Ezra 9:1-15
9 Sathi sisakugqiba ukwenza ezi zinto, iinkosana zeza kum zisithi: “Abantu bakwaSirayeli nababingeleli nabaLevi abazahlulanga kwiintlanga nakwizinto ezenyanyekayo+ ezenziwa ngamaKanan, amaHiti, amaPerizi, amaYebhusi, ama-Amoni, amaMowabhi, amaYiputa+ nama-Amori.+
2 Batshate iintombi zazo, baza bazithathela noonyana babo.+ Ngoku inzala* engcwele+ ixubene neentlanga.+ Abona baphambili koku kungathembeki ziinkosana nabaphathi.”
3 Ndathi ndakuyiva le nto, ndakrazula impahla yam nesambatho sam esingenamikhono, ndazixhwitha iinwele neendevu, ndahlala phantsi ndothukile.
4 Ndathi ndisahleli njalo ndisothukile, kweza bonke abantu ababewahlonipha* amazwi oThixo kaSirayeli bahlala nam de yalixesha lomnikelo wokutya+ wangokuhlwa.
5 Ngexesha lomnikelo wokutya+ wangokuhlwa, ndaphakama kwelo hlazo, iimpahla zam nesambatho sam esingenamikhono zikrazukile, ndaguqa ndaza ndolulela izandla zam kuYehova uThixo wam.
6 Ndathi: “Owu Thixo wam, ndineentloni, andiqondi nokuba ndifanelekile ukuthetha nawe Thixo wam, kuba izono zethu zininzi kangangokuba ziyimfumba efikelela emazulwini.+
7 Oko saba netyala ukususela ngemihla yookhokho bethu de kube namhlanje,+ ibe ngenxa yezono zethu thina, ookumkani bethu nababingeleli bethu sinikelwe kookumkani bala mazwe, kwikrele,+ ekuthinjweni,+ ekoxuthelweni izinto+ nakwihlazo, njengokuba kunjalo nanamhlanje.+
8 Kodwa ngoku uYehova uThixo wethu uye wasenzela ububele okomzuzwana ngokuvumela abanye bethu babuye, nangokusizisa kwindawo ekhuselekileyo, indawo yakhe engcwele+ ukuze amehlo ethu akhazimle, Thixo wethu, nokuze sifumane isiqabu ebukhobokeni.
9 Kuba nangona singamakhoboka,+ uThixo wethu akasiyekelanga ebukhobokeni; kunoko uye wasibonisa ukuba usithanda ngokungagungqiyo phambi kookumkani basePersi,+ ngokusipha amandla okwakha indlu yoThixo wethu,+ nangokusinika udonga lwamatye* kwaYuda naseYerusalem.
10 “Ngoku siza kuthini emva kokuba senze le nto Thixo wethu? Kaloku silahle imithetho yakho,
11 owasinika yona uthumela abakhonzi bakho abaprofeti, usithi, ‘Eli lizwe niza kungena kulo lingcolile, ngenxa yokungcola kwabantu balo, kuba besenza izinto ezenyanyekayo. Balingcolise lonke eli lizwe.+
12 Ngoko ke, iintombi zenu ningaziniki oonyana balo, noonyana benu ningabathatheli kwiintombi zalo.+ Ningaze nenze nantoni na eza kubazisela uxolo nempumelelo abantu balo,+ ukuze nomelele, nitye isivuno salo esihle nize nilithathele oonyana benu ngonaphakade.’
13 Wena Thixo wethu khange usiphathe ngokwamatyala ethu,+ ibe uye wasisindisa+ nasemva kwazo zonke izinto eziye zasehlela ngenxa yezinto ezimbi esizenzileyo netyala elikhulu esinalo.
14 Singayenza njani ke into yokwaphula imithetho yakho ngokutshatiselana naba bantu benza izinto ezenyanyekayo?+ Ungathini ke ukungacaphuki uze usitshabalalise ngokupheleleyo, kungasindi nokuba abe mnye?
15 Owu Yehova Thixo kaSirayeli, wena ulilungisa,+ kuba eli qaqobana lisithi liye lasinda de kwanamhlanje. Ngoku size kuwe neli tyala, kuba lisenza singafaneleki ukuba singema phambi kwakho.”+
Umbhalo osemazantsi
^ Ngokoqobo, “imbewu.”
^ Ngokoqobo, “ababewoyika.”
^ Okanye “udonga lokusikhusela.”
