudunga umsebenzi bawunyampise ngasosonke isikhathi sokubusa kukaKhurosi inkosi yasePhezhiya kwaze kwaba sekubuseni kukaDariyu inkosi yasePhezhiya.
6 Ekubuseni-ke kukaAhasuwerusi, ekuqaleni kokubusa kwakhe, babhala isimangalelo bemelene labahlali bakoJuda leJerusalema.
Ekuqaleni kokubusa kuka-Ahasuweru bethesa abantu bakoJuda labaseJerusalema icala.
7 Njalo ensukwini zikaAthakisekisi oBishilamu, uMithiredathi, uTabeyeli labanye abakibo babhalela uAthakisekisi inkosi yePerisiya; lombhalo wencwadi wawubhalwe ngesiSiriya, uhunyutshwe ngesiSiriya.
Njalo kwathi ngezinsuku zika-Athazekisisi inkosi yasePhezhiya uBhishilamu, loMithiredathi loThabheli labo bonke abangane babo baloba incwadi isiya ku-Athazekisisi. Incwadi leyo yayibhalwe ngolimi lwesi-Aramayikhi ngendlela yokuloba kwawo ama-Aramu.
8 URehuma umlawuli loShimishayi umbhali babhala incwadi bemelene leJerusalema kuAthakisekisi inkosi, ngalindlela:
URehumi umlawuli webutho loShimishayi unobhala babhala incwadi isiya ku-Athazekisisi inkosi besola iJerusalema besithi:
9 Khonokho uRehuma umlawuli loShimishayi umbhali labanye babangane babo, amaDinayi, amaAfarisathiki, amaTharipheli, amaAfarisi, amaArikhevi, amaBhabhiloni, amaShushaniki, amaDehavi, amaElamu,
URehumi umlawuli webutho loShimishayi unobhala kanye labo bonke abahlangene labo, abehluleli lezinduna zabantu abasuka eThripholi, ePhezhiya, e-Ereki leBhabhiloni lama-Elamu aseSusa,
10 lezinye izizwe uAsinaphari omkhulu lodumileyo azithumbayo wazihlalisa emzini ongoweSamariya, lezinye phetsheya komfula, lakhathesi.
kanye labanye abantu inkosi enkulu ehloniphekayo u-Ashuribhaniphali (u-Osinaphari) eyabaxotshayo yayabahlalisa edolobheni laseSamariya lakwezinye izindawo ngaphetsheya kweYufrathe.
11 Le yikhophi yencwadi abayithumeza kuye, kuAthakisekisi inkosi: Izinceku, amadoda anganeno komfula, langesikhathi esinje.
(Nanka amazwi encwadi leyo abayibhalayo.) Kuyo iNkosi u-Athazekisisi, Ivela ezincekwini zakho, abantu abangaphetsheya kweYufrathe:
12 Kakwaziwe enkosini ukuthi amaJuda enyuka evela kuwe esiza kithi asefikile eJerusalema, ayawakha lowomuzi ovukelayo lomubi, aseqedisa imiduli, avuselela izisekelo.
Inkosi ifanele yazi ukuthi amaJuda afikayo kithi lapha evela kuwe aseye eJerusalema njalo sebelakha kutsha idolobho lelo elihlamukayo, elibi kakhulu. Sebevusa imiduli bevuselela lezisekelo.
13 Khathesi kakwaziwe enkosini ukuthi uba lumuzi usakhiwa lemiduli iphele, kabayikupha umthelo, imali eyimfanelo, lemali yendlela, futhi uzalimaza isikhwama samakhosi.
Phezu kwalokho inkosi kufanele ukuba yazi ukuthi aluba idolobho leli lingaze lakhiwe lemiduli yalo imiswe njalo, kakusayikubhadalwa imithelo lenkongozelo yenkosi, lomthetho wokungenisa impahla ezweni, besekusithi-ke isikhwama senkosi sisilele izimali.
