Nerhemiya 5:1-19
5 Nanyana kunjalo, bekunesililo esikhulu ebantwini nakibomkabo banghonghoyila ngabafowabo abamaJuda.+
2 Abanye bebathi: “Sinamadodana namadodakazi amanengi. Kufuze sifumane okusanthorwana bonyana sidle sirage nokuphila.”
3 Abanye bebathi: “Sinikela ngamasimethu, amasimethu wamadiribe nezindlu zethu ukuthi kube sibambiso bona sifumane iinthoro ngesikhathi sokutlhayela kokudla.”
4 Khonapho abanye bebathi: “Siboleke imali ngamasimethu nangamasimethu wamadiribe bona sikhuphe imali yomthelo wekosi.+
5 Kodwana thina nabafowethu siyafana, abantwabethu bafana nabantwababo; kodwana kufuze senze amadodana namadodakazethu abe ziingqila, kuhlekuhle amanye wamadodakazethu sekaziingqila.+ Kodwana asinamandla wokukuqeda lokhu ngombana amasimethu namasimethu wamadiribe akwabanye abantu.”
6 Ngasilingeka khulu nangizwa isililo sabo namezwi la.
7 Nje-ke ngacabangisisa ngezintwezi ehliziywenami, ngamangalela iinkhulu namasekela wababusi ngathi kibo: “Ngamunye wenu nakaboleka umfowabo imali umbhadelisa namakonyana amanengi.”+
Godu ngahlela umhlangano omkhulu ngebanga labo.
8 Ngabuye ngathi kibo: “Senze koke okusemandlenethu bona sithenge abafowethu abamaJuda ebebathengiswe eentjhabeni; kodwana nina senifuna ukuthengisa abafowenu,+ bona sibathenge godu?” Nabezwa lokho bathula du, azange bafumane into abangayitjho.
9 Yeke ngathi: “Into eniyenzako ayikalungi. Bekungakafaneli nisabe uZimu na,+ bona iintjhaba ezimanabethu, zingazosinyefula?
10 Ngaphezu kwalokho, mina, abafowethu neensebenzi zami sibaboleka imali neenthoro. Ngiyanibawa, akhe silise ukubolekisa silindele amakonyana.+
11 Ngibawa nibabuyisele namhlanjesi amasimabo,+ amasimabo wamadiribe, amasimabo wama-oliva nezindlu zabo. Godu babuyiseleni ingcenye yinye kwezilikhulu* yemali, yeenthoro, yewayini elitjha, neyamafutha leyo enifuna bona kube yinzalo kwenibaboleke khona.”
12 Baphendula bathi: “Sizozibuyisela izintwezi begodu angekhe sifune ukubuyiselwa litho. Sizokwenza njengombana usitjelile.” Yeke ngabiza abaphristi, ngenza amadoda la afunga ukuthi azokwenza akuthembisileko.
13 Godu ngathintitha iinkhwama zezambatho zami ngathi: “Kwangathi uZimu weqiniso angamthintitha bunjesi endlinakhe nepahlenakhe woke umuntu ongasiphethi isithembiswesi, kwangathi angathintithwa bunjesi asale anganalitho.” Ibandla loke nalizwa lokho lathi: “Amen!”* Badumisa uJehova, abantu benza lokho abakuthembisileko.
14 Ngaphezu kwalokho, kusukela ngelanga iKosi u-Aritarhitjhasta+ eyangibeka ngalo bona ngibe mbusi wabo+ enarheni yakwaJuda, kusukela ngomnyaka wama-20+ kuya emnyakeni wama-32+ wokubusa kwayo, iminyaka eli-12, mina nabafowethu azange sidle isibonelelo sokudla ekufuze sinikelwe umbusi.+
15 Kodwana ababusi abangaphambi kwami bebadisibeza abantu, babathathela amatjhekeli* wesiliva ama-40 bona bafumane uburotho newayini qobe langa. Ngitjho neensebenzi zabo bezigandelela abantu. Mina azange ngikwenze lokho+ ngombana ngisaba uZimu.+
16 Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngaba nesandla emsebenzini webodeli, begodu akunasimu esayifumanako;+ zoke iinsebenzi zami zahlangana lapho bona zisebenze.
17 BekunamaJuda ali-150 namasekela wababusi ebewadla etafulenami nalabo ebebeza kithi bavela kwezinye iintjhaba.
18 Qobe langa bengilungiselelwa ikunzi yinye, izimvu ezisithandathu ezihle ukuzidlula zoke neenyoni, kuthi qobe ngemva kwamalanga alitjhumi sibe nenala yayo yoke imihlobo yewayini. Naphezu kwakho koke lokhu azange ngikatelele bona nginikelwe isibonelelo sokudla ekufuze sinikelwe umbusi, ngombana abantu bebathwele budisi ngebanga lomsebenzi.
19 Maye! Zimami ungangikhohlwa begodu ungibusise, ngebanga lakho koke engikwenzele isitjhabesi.+
Imitlolo Ephasi
^ Iqalisele ephesentheni linye lenzalo, qobe nyanga.
^ Namkha “Akube njalo!”
^ Itjhekeli beyilingana namagremu ayi-11.4. Qala Isith. B14.
