Ezra 4:1-24
4 Xa iintshaba zikaYuda noBhenjamin+ zevayo ukuba abo babuyileyo ekuthinjweni+ babesakha itempile kaYehova uThixo kaSirayeli,
2 ngoko nangoko zaya kuZerubhabheli nakwiintloko zezindlu, zathi kubo: “Sifuna ukunincedisa ekwakheni; kaloku nathi sikhonza uThixo wenu njengani,+ ibe besisoloko sibingelela kuye ukususela ngemihla kaKumkani uEsar-hadon+ waseAsiriya, owasizisa apha.”+
3 Kodwa uZerubhabheli noYeshuwa nezinye iintloko zezindlu zakwaSirayeli bathi kwezo ntshaba: “Asifuni kuncediswa nini ekwakheleni uThixo wethu indlu.+ Siza kumakhela ngokwethu uYehova uThixo kaSirayeli, kanye njengokuba uKumkani uKoreshi wasePersi esiyalele.”+
4 Emva koko abantu belo lizwe baqhubeka bebatyhafisa abantu bakwaYuda kulo msebenzi.+
5 Baqesha abacebisi ababeza kuphazamisa umsebenzi wabo+ ngalo lonke ixesha lokulawula kukaKumkani uKoreshi wasePersi de kwalawula uKumkani uDariyo+ wasePersi.
6 Ekuqaleni kolawulo luka-Ahaswerosi babhala bemangalela abantu bakwaYuda naseYerusalem.
7 Ngemihla kaKumkani uArtashashta wasePersi, uBhishlam, uMiteredati, uTabheheli nabo bonke abantu awayesebenza nabo babhalela uKumkani uArtashashta ileta, bayiguqulela kwisiAramiki,+ beyibhala ngoonobumba besiAramiki.*
8 * URehum umphathi wamagosa aseburhulumenteni noShimshayi umbhali babhalela uKumkani uArtashashta, bemangalela iYerusalem.
9 (Le leta yayisuka kuRehum umphathi wamagosa aseburhulumenteni noShimshayi umbhali nabo bonke abantu ababesebenza nabo, abagwebi, abaphathi, oonobhala, abantu base-Erek,+ amaBhabhiloni, abantu baseSusa,+ oko kukuthi, amaElam,+
10 nazo zonke ezinye iintlanga ezazithinjwe sisikhulu esibekekileyo uAsenapare waza wazihlalisa kwizixeko zaseSamariya+ nakwezinye iindawo Phesheya KoMlambo.)*
11 Le yikopi yeleta abayithumela kuye:
“KuKumkani uArtashashta, isuka kwizicaka zakho, amadoda aPhesheya KoMlambo:
12 Sifuna ukuxelela ukumkani ukuba amaYuda asuka kuwe afikile apha eYerusalem. Ayasivuselela esi sixeko sidelelayo nesinabantu abenza izinto ezimbi, ibe ngoku agqibezela udonga,+ elungisa neziseko zaso.
13 Kumkani, ukuba esi sixeko siye sakhiwa, zagqitywa neendonga zaso, aba bantu abazukuyibhatala irhafu,+ ibe uza kulahlekelwa kakhulu.
14 Ekubeni sibhatalwa ngukumkani,* akanakulahlekelwa sijongile, ngoko siye saqonda ukuba masimxelele le nto,
15 ukuze kuphandwe kwincwadi yengxelo yookhokho bakho.+ Kuyo uza kutsho ubone ukuba esi sixeko siyadelela futhi siyingozi kookumkani nakumaphondo,* ibe abantu baso bebesoloko beqala udushe kwakudala. Yiloo nto satshatyalaliswayo.+
16 Ngoku sifuna wazi kumkani ukuba, ukuba esi sixeko siye saphinda sakhiwa, neendonga zaso zagqitywa, awuzukukwazi ukuwulawula ummandla oPhesheya KoMlambo.”+
17 Ukumkani wathumela ilizwi kuRehum umphathi wamagosa aseburhulumenteni, uShimshayi umbhali, abantu ababesebenza nabo ababehlala eSamariya nabanye abaPhesheya KoMlambo, esithi:
“Molweni!
18 Ndiye ndayifundelwa* ileta enisithumelele yona ndaza ndacacelwa.
19 Ndiye ndathi mayiphandwe le nto, kwaza kwafunyaniswa ukuba kwakudala esi sixeko besihlala sisilwa nookumkani, sidelela, sivusa nodushe.+
20 Kwakukho ookumkani abanamandla eYerusalem ababelawula wonke ummandla oPhesheya KoMlambo, bebhatalisa abantu irhafu, umrhumo nerhafu yendlela.
21 Ngoku khuphani umyalelo wokuba la madoda awuyeke lo msebenzi, ukuze singakhiwa esi sixeko de kutsho mna.
22 Ze niqiniseke ukuba niyayenza le nto, ukuze ukumkani angalahlekelwa ngakumbi kunoku.”+
23 Emva kokuba uRehum, uShimshayi nabantu ababesebenza nabo befundelwe ileta kaKumkani uArtashashta, bakhawuleza baya kumaYuda eYerusalem, bawayekisa ngenkani ukusebenza.
24 Wayekwa ngoko ke umsebenzi wokwakha indlu kaThixo eyayiseYerusalem; yaye waqhubeka umile de kwangunyaka wesibini wokulawula kukaKumkani uDariyo wasePersi.+
Umbhalo osemazantsi
^ Okanye kusenokwenzeka, “ibhalwe ngesiAramiki yaza yaguqulelwa.”
^ UEzr 4:8 ukuya ku-6:18 wayebhalwe ngesiAramiki.
^ Oko kukuthi, umEfrate.
^ Ngokoqobo, “sisitya ityiwa yakomkhulu.”
^ Okanye “nakwiingingqi ezikummandla kakumkani.”
^ Okanye kusenokwenzeka, “Iye yaguqulelwa yaza yafundwa.”