14 Khathesi njengoba sisidla itswayi etswayini lesigodlo njalo kakusifanelanga ukuthi sibone ihlazo lenkosi, ngakho sithumele sayazisa inkosi;
Pho njengoba thina silomlandu ophuma esigodlweni njalo kungafanelanga ukuthi sibone inkosi idelelwa, sithumela umbiko lo ukuyazisa inkosi,
15 ukuze kuhlolwe egwalweni lwezindaba zaboyihlo. Ngakho uzathola egwalweni lwezindaba, wazi ukuthi lumuzi ungumuzi ovukelayo, olimazayo emakhosini lemazweni, benza ukuhlamuka phakathi kwawo kwasezinsukwini zekadeni. Ngakho lumuzi wachithwa.
ukuze kuhlolisiswe ezingwalweni zezindaba ezatshiywa yilabo abakwandulelayo. Kulezongwalo uzathola ukuthi idolobho leli lidolobho lokuhlamuka, lilohlupho emakhosini lakwezinye izigaba zombuso, liyindawo yokuhlamuka kulokhu kwasukela endulo. Yilokho okwabangela ukubhidlizwa kwalelidolobho.
16 Siyayazisa inkosi ukuthi uba lumuzi usakhiwa, lemiduli yawo iphele, ngalokho kawuyikuba lesabelo nganeno komfula.
Inkosi siyazisela ukuthi aluba idolobho leli lingakhiwa, imiswe njalo imiduli yalo, izakube ingasasalanga lalutho ngaphetsheya kweYufrathe.
17 Inkosi yathuma impendulo kuRehuma umlawuli loShimishayi umbhali labanye babangane babo abahlala eSamariya labanye abaphetsheya komfula: Ukuthula, langesikhathi esinje.
Inkosi yathumela impendulo le: KuRehumi umlawuli wempi loShimishayi unobhala labo bonke abaphathisana labo abahlala eSamariya lakwezinye izindawo ngaphetsheya kweYufrathe: Ngiyalibingelela.
18 Incwadi elayithumela kithi ifundiwe ngokucacileyo phambi kwami.
Incwadi elasithumela yona isiguqulwe ulimi yabalwa phambi kwami.
19 Umlayo wasubekwa yimi, basebedinga bathola ukuthi kusukela ensukwini zendulo lumuzi uziphakamisele amakhosi, lomvukela lokuhlamuka kwenziwe phakathi kwawo.
Ngakhupha ilizwi kwaphenywa, kwafunyanwa ukuthi idolobho leli lilembali ende eyokuvukela amakhosi, liyindawo yokuhlamuka lokuxhwala.
20 Kwake kwaba khona amakhosi alamandla phezu kweJerusalema ayebusa phezu kwakho konke ngaphetsheya komfula; lomthelo, imali eyimfanelo, lemali yendlela kwaphiwa wona.
IJerusalema isike yaba lamakhosi alamandla ayebusa kulolonke elangaphetsheya kweYufrathe, kubhadalwa kuwo imithelo, inkongozelo yenkosi lemithelo yokungenisa impahla elizweni.
21 Khathesi bekani umthetho ukwenza ukuthi lababantu bayekele ukuze lumuzi ungakhiwa kuze kwenziwe umthetho yimi.
Manje-ke khuphani umlayo kulawomadoda ukuthi kabamise umsebenzi, ukuze idolobho leli lingakhiwa ngize ngitsho mina.
22 Njalo qaphelani ukuthi lingayekethisi ekwenzeni lokhu. Kungani ukonakala kuzakhula kukho ukulinyazwa kwamakhosi?
Nanzelelani ukuthi lingayilibali indaba le. Kuyekelelwani indaba le ikhula yona ilimaza izifiso zenkosi?
23 Khonokho, kusukela ikhophi yencwadi kaAthakisekisi inkosi isifundiwe phambi kwaboRehuma loShimishayi umbhali labangane babo, baya masinyane eJerusalema kumaJuda, babenza bayekela ngengalo lamandla.
Incwadi yeNkosi u-Athazekisisi yonela ukubalelwa uRehumi loShimishayi unobhala lalabo ababephathisa bahle bahamba masinyane kubaJuda eJerusalema bababamba ngamandla ukumisa umsebenzi.
24 Khonokho wema umsebenzi wendlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema; wasusima kwaze kwaba ngumnyaka wesibili wokubusa kukaDariyusi inkosi yePerisiya.
Kanjalo umsebenzi wendlu kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema wema kwaze kwaba ngumnyaka wesibili wokubusa kukaDariyu inkosi yasePhezhiya.
