Ezra 9:1-15
9 Msinyana ngemva kokuthi kwenzeke lokho, amakhosana eza kimi athi: “Abantu bakwa-Israyeli nabaphristi namaLevi abakazihlukanisi nabantu bezinye iintjhaba nemikghwabo enyenyisako,+ okumaKanana, amaRhiti, amaPerizi, amaJebusi, ama-Amoni, amaMowabi, amaGibhide+ nama-Amori.+
2 Bazithathele abafazi emadodakazini wabantu beentjhabezo bathathela namadodanabo abafazi kizo.+ Nje-ke bona, abababantu abacwengileko,+ sebavangene nabantu bezinye iintjhaba.+ Amakhosana namasekela wababusi ngibo abadosa phambili ekungathembekinokhu.”
3 Kwathi nangizwa lokho, ngatlebhula izambatho zami, ngatsomula ezinye zeenhluthu neendevu zami, ngahlala phasi ngithukiwe.
4 Njengombana ngisahlezi ngithukiwe, boke abahlonipha amezwi kaZimu ka-Israyeli bangibungelela ngebanga lokungathembeki kwabantu ababuye ekuthunjweni, ngahlala bekwaba sikhathi somnikelo weenthoro wantambama.+
5 Ngesikhathi somnikelo weenthoro wantambama,+ ngasikima ehlazweni lami, izambatho zami zitlebhukile, ngaguqa, ngaphakamisela izandla zami kuJehova uZimami.
6 Ngathi: “Maye! Zimami ngiswabile bengineenhloni zokuthandaza kuwe, Zimami ngombana imitjhaphwethu ibe minengi khulu phezu kweenhloko zethu begodu ukona kwethu kukhule bekwafika ezulwini.+
7 Kusukela ngemihla yabokhokho bethu bekube nje, ukona kwethu kube kukhulu;+ ngebanga lemitjhaphwethu, thina, amakhosethu nabaphristi bethu sanikelwa esandleni samakhosi weentjhaba, esabuleni,+ ekuthunjweni,+ ekudlelezelweni+ nekurhubutjhweni njengombana kunjalo nanamhlanjesi.+
8 Kodwana nje kwesikhatjhana, uJehova uZimethu usenzele umusa ngokuvumela abaseleko ukuthi baphunyurhe nokusinikela indawo evikelekileko endawenakhe ecwengileko,+ bona asiphe ithabo* begodu uZimethu usitjhaphulule kancani ebugqilini bethu.
9 Ngombana nanyana siziingqila,+ uZimethu azange asihloboke ebugqilini bethu; kodwana usitjengise bona uyasithanda phambi kwamakhosi wePheresiya,+ ukuze asivuselele bona sivuse indlu kaZimethu,+ amarubhayo begodu asinikele iboda lamatje* kwaJuda neJerusalema.
10 “Kodwana Zimethu, singathini ngemva kwalokhu? Ngombana siyitjhiyile imiyalwakho,
11 owasinikela yona ngeenceku zakho abaphorofidi, uthi: ‘Inarha eniyoyithatha isilaphele ngebanga lokusilaphala kwabantu beenarhezo, ngebanga lemikghwabo enyenyisako abayizalise enarheni yoke ngokusilaphala kwabo.+
12 Nje-ke, ningatjhadisi amadodakazenu namadodanabo, begodu ningavumi bona amadodakazabo atjhade namadodanenu;+ ningafuni ukuthula nepumelelwabo,+ ukwenzela bona nibe namandla, nidle ubuhle benarha, nizithathele yona ibe lilifa lamadodanenu bekube phakade.’
13 Ngemva kwakho koke okusehlakaleleko ngebanga lezenzo zethu ezimbi nokona kwethu okukhulu ngombana wena Zimethu, azange usiphathe ngokuvumelana nemitjhaphwethu+ begodu uvumele thina esilapha bona siphunyurhe,+
14 singayeqa njani imiyalwakho godu sitjhadiselane nabantu abenza izinto ezinyenyisakwezi?+ Angekhe wasibhokela ngobukhali na usitjhabalalise ngokupheleleko, kungabi nosalako namkha osindako?
15 Maye! Jehova Zimu ka-Israyeli ulungile+ ngombana singabaseleko abasindileko bekube namhlanjesi. Nje-ke sijame phambi kwakho simlandu, ngombana ngemva kwakho koke okwenzekileko, akakho onelungelo lokujama phambi kwakho.”+
