Nehemiya 4:1-23
4 Ngekushesha nje Sanbalati+ nakeva kutsi sakha kabusha lolubondza, watfukutsela futsi wacansuka kakhulu,* wachubeka nekuhlekisa ngemaJuda.
2 Wakhuluma embikwabomnakabo nasembikwelibutfo laseSamariya watsi: “Entani lamaJuda langenamandla? Atawenta odvwana yini lomsebenti? Atawunikela imihlatjelo yini? Atawucedza ngelilanga linye? Atawuphindze asebentise lamatje lashile lakulendvundvuma yemfucuta yini?”+
3 Thobiya+ um-Amoni+ lobekeme eceleni kwakhe, watsi: “Ngisho nemphungushe ingaluwisa lolubondza lwabo labalwakha ngematje.”
4 Ngako ngathantaza ngatsi: “Awu Nkulunkulu wetfu, silalele ngobe siyedzelelwa+ futsi wente tinhlamba tabo tibuyele kubo,*+ ubanikele etitseni tabo futsi ubente batfunjelwe kulelinye live.
5 Ungalimbonyi licala labo nobe wesule sono sabo embikwakho,+ ngobe betfuke bantfu labakha lolubondza.”
6 Ngako sachubeka nekwakha lolubondza, futsi savala tonkhe tikhala, saze safika ehhafini yekuphakama kwalo. Bantfu bebasolo benta lomsebenti ngemandla abo onkhe.
7 Kwatsi nje lapho Sanbalati, Thobiya,+ ema-Arabiya,+ ema-Amoni kanye nema-Ashdodi+ beva kutsi umsebenti wekuvusetela tindvonga taseJerusalema uyachubeka nekutsi bekuvalwa tikhala tato, batfukutsela kakhulu.
8 Bahlangana ndzawonye bakha lisu kute bete batokulwa neJerusalema futsi baphatamise lomsebenti.
9 Kodvwa sathantaza kuNkulunkulu wetfu sase sibeka bogadzi kutsi bagadze busuku nemini.
10 Nobe kunjalo, bantfu bakaJuda bebatsi: “Tisebenti* setiphelelwa ngemandla futsi yinyenti lemfucuta; angeke size sikhone kuluvusa kabusha lolubondza.”
11 Netitsa tetfu betichubeka tikhuluma titsi: “Batawutsi nje basengakalati licebo letfu futsi basengakasiboni nekusibona, siye kubo, sibabulale futsi simise lomsebenti.”
12 Ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi emaJuda lebekakhelene nato nawefika, abesitjela ngalokuphindzaphindziwe* atsi: “Letitsa titakuta tisihlasele tivela kuto tonkhe tinhlangotsi.”
13 Ngako ngabeka emadvodza kutsi agadze etindzaweni letibekile futsi letingakavikeleki ngemuva kwalolubondza, ngawabeka ngemindeni yawo ahlome ngetikhali, ngetinkemba nangebutjoki.
14 Ngatsi nangibona kutsi ayesaba, ngasukuma ngekushesha ngakhuluma netikhulu+ nemasekela ebabusi nabo bonkhe labanye bantfu ngatsi: “Ningatesabi.+ Khumbulani Jehova, lomkhulu nalowesabekako;+ futsi lwelani bomnakenu, emadvodzana enu nemadvodzakati enu, bafati benu nemiti yenu.”
15 Ngesikhatsi titsa tetfu setivile kutsi sesiyakwati loko betikwenta nekutsi Nkulunkulu weliciniso uwacitsile emasu ato, sonkhe sabuyela sayowakha lolubondza.
16 Kusukela ngalelolanga kuchubeke, incenye yalamadvodza beyenta lomsebenti+ wekwakha kantsi lenye incenye beyihlome ngetikhali, ngemahawu, ngebutjoki futsi igcoke emajazi ensimbi. Tindvuna+ betime ngemuva kwemaJuda
17 labekakha lolubondza. Labo labebatfwala tintfo letisindzako bebasebenta ngesandla sinye, babe baphetse sikhali* ngalelesinye sandla.
18 Nguloyo naloyo kulabakhi abesebenta abophele inkemba yakhe engculwini, futsi loyo lobekashaya luphondvo+ nangabe kunengoti abeme eceleni kwami.
19 Ngabese ngikhuluma naletikhulu nemasekela ebabusi nabo bonkhe bantfu ngatsi: “Lomsebenti mkhulu futsi sewandzile, kantsi natsi sesikhweshelene kakhulu kulolubondza.
20 Naniva umsindvo weluphondvo, nibobutsana ndzawonye nite lapho ngikhona khona. Nkulunkulu wetfu utasilwela.”+
21 Ngako sachubeka sakha kusukela nakudzabuka kusa kwaze kwaba kusihlwa nakubonakala tinkhanyeti, futsi lelenye incenye yalamadvodza beyiphetse tikhali.
22 Ngaleso sikhatsi ngatsi kulabantfu: “Indvodza nendvodza kanye nesisebenti sayo, abacitse busuku ngekhatsi eJerusalema, futsi batasigadza ebusuku bese emini bayasebenta.”
23 Ngako mine nabomnaketfu netisebenti tami+ kanye nabogadzi labebangilandzela sasingatikhumuli tembatfo tetfu, futsi sasihlale siphetse tikhali etandleni tetfu tangesekudla.
Imibhalo lengentansi
^ Nobe “waphatseka kabi.”
^ NgesiHebheru kutsi, “tibuyele etinhloko tabo.”
^ Nobe “Labatfwala imitfwalo.”
^ NgesiHebheru kutsi, “tikhatsi letingu-10.”
^ Nobe “umcibisholo.”
