Nehemiya 5:1-19
5 Nokho, kwaba khona isikhalo esikhulu+ esivela kubantu nomkabo ngabafowabo abangamaJuda.+
2 Kwakukhona ababethi: “Sinikela ngamadodana ethu nangamadodakazi ethu njengesibambiso ukuze sithole okusanhlamvu sidle futhi siqhubeke siphila.”+
3 Abanye babethi: “Sinikela ngamasimu ethu nangezivini zethu nangezindlu zethu njengesibambiso+ ukuze sithole okusanhlamvu ngesikhathi sokusweleka kokudla.”
4 Kukhona nababethi: “Siboleké imali ukuze sikhokhe intela yenkosi+ ngamasimu ethu nangezivini zethu.+
5 Manje inyama yethu iyafana nenyama yabafowethu;+ amadodana ethu ayafana namadodana abo, kodwa bheka senza amadodana ethu namadodakazi ethu abe yizigqila,+ futhi kukhona amanye amadodakazi ethu aseyizo kakade; awekho amandla ezandleni zethu lapho amasimu ethu nezivini zethu kusengokwabanye.”
6 Ngathukuthela kakhulu lapho ngizwa lesi sikhalo sabo nala mazwi.
7 Ngakho inhliziyo yami yacabangisisa ngaphakathi kimi, futhi ngazisola+ izicukuthwane nababusi abangamaphini, ngathi kubo: “Yilowo nalowo ubiza inzuzo eyeqile+ kumfowabo.”
Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngahlela umhlangano omkhulu ngenxa yabo.+
8 Ngathi kubo: “Thina siye sathenga+ abafowethu abangamaJuda ababethengiswe ezizweni sababuyisa ngokwalokho okwakusemandleni ethu; ingabe nina-ke ngesikhathi esifanayo nithengisa ngabafowenu,+ futhi ingabe kumelwe bathengiselwe thina?” Kulokhu ababanga namlomo, ababanga nazwi.+
9 Ngaqhubeka ngathi: “Le nto eniyenzayo ayiyinhle.+ Akufanele yini nihambe ngokwesaba+ uNkulunkulu wethu+ ngenxa yesihlamba+ sezizwe, izitha zethu?+
10 Nami futhi, nabafowethu nezikhonzi zami sitshelekisa ngemali nokusanhlamvu ngenzalo phakathi kwabo. Ngiyacela, masikuyeke lokhu kubolekisa ngenzalo.+
11 Sizani nibabuyisele namuhla amasimu abo,+ izivini zabo, izixhobo zabo zeminqumo nezindlu zabo, nokwekhulu kwemali nokokusanhlamvu, iwayini elisha namafutha enikubiza kubo njengenzalo.”
12 Bathi: “Sizokubuyisela,+ futhi ngeke sibize lutho kubo.+ Sizokwenza njengoba nje usho.”+ Ngakho ngabiza abapristi ngabafungisa ukuba benze ngokuvumelana naleli zwi.+
13 Futhi, ngathintitha isifuba sami ngase ngithi: “Kwangathi uNkulunkulu weqiniso angamthintitha ngale ndlela endlini yakhe nasempahleni yakhe ayizuzile wonke umuntu ongalifezi leli zwi; futhi kwangathi angathintithwa ngale ndlela angabi nalutho.” Lonke ibandla lathi: “Amen!”+ Ladumisa uJehova.+ Abantu benza ngokuvumelana naleli zwi.+
14 Enye into: Kusukela ngosuku angimisa ngalo ukuba ngibe ngumbusi+ wabo ezweni lakwaJuda, kusukela ngonyaka wamashumi amabili+ kuya onyakeni wamashumi amathathu nambili+ ka-Aritahishashita+ inkosi, iminyaka eyishumi nambili, mina nabafowethu asisidlanga isinkwa okufanele sitholwe umbusi.+
15 Kepha ababusi ababengaphambi kwami, babekwenze kwaba nzima phezu kwabantu, futhi babelokhu bethatha kubo nsuku zonke amashekeli esiliva angamashumi amane esinkwa newayini. Nezikhonzi zabo futhi, zazizenza izingqongqo phezu kwabantu.+ Kepha mina, angenzanga ngaleyo ndlela+ ngenxa yokwesaba uNkulunkulu.+
16 Futhi, ngaphezu kwalokho, ngaba nesandla emsebenzini walolu donga,+ futhi asizitholelanga nsimu;+ futhi zonke izikhonzi zami zaziqoqene lapho ukuze zisebenze.
17 AmaJuda nababusi abangamaphini, amadoda ayikhulu namashumi amahlanu, nalabo ababeza kithi bevela ezizweni ezazisizungezile babesetafuleni lami.+
18 Ngokuqondene nalokho okwakulungiswa nsuku zonke, inkunzi eyodwa, izimvu eziyisithupha ezikhethiwe nezinyoni ngangilungiselwa kona, futhi njalo ngemva kwezinsuku eziyishumi ngangilungiselwa zonke izinhlobo zewayini+ ngokuchichima. Kanye nalokhu angizange ngisifune isinkwa okufanele sitholwe umbusi, ngoba yayinzima inkonzo eyayiphezu kwalesi sizwe.
19 O Nkulunkulu wami, ngikhumbule,+ ngobuhle,+ ngakho konke engikwenzele lesi sizwe.+
