U-Ezra 4:1-24
4 Izitha zabantu bakoJuda labakoBhenjamini+ zathi zisizwa ukuthi abantu ababevela ekuthunjweni+ basebesakha ithempeli likaJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli,
2 zahle zaya kuZerubhabheli labakhokheli bezimuli zathi kubo: “Kasakheni sonke ngoba lathi siyamkhonza* uNkulunkulu wenu+ njalo besilokhu sinikela imihlatshelo kuye kusukela ezinsukwini zenkosi ye-Asiriya u-Esa-hadoni+ eyasiletha lapha.”+
3 Kodwa uZerubhabheli loJeshuwa kanye labakhokheli bezimuli zako-Israyeli babaphendula bathi: “Ngeke lakhe lathi indlu kaNkulunkulu wethu.+ Sizazakhela sodwa indlu kaJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli njengokutsho kukaKhoresi inkosi yasePhesiya.”+
4 Ngakho abantu ababesezindaweni eziseduze baqhubeka besenza ukuthi abantu* bakoJuda baphelelwe lidlabuzane lamandla okuqhubeka ngomsebenzi wokwakha.+
5 Baqhatsha abacebisi ababezamelana labo ukuze amacebo abo afadalale+ kuzo zonke insuku zikaKhoresi inkosi yasePhesiya kwaze kwaba yisikhathi uDariyu+ esiba yinkosi ePhesiya.
6 U-Ahasuweru wathi eqala ukubusa, babhala incwadi bemangalela izakhamizi zakoJuda lezeJerusalema.
7 Langensuku zika-Athakisekisi inkosi yePhesiya, uBhishilamu loMithiredathi loThabheli labanye ayesebenza labo babhalela iNkosi u-Athakisekisi incwadi; bayihumutshela elimini lwesi-Aramu+ besebenzisa inhlamvu zamabala esi-Aramu.*
8 * URehumi isiphathamandla sikahulumende loShimishayi umbhali, babhalela iNkosi u-Athakisekisi incwadi besola iJerusalema.
9 (Yayivela kuRehumi isiphathamandla sikahulumende, loShimishayi umbhali, labo bonke ababesebenza labo, labahluleli labanye ababusi,* labonobhala labantu base-Erekhi+ labaseBhabhiloni, lezakhamizi zeSusa,+ okutsho ama-Elami,+
10 lezinye izizwe ezathunjwa yisikhulu esasingumhlonitshwa u-Asinaphari wayazihlalisa emadolobheni eSamariya+ lasesabelweni esingaphetsheya komfula.* Nanka
11 amazwi encwadi abayithumela inkosi,)
“Kuwe Nkosi Athakisekisi. Yithi izinceku zakho, amadoda asesabelweni esingaphetsheya komfula:
12 Sithe sikubikele nkosi ukuthi abantu bakoJuda abasuke kuwe besiza kithi sebefikile eJerusalema. Sebelakha kutsha idolobho elixhwalileyo lelihlamukayo; sebeyiqeda imiduli+ njalo sebelungisa izisekelo.
13 Inkosi kumele ikwazi lokuthi nxa idolobho leli lingakhiwa kutsha lemiduli yalo iphele, abasoze babhadale imithelo ekhitshwa ngabantu bonke, lemithelo+ yempahla kanye leyemigwaqo. Lokhu kuzakwenza ukuthi kube lokusilela enothweni yamakhosi.
14 Njengoba sisidla isawudo lesigodlweni* njalo kungaqondanga ukuthi siphongukhangela nje abantu befuna ukuphambanisa izifiso zenkosi, sikuthumele incwadi sikubikela lokhu,
15 ukuze kudingisiswe emabhukwini ezembali abokhokho bakho.+ Uzakuthola sibili emabhukwini la njalo uzakwazi ukuthi leli lidolobho elahlamukayo futhi liyingozi emakhosini lasezabelweni. Phakathi kwalo bekuhlala kulabantu abatshotshozela ukuvukela umbuso kusukela ezikhathini zasendulo. Yikho idolobho leli latshabalaliswa.+
16 Sifuna inkosi yazi ukuthi nxa idolobho leli lingakhiwa kutsha lemiduli yalo iphele, inkosi kayisoze iphinde ibe lamandla* phezu kwesabelo esingaphetsheya komfula.”+
17 Ngakho inkosi yathumela ilizwi kuRehumi isiphathamandla sikahulumende loShimishayi umbhali, lakubo bonke ababesebenza labo ababehlala eSamariya lasesabelweni esingaphetsheya komfula yathi:
“Ngiyalibingelela!
18 Sengiyibalelwe ngokucacileyo* incwadi elisithumele yona.
19 Ngibeke umlayo wokuthi kudingisiswe, kwasekutholakala ukuthi edolobheni lelo kwakusiba lokuvukela amakhosi lokuhlamuka kanye labantu ababefuna ukugenqula umbuso.+
20 Kanti njalo eJerusalema kwakulamakhosi alamandla ayebusa kuso sonke isabelo esingaphetsheya komfula. Imithelo ekhitshwa ngabantu bonke, lemithelo yempahla kanye leyemigwaqo yayibhadalwa kuwo.
21 Ngakho bekani umlayo wokuthi amadoda la ame ukusebenza ukuze idolobho lelo lingakhiwa kutsha ngize ngibeke omunye umlayo.
22 Libe leqiniso lokuthi kaliyihlaleli indaba le ukuze kungabi lamuntu oqhubeka ephambanisa izifiso zenkosi.”+
23 URehumi loShimishayi umbhali kanye labanye ababesebenza labo bathi sebebalelwe incwadi eyayivela enkosini u-Athakisekisi bahle basuka baya eJerusalema kumaJuda bafika bamisa umsebenzi ngenkani.
24 Wama-ke umsebenzi wokwakha indlu kaNkulunkulu eyayiseJerusalema. Kwahlala kunjalo kwaze kwaba ngumnyaka wesibili wokubusa kukaDariyu, inkosi yasePhesiya.+
Amabala angaphansi
^ NgesiHebheru, “siyamdinga.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “bexegisa izandla zabantu.”
^ Ezinye inguqulo zithi, “yabhalwa ngesi-Aramu yasihunyutshwa.”
^ Imibhalo yokuqala ka-Ezr 4:8 kusiya ku-6:18 yayibhalwe ngesi-Aramu.
^ Kumbe, “labogavena.”
^ Isabelo esingaphetsheya komfula zindawo ezisentshonalanga komfula uYufrathe.
^ Kumbe, “sithola umholo wethu esigodlweni.”
^ Ngesi-Aramu, “lesabelo.”
^ Ezinye inguqulo zithi, “Isihunyutshiwe yabalwa.”
