Ezra 7:1-28
7 Ngemva kwalezi zinto ngesikhathi sokubusa kuka-Aritahishashita+ inkosi yasePheresiya, u-Ezra+ indodana kaSeraya+ indodana ka-Azariya indodana kaHilikiya+
2 indodana kaShalumi+ indodana kaZadoki indodana ka-Ahithubi+
3 indodana ka-Amariya+ indodana ka-Azariya+ indodana kaMerayoti+
4 indodana kaZeraya+ indodana ka-Uzi+ indodana kaBhuki+
5 indodana ka-Abhishuwa+ indodana kaFinehasi+ indodana ka-Eleyazare+ indodana ka-Aroni+ umpristi omkhulu+—
6 lo Ezra oshiwoyo wakhuphuka eBhabhiloni; futhi wayengumkopishi onekhono+ emthethweni kaMose,+ ababewunikwe nguJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, kangangokuthi inkosi yamnika konke ayekucelile, ngokwesandla sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe esasiphezu kwakhe.+
7 Ngenxa yalokho amanye amadodana ka-Israyeli nawabapristi+ namaLevi+ nabahlabeleli+ nabalindisango+ namaNethini+ akhuphukela eJerusalema ngonyaka wesikhombisa ka-Aritahishashita+ inkosi.
8 Ekugcineni wafika eJerusalema ngenyanga yesihlanu, okungukuthi, ngonyaka wesikhombisa wenkosi.
9 Ngoba wamisa ukuba kukhushukwe kusukwe eBhabhiloni ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yokuqala, futhi ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yesihlanu wafika eJerusalema, ngokwesandla esihle sikaNkulunkulu wakhe esasiphezu kwakhe.+
10 Ngoba u-Ezra ngokwakhe wayelungise+ inhliziyo yakhe ukuba ahlole umthetho kaJehova+ nokuba awenze+ nokuba afundise+ kwa-Israyeli isiqondiso+ nobulungisa.+
11 Nansi ikhophi yencwadi iNkosi u-Aritahishashita eyayinika u-Ezra umpristi umkopishi,+ umkopishi wamazwi emiyalo kaJehova noweziqondiso zakhe ku-Israyeli:
12 U-Aritahishashita,+ inkosi yamakhosi,+ ku-Ezra umpristi, umkopishi womthetho kaNkulunkulu wamazulu:+ Ukuthula makupheleliswe.+ Manje
13 ngikhiphe umyalo+ wokuthi wonke umuntu embusweni wami+ kubantu bakwa-Israyeli nabapristi babo namaLevi othandayo ukuya eJerusalema makahambe nawe.+
14 Njengoba kwathunyelwa umyalo uvela phambi kwenkosi nabeluleki+ bayo abayisikhombisa ukuba kuphenywe+ ngokuphathelene noJuda neJerusalema emthethweni+ kaNkulunkulu wakho+ osesandleni sakho,
15 nokuba kulethwe isiliva negolide inkosi nabeluleki bayo abalinikele ngokuzithandela+ kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ondawo yakhe yokuhlala iseJerusalema,+
16 kanye nalo lonke isiliva negolide olithola kuso sonke isifunda sombuso saseBhabhiloni kanye nesipho sabantu+ nabapristi labo ngokuzithandela abanikelela indlu kaNkulunkulu wabo,+ eseJerusalema;
17 ngalokho uzothenga ngokushesha ngale mali izinkunzi,+ izinqama,+ amawundlu+ neminikelo yako yokusanhlamvu+ neminikelo yako yokuphuzwayo+ futhi uzokunikela e-altare lendlu kaNkulunkulu wenu,+ eseJerusalema.+
18 “Noma yini okubonakala kukuhle kuwe nakubafowenu ukuyenza ngalo lonke elinye isiliva negolide,+ ngokwentando+ kaNkulunkulu wenu, niyoyenza.+
19 Izitsha+ enizinikwayo zenkonzo yendlu kaNkulunkulu wakho zithathe uzethule ziphelele phambi kukaNkulunkulu eJerusalema.+
20 Nazo zonke ezinye izidingo zendlu kaNkulunkulu wakho okumelwe zikhishwe nguwe, uyozikhipha uzithatha endlini yenkosi yengcebo.+
21 “Ngikhiphe umyalo+ mina, Aritahishashita inkosi, kubo bonke abagcini-zikhwama+ abangaphesheya koMfula,+ wokuthi konke u-Ezra+ umpristi, umkopishi womthetho kaNkulunkulu wamazulu, akucelayo kini madoda kuyokwenziwa ngokushesha,
22 ngisho noma kungaba amathalenta+ ayikhulu esiliva namakhora+ ayikhulu kakolweni namabhati+ ayikhulu ewayini+ namabhati ayikhulu amafutha,+ nosawoti+ ongenasilinganiso.
23 Konke okungomyalo+ kaNkulunkulu wamazulu makwenzelwe indlu kaNkulunkulu wamazulu+ ngentshiseko,+ ukuze kungabikho lulaka oluvuthela umbuso wenkosi namadodana ayo.+
24 Futhi nina madoda niyaziswa ukuthi, ngokuqondene nanoma yimuphi kubapristi+ nakumaLevi,+ abaculi,+ abalindimnyango,+ amaNethini,+ nezisebenzi zakule ndlu kaNkulunkulu, akukho ntela nankokhiso+ namali yomgwaqo+ okuvunyelwe ukuba ibekwe phezu kwabo.
25 “Wena, Ezra, ngokokuhlakanipha+ kukaNkulunkulu wakho okusesandleni sakho, misa izimantshi nabahluleli ukuze bahlulele+ ngokuqhubekayo bonke abantu abangaphesheya koMfula, ngisho nabo bonke labo abazi imithetho kaNkulunkulu wakho; noma ubani ongakayazi niyomfundisa.+
26 Ngokuqondene nawo wonke umuntu ongabi umenzi womthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho+ nomthetho wenkosi, masikhishwe ngokushesha isahlulelo phezu kwakhe, noma esokufa+ noma esokudingiswa,+ noma esokuhlawula ngemali+ noma esokufakwa etilongweni.”
27 Makatuswe uJehova uNkulunkulu wokhokho bethu,+ ofake into enjengale enhliziyweni+ yenkosi, ukuyenza ibe yinhle indlu kaJehova, eseJerusalema!
28 Futhi udluliselé kimi umusa wothando+ phambi kwenkosi nabeluleki+ bayo nangokuphathelene nazo zonke izikhulu zenkosi ezinamandla. Mina-ke, ngaziqinisa ngokwesandla+ sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wami esasiphezu kwami, futhi ngaqoqa kwa-Israyeli abayizinhloko ukuba bakhuphuke kanye nami.
