< U-Ezra 5 >
1 Abaprofethi, oHagayi umprofethi loZekhariya indodana kaIdo, basebeprofetha kumaJuda ayekoJuda laseJerusalema, ebizweni likaNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli phezu kwawo.
2 Khonokho kwasuka oZerubhabheli indodana kaSalatiyeli loJeshuwa indodana kaJozadaki, baqala ukwakha indlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema, njalo kanye labo abaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu bebasekela.
3 Ngalesosikhathi kwafika kibo oTathenayi umbusi nganeno komfula loShethari-Bozenayi, labangane babo, bakhuluma kanje kibo: Ngubani obeke umthetho kini wokwakha lindlu lokuqedisa lumduli?
4 Sasesibatshela ngokunjalo: Ngobani amabizo abantu abakha lesisakhiwo?
5 Kodwa ilihlo likaNkulunkulu wabo laliphezu kwabadala bamaJuda, ukuthi kababenzanga beme, ize ifike leyondaba kuDariyusi, baze babuyisele-ke incwadi ngayo.
6 Ikhophi yencwadi oTathenayi umbusi nganeno komfula loShethari-Bozenayi labangane bakhe amaAfarisathiki ayenganeno komfula abayithumela kuDariyusi inkosi;
7 bathumeza incwadi kuye, njalo kwabhalwa kanje kuyo: KuDariyusi inkosi, ukuthula konke.
8 Kakwaziwe enkosini ukuthi saya esabelweni sakoJuda, endlini kaNkulunkulu omkhulu, eyakhiwe ngamatshe amakhulu, izigodo sezifakiwe emidulwini; njalo lumsebenzi uyenziwa ngokuphangisa, uphumelela esandleni sabo.
9 Sasesibabuza labobadala sakhuluma kanje kubo: Ngubani obeke umthetho kini wokwakha lindlu lokuqedisa lumduli?
10 Njalo sababuza amabizo abo ukuze sikwazise, ukuze sibhale amabizo abantu abazinhloko zabo.
11 Langokunjalo babuyisela ilizwi kithi besithi: Thina siyizinceku zikaNkulunkulu wamazulu lomhlaba, sakha indlu eyayakhiwe iminyaka eminengi phambi kwalokhu, inkosi enkulu yakoIsrayeli eyayakha yayiqeda.
12 Kodwa emva kwalokho obaba bamthukuthelisa uNkulunkulu wamazulu, wabanikela esandleni sikaNebhukadinezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni, umKhaladiya, owachitha lindlu, wathumbela abantu eBhabhiloni.
13 Kodwa ngomnyaka wokuqala kaKoresi inkosi yeBhabhiloni, uKoresi inkosi wamisa umthetho wokwakha lindlu kaNkulunkulu.
14 Njalo lezitsha zendlu kaNkulunkulu ezingezegolide lesiliva uNebhukadinezari ayezithethe wazisusa ethempelini eliseJerusalema waziletha ethempelini leBhabhiloni, lezo uKoresi inkosi wazikhupha ethempelini leBhabhiloni, zanikwa olebizo elinguSheshibazari ayembeke ukuthi abe ngumbusi.
15 Wasesithi kuye: Thatha lezizitsha, uyezibeka ethempelini eliseJerusalema, lendlu kaNkulunkulu kayakhiwe endaweni yayo.
16 Ngakho uSheshibazari lo wafika wabeka izisekelo zendlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema; njalo kusukela kulesosikhathi kuze kube khathesi ilokhu isakhiwa, kayikapheli.
17 Ngakho-ke uba kulungile enkosini kakuhlolisiswe endlini yokuligugu kwenkosi ekhona eBhabhiloni ukuthi kungaba yikuthi umthetho wenziwa yini nguKoresi inkosi wokwakha lindlu kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema. Kayithumele-ke intando yenkosi kithi mayelana lalinto.
