Ezra 5:1-17
5 Umprofeti uHagayi+ nomprofeti uZekariya+ umzukulwana kaIdo+ baprofetela amaYuda awayekwaYuda naseYerusalem, egameni loThixo kaSirayeli owayekunye nawo.
2 UZerubhabheli+ unyana kaShelatiyeli noYeshuwa+ unyana kaYehotsadaki baqala ngoko ukwakha indlu kaThixo+ eyayiseYerusalem; ibe babekunye nabaprofeti bakaThixo, bebaxhasa.+
3 Ngelo xesha kweza kubo uTatenayi umlawuli wommandla oPhesheya KoMlambo,* uSheta-bhozenayi noogxa babo, bathi: “Ngubani oninike umyalelo wokuba nakhe apha?”
4 Baphinda bathi: “Ngoobani amagama ala madoda asebenza kwesi sakhiwo?”
5 Kodwa uThixo wayebakhusela abadala bakwaYuda,+ ibe abazange babayekise de kwabhalelwa uDariyo, naye waphendula.
6 Nantsi ikopi yeleta eyathunyelwa kuKumkani uDariyo nguTatenayi umphathi wommandla oPhesheya KoMlambo, uSheta-bhozenayi nabantu awayesebenza nabo ababengabaphathi bommandla oPhesheya KoMlambo.
7 Le leta yayisithi:
“KuKumkani uDariyo:
“Yiba noxolo!
8 Sithi masazise ukumkani ukuba besiye kwiphondo lakwaYuda, kwindlu yoThixo omkhulu. Sifike isakhiwa, kuqengqwa amatye amakhulu, kubekwa namaplanga kwiindonga. Abantu bazimisele kulo msebenzi, ibe uhambela phambili.
9 Ngoko siye sabuza sathi kubadala: ‘Ngubani oninike umyalelo wokuba nakhe apha?’+
10 Sibabuze namagama abo ukuze siwabhale phantsi, sizokukuxelela ukuba ngoobani abaphambili kulo msebenzi.
11 “Basiphendule bathi: ‘Singabakhonzi boThixo wamazulu nomhlaba, ibe sakha indlu eyayakhiwe yagqitywa kudala ngukumkani omkhulu wakwaSirayeli.+
12 Kodwa oobawo bamcaphukisa uThixo wamazulu,+ waza wabanikela esandleni sikaKumkani uNebhukadenetsare+ waseBhabhiloni, umKhaledi, owaye wayichitha le ndlu,+ waza wathimbela abantu eBhabhiloni.+
13 Sekunjalo, ngonyaka wokuqala kaKumkani uKoreshi waseBhabhiloni, uKumkani uKoreshi wakhupha umyalelo wokuba iphinde yakhiwe le ndlu kaThixo.+
14 UKumkani uKoreshi wazikhupha kwitempile yaseBhabhiloni nezitya zendlu kaThixo zegolide nezesilivere, ezazithathwe nguNebhukadenetsare kwitempile yaseYerusalem wazizisa kwitempile yaseBhabhiloni.+ Zanikwa indoda enguSheshbhatsare,*+ owenziwa umlawuli nguKoreshi.+
15 UKoreshi wathi kuye: “Thatha ezi zitya, uzise eYerusalem etempileni, kuze kwakhiwe nendlu kaThixo kulaa ndawo yayikade ikuyo.”+
16 Wafika ke uSheshbhatsare waza wazibeka iziseko zendlu kaThixo eYerusalem;+ ibe oko yayisakhiwa ukususela ngoko, kodwa ayikagqitywa.’+
17 “Ngoko ukuba kubonakala kulungile kukumkani, makwenziwe uphando kwindlu yaseBhabhiloni yokugcina ubutyebi, ukuze kubonwe ukuba uKumkani uKoreshi wayewukhuphile na umyalelo wokuba mayiphinde yakhiwe indlu kaThixo eYerusalem.+ Sicela ukumkani asithumelele isigqibo sakhe.”
Umbhalo osemazantsi
^ Oko kukuthi, umEfrate.
^ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba lo nguZerubhabheli okuEzr 2:2; 3:8.
