U-Ezra 9:1-15
9 Kwathi izinto lezi sezenziwe zaphela, iziphathamandla zahle zangilanda zathi kimi: “Abantu bako-Israyeli labaphristi lamaLevi kabazehlukanisanga labantu bezinye izizwe njalo balokhu belandela imikhuba eyenyanyekayo+ yamaKhenani, lamaHithi, lamaPherizi, lamaJebusi, lama-Amoni, lamaMowabi, lamaGibhithe+ kanye lama-Amori.+
2 Bathethe abafazi phakathi kwamadodakazi abantu laba, bathathela lamadodana abo+ abafazi kubo. Khathesi abantu abangcwele+ sebehlangene* labantu bezinye izizwe+ njalo abaphambili esonweni lesi yiziphathamandla labasekeli bababusi.”
3 Ngathi ngikuzwa lokhu ngadabula isigqoko sami lejazi lami elingelamikhono, ngadonsa ezinye inwele ekhanda lami ngazisiphuna, ngasiphuna lendevu zami, ngasengihlala phansi ngiphelelwe.
4 Bonke ababewahlonipha amazwi kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli babuya bazobuthana kimi ngenxa yokungathembeki kwabantu ababevela ekuthunjweni. Mina ngangilokhu ngihlezi ngilesithuli kwaze kwaba yisikhathi somnikelo wamabele+ owawusenziwa ntambama.
5 Kwathi sekuyisikhathi somnikelo wamabele+ owawusenziwa ntambama ngasukuma lapho engangihlezi khona ngihlulukelwe, isigqoko sami lejazi lami elingelamikhono kudabukile. Ngasengiguqa phansi, ngelulela izandla zami kuJehova uNkulunkulu wami,
6 ngathi: “Awu Nkulunkulu wami, ngiyangekile njalo ngizwa kungangifanelanga ukuthandaza kuwe ngoba izono zethu seziphindwe kanengi phezu kwamakhanda ethu njalo amacala ethu asekhwele aze ayafika emazulwini.+
7 Icala lethu belilokhu lilikhulu+ kusukela ezinsukwini zabokhokho bethu kuze kube lamuhla. Thina lamakhosi ethu labaphristi bethu sanikelwa ezandleni zamakhosi ezinye izizwe ngenxa yamacala ethu. Kanti njalo sadliwa yinkemba,+ sathunjwa,+ sathathelwa impahla zethu+ futhi saba lihlazo, njengalokhu okwenzakalayo lamuhla.+
8 Kodwa khathesi Jehova Nkulunkulu wethu usube lomusa kithi okwesikhatshana nje, ngokuvumela ukuthi abaseleyo baphunyuke langokusinika indawo evikelekileyo* endaweni yakho engcwele,+ ukuze wenze amehlo ethu akhazimule njalo usivuselele kancane ebugqilini bethu, awu Nkulunkulu wethu.
9 Lanxa siyizigqili+ awuzange usitshiye ebugqilini bethu Nkulunkulu wethu kodwa usitshengise uthando oluqotho phambi kwamakhosi asePhesiya+ ukuze usivuselele, sakhe indlu yakho Nkulunkulu wethu+ futhi sivuselele lamanxiwa ayo lokuthi usiphe umduli wokuvikela* koJuda kanye laseJerusalema.
10 “Awu Nkulunkulu wethu, sithini khathesi ngalokho osekwenzakele? Sesiyitshiyile imithetho yakho
11 owasinika yona usebenzisa izinceku zakho ezingabaphrofethi, usithi: ‘Ilizwe elizalithatha kalihlanzekanga ngenxa yokungcola kwabantu balo okubangelwa yimikhuba yabo eyenyanyekayo. Sebeligcwalise ngokungcola kwabo+ kusukela komunye umkhawulo kusiya komunye.
12 Ngakho lingendiseli amadodakazi enu emadodaneni abo, lingavumi amadodana enu+ athathe amadodakazi abo njalo lingenzi izinto ezizabalethela ukuthula lempumelelo+ ukuze liqine, lidle okuhle okuselizweni futhi lilithathe libe lilifa lamadodana enu kokuphela.’
13 Zinengi izinto ezisehleleyo ngenxa yecala lethu lezenzo zethu ezimbi. Kodwa wena Nkulunkulu wethu awuzange usiphathe ngendlela efanele izono zethu+ futhi uvumele ukuthi thina esilapha siphunyuke.+
14 Kambe sesingaphinda sephule imithetho yakho ngokwendiselana labantu abenza izinto ezenyanyekayo?+ Phela lokhu bekungenza usizondele kakhulu, usitshabalalise sonke, kungabi ngitsho loyedwa oseleyo kumbe ozasinda.
15 Awu Jehova Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wena ulungile,+ ngoba thina abaseleyo sisilile kwaze kwafika lelilanga. Khathesi siphambi kwakho lecala lethu, lanxa kungafanelanga ukuthi sime phambi kwakho ngenxa yalokhu esikwenzileyo.”+
Amabala angaphansi
^ Kumbe, “inzalo engcwele isixubene.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “isikhonkwane.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “umduli wamatshe.”
