Nehemiya 4:1-23
4 Wathi uSanebhalati+ akuva ukuba silungisa udonga, waba nomsindo, wawathuka amaYuda.
2 Wathi kubantakwabo nakumkhosi waseSamariya: “Enza ntoni la macekeceke amaYuda? Aza kuwenza ngokwawo na lo msebenzi? Aza kwenza nemibingelelo? Aza kuyigqiba yonke le nto ngosuku nje olunye? Khona, aza kukwazi ukuvuselela laa matye atshisiweyo akwimfumba yenkunkuma?”+
3 UTobhiya+ umAmoni+ owayesecaleni kwakhe, wathi: “Olo donga balwakhayo lungawiswa nayimpungutye le.”
4 Owu yhini Thixo wethu, khawusimamele, kuba siyadelelwa.+ Zenze zenzeke kubo izinto ezisileyo abazithethileyo,+ ubenze bathinjwe.
5 Ungabaxoleli okanye usicime isono sabo,+ kuba baye bathuka abakhi.
6 Saqhubeka silulungisa udonga, lwadibana lwaza lwanyuka lwayokutsho ehafini, yaye abantu babezinikele emsebenzini.
7 Bathi bakuva ukuba uza kakuhle umsebenzi wokulungiswa kweendonga zeYerusalem nokuba izikhewu zivaliwe, uSanebhalati,+ uTobhiya, ama-Arabhiya,+ ama-Amoni nama-Ashdode+ bacaphuka kakhulu.
8 Badibana, benza iyelenqe lokulwa neYerusalem ukuze bawuphazamise lo msebenzi.
9 Kodwa sathandaza kuThixo wethu saza samisa unogada imini nobusuku ukuze sikhuseleke.
10 Bona ke abantu bakwaYuda babesithi: “Abasebenzi badiniwe, ibe kusekho inkunkuma eninzi; soze sikwazi ukulwakha olu donga.”
11 Zona iintshaba zethu zazisithi: “Siza kungena bengasilindelanga sibabulale, size siwumise lo msebenzi.”
12 Xa kwakufika amaYuda ahlala kufutshane nazo, ayemane* esithi: “Ziza kusihlasela macala onke.”
13 Ngoko ndabeka oonogada ngaseludongeni, kwiindawo ezinokuhlaselwa lula; ndabamisa ngokweentsapho, bexhobe ngamakrele, imikhonto nezaphetha.
14 Xa ndabona indlela aboyika ngayo, ndaphakama ngoko nangoko ndathi kwizikhulu+ nakubaphathi nakwabanye abantu: “Sanukuboyika.+ Khumbulani uYehova, omkhulu nomangalisayo;+ nize nilwele abantakwenu, oonyana benu neentombi zenu, abafazi benu namakhaya enu.”
15 Zathi iintshaba zethu zakuva ukuba siyayazi into ezicinga ukuyenza, nokuba uThixo wokwenene ulenze alaphumelela iqhinga lazo, satsho sakwazi ukubuyela emsebenzini.
16 Ukususela ngaloo mini, ihafu yamadoda yayisebenza,+ ngoxa amanye ayenxibe izambatho zentsimbi, ephethe imikhonto, amakhaka nezaphetha. Zona iinkosana+ zazimi emva kwawo onke amaYuda
17 awayesakha udonga. Abo babethutha imithwalo babethwele ngesinye isandla, bephethe isixhobo* ngesinye.
18 Bonke abakhi babesakha befake ikrele esinqeni, yena umntu owayeza kuvuthela uphondo+ emi ecaleni kwam.
19 Ndathi kwizikhulu nakubaphathi nakwabanye abantu: “Umsebenzi mninzi, ibe sisebenza kolu donga siqelelene kakhulu.
20 Ngoko xa nisiva isandi sesigodlo, ze nize apho sikhoyo. UThixo wethu uza kusilwela.”+
21 Saqhubeka sisebenza, ihafu yethu iphethe imikhonto, ukususela ekuseni ukuyokutsho ngorhatya xa kuphuma iinkwenkwezi.
22 Ngelo xesha ndathi ebantwini: “Amadoda mawahlale ngaphakathi eYerusalem, ndoda nganye nesicaka sayo, asigade ebusuku aze asebenze emini.”
23 Mna nabantakwethu, izicaka zam+ noonogada ababendilandela sasingakhululi neempahla ezi, sonke siphethe izixhobo ngesandla sasekunene.
