U-Ezra 9
1 Kwathi ekupheleni kwalezizinto, iziphathamandla zasondela kimi zisithi: Abantu bakoIsrayeli labapristi lamaLevi kabazehlukanisanga lezizwe zamazwe ngokwezinengiso zazo, ezamaKhanani, amaHethi, amaPerizi, amaJebusi, amaAmoni, amaMowabi, amaGibhithe, lamaAmori.
Now when these things were done, the princes came near to me, saying, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, following their abominations, even those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
2 Ngoba bazithathele emadodakazini azo bona lamadodana abo, yaze yaxubana inzalo engcwele lezizwe zamazwe; yebo, isandla seziphathamandla lababusi sasingesokuqala kulesisiphambeko.
For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy offspring have mixed themselves with the peoples of the lands. Yes, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass.”
3 Kwathi ngisizwa loludaba ngadabula isembatho sami lebhatshi lami, ngangcothula okwenwele zekhanda lami lendevu zami, ngahlala phansi ngathithibala.
When I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled the hair out of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded.
4 Kwasekubuthana kimi wonke othuthumela ngamazwi kaNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli ngenxa yesiphambeko sabathunjwa; ngasengihlala ngithithibele kwaze kwaba ngumnikelo wakusihlwa.
Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel were assembled to me because of the trespass of the exiles; and I sat confounded until the evening offering.
5 Kwathi ngomnikelo wakusihlwa ngasukuma ekuthotshisweni kwami, lekudabuleni kwami isembatho sami lebhatshi lami, ngaguqa ngamadolo ami, ngelulela izandla zami eNkosini uNkulunkulu wami,
At the evening offering I rose up from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn; and I fell on my knees, and spread out my hands to Yahweh my God;
6 ngathi: Nkulunkulu wami, ngilenhloni, ngiyangekile ukuphakamisela ubuso bami kuwe, Nkulunkulu wami, ngoba ububi bethu bandile ngaphezu kwekhanda, lecala lethu selikhule kwaze kwaba semazulwini.
and I said, “My God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have increased over our head, and our guiltiness has grown up to the heavens.
7 Kusukela ensukwini zabobaba besiphakathi kwecala elikhulu kuze kube lamuhla, langenxa yobubi bethu thina, amakhosi ethu, abapristi bethu, sinikelwe esandleni samakhosi amazwe, enkembeni, ekuthunjweni, lekuphangweni, lehlazweni lobuso, njengalamuhla.
Since the days of our fathers we have been exceedingly guilty to this day; and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
8 Khathesi-ke ngokwesikhatshana umusa wenziwe yiNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu, ukusitshiyela ukuphepha, lokusinika isikhonkwane endaweni yayo engcwele, ukuze uNkulunkulu wethu akhanyisele amehlo ethu, njalo asinike imvuselelo encinyane ebugqilini bethu.
Now for a little moment grace has been shown from Yahweh our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a stake in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and revive us a little in our bondage.
9 Ngoba siyizigqili, kanti ebugqilini bethu uNkulunkulu wethu kasitshiyanga, kodwa uselulele umusa phambi kwamakhosi ePerisiya, ukusinika imvuselelo, ukuphakamisa indlu kaNkulunkulu wethu, lokumisa amanxiwa ayo, lokusinika umduli koJuda laseJerusalema.
For we are bondservants; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended loving kindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to set up the house of our God, and to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
10 Khathesi-ke, Nkulunkulu wethu, sizakuthini emva kwalokhu? Ngoba siyitshiyile imilayo yakho,
“Now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments,
11 owasilaya yona ngesandla senceku zakho abaprofethi, usithi: Ilizwe elingena kulo ukudla ilifa lalo liyilizwe elingcolileyo ngokungcola kwezizwe zamazwe, ngokunengekayo kwazo eziligcwalise ngakho kusukela ephethelweni kusiya ephethelweni, ngokungcola kwazo.
which you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land to which you go to possess is an unclean land through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their filthiness.
12 Ngakho-ke linganiki amadodana azo amadodakazi enu, futhi lingathatheli amadodana enu amadodakazi azo, lingadingi ukuthula kwazo lokuhle kwazo kuze kube phakade ukuze liqine lidle okuhle kwelizwe, lilitshiyele abantwana benu libe yilifa kuze kube phakade.
Now therefore don’t give your daughters to their sons. Don’t take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity forever, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.’
13 Lemva kwakho konke okusehleleyo ngenxa yezenzo zethu ezimbi langenxa yecala lethu elikhulu, ngoba wena Nkulunkulu wethu uzibambile ekusijeziseni kancane kulezono zethu, wasinika ukuphepha okunje;
“After all that has come on us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, since you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such a remnant,
14 sizayephula futhi yini imilayo yakho, sithathane lesizwe salezizinengiso? Kawuyikusithukuthelela yini uze usiqede, kuze kungabi lensali kumbe ukuphepha?
shall we again break your commandments, and join ourselves with the peoples that do these abominations? Wouldn’t you be angry with us until you had consumed us, so that there would be no remnant, nor any to escape?
15 Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ulungile; ngoba sitshiyelwe ukuphunyuka njengalamuhla. Khangela, siphambi kwakho ecaleni lethu, ngoba kakho ongema phambi kwakho ngenxa yalokhu.
Yahweh, the God of Israel, you are righteous; for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Behold, we are before you in our guiltiness; for no one can stand before you because of this.”
