Ezra 4:1-24
4 Lapho labo ababephikisana+ noJuda noBhenjamini bezwa ukuthi abantwana bokuDingiswa+ bakhela uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ithempeli,
2 ngokushesha baya kuZerubhabhele+ nakwabayizinhloko+ zezindlu zoyise bathi kubo: “Sivumeleni sakhe kanye nani;+ ngoba nathi sifuna uNkulunkulu wenu+ njengani futhi besilokhu simenzela imihlatshelo kusukela ezinsukwini zika-Esari-hadoni+ inkosi yase-Asiriya, owasikhuphulela lapha.”+
3 Nokho, uZerubhabhele noJeshuwa+ nazo zonke izinhloko+ zezindlu zoyise bakwa-Israyeli bathi kubo: “Anihlangene ngalutho nathi ekwakheleni uNkulunkulu wethu indlu,+ ngoba thina ngokwethu sindawonye sizomakhela uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, njengoba nje iNkosi uKoresi+ inkosi yasePheresiya isiyalile.”
4 Ngenxa yalokho abantu bezwe babezenza buthaka+ ngokuqhubekayo izandla zabantu bakwaJuda bebaqeda amandla ekwakheni,+
5 futhi bebaqashela+ abeluleki ukuba bashafise injongo yabo zonke izinsuku zikaKoresi inkosi yasePheresiya kwaze kwaba sekubuseni kukaDariyu+ inkosi yasePheresiya.
6 Futhi ngesikhathi sokubusa kuka-Ahashiveroshi, ekuqaleni kokubusa kwakhe, baloba incwadi emangalela+ abakhileyo kwaJuda naseJerusalema.
7 Futhi, ezinsukwini zika-Aritahishashita, uBishilamu, uMithiredati, uThabeyeli nabo bonke abanye asebenza nabo balobela u-Aritahishashita inkosi yasePheresiya, futhi leyo ncwadi yayibhalwe ngezinhlamvu zesi-Aramu futhi ihunyushelwe olimini lwesi-Aramu.+
8 URehumi isikhulu esiyinhloko sikahulumeni noShimshayi umbhali balobela u-Aritahishashita inkosi incwadi ekhuluma kabi ngeJerusalema, kanje:
9 Khona-ke uRehumi+ isikhulu esiyinhloko sikahulumeni noShimshayi umbhali nabo bonke abanye asebenza nabo, abahluleli nababusi abangaphansi ngaphesheya koMfula,+ onobhala,+ abantu base-Erekhi,+ abaseBhabhiloni,+ abakhileyo eShushani,+ okungukuthi, ama-Elamu,+
10 nazo zonke ezinye izizwe+ u-Asenaphari omkhulu nonodumo+ aziyisa ekudingisweni wazihlalisa emizini yaseSamariya,+ nabo bonke abanye ngaphesheya koMfula, ——; manje
11 lena yikhophi yencwadi abayithumela ngokuphathelene nalo:
“Ku-Aritahishashita+ inkosi izinceku zakho, amadoda angaphesheya koMfula: Manje
12 makwazeke enkosini ukuthi amaJuda akhuphukele lapha kithi evela kuwe afikile eJerusalema. Ayawakha lo muzi odlubulundayo nomubi, futhi aseyaziqeda izindonga+ nokulungisa izisekelo.
13 Manje makwazeke enkosini ukuthi, uma lo muzi ungase wakhiwe kabusha nezindonga zawo ziqedwe, akukho ntela+ nankokhiso+ namali yomgwaqo abazoyikhipha, futhi kuzobangela ukulahlekelwa ezindaweni zomcebo+ zamakhosi.
14 Manje njengoba nje sidla usawoti wasesigodlweni, futhi kungafanele ngathi ukubona inkosi iphundlwa, ngenxa yalokhu siye sathumela futhi sakwenza kwaziwa enkosini,
15 ukuze kuphenywe encwadini yemibhalo egciniwe+ yokhokho bakho. Khona-ke uzothola encwadini yemibhalo egciniwe futhi uzokwazi ukuthi lowo muzi ungumuzi odlubulundayo nobangela ukulahlekelwa emakhosini nasezifundeni zombuso, futhi ngaphakathi kuwo bekulokhu kukhona abashoshozeli bokuvukela kusukela ezinsukwini zakudala. Ngenxa yalesi sizathu lowo muzi wenziwe incithakalo.+
16 Sikwenza kwaziwe enkosini ukuthi, uma lowo muzi ungase wakhiwe kabusha nezindonga zawo ziqedwe, ngokuqinisekile nawe ngeke ube nasabelo ngaphesheya koMfula.”+
17 Inkosi yathumela izwi kuRehumi+ isikhulu esiyinhloko sikahulumeni nakuShimshayi umbhali nakubo bonke abanye abasebenza nabo+ ababehlala eSamariya nakubo bonke abanye ababengaphesheya koMfula:
“Ngiyanibingelela!+ Manje
18 incwadi yomthetho enisithumele yona ifundwé ngokucacile phambi kwami.
19 Ngakho mina ngikhiphé umyalo, futhi baye baphenya+ bathola ukuthi kusukela ezinsukwini zakudala lowo muzi ubungumuzi ophendukela amakhosi nobekudlubulundwa kuwo futhi kuvukelwa.+
20 Kwakukhona amakhosi anamandla+ ayephethe eJerusalema ebusa bonke abangaphesheya koMfula,+ futhi ayenikwa intela, inkokhiso nemali yomgwaqo.+
21 Manje khiphani umyalo ukuba la madoda anamandla ayeke, ukuba lowo muzi ungakhiwa kabusha kuze kube yilapho mina ngikhipha umyalo.
22 Ngakho qaphelani ukuba kungabikho kudebesela ngokuqondene nale ndaba, ukuze umonakalo ungandi kube ukulimala kwamakhosi.”+
23 Manje ngemva kokuba le khophi yencwadi yomthetho evela ku-Aritahishashita inkosi isifundiwe phambi kukaRehumi+ noShimshayi+ umbhali nabasebenza nabo,+ baphuthuma baya kumaJuda eJerusalema bawamisa ngamandla ezikhali.+
24 Kungaleso sikhathi lapho umsebenzi endlini kaNkulunkulu, eyayiseJerusalema, wema khona; futhi waqhubeka umile kwaze kwaba sonyakeni wesibili wokubusa kukaDariyu+ inkosi yasePheresiya.
