Nehemiya 6:1-19
6 Manje kwathi nje lapho uSanibhalati+ noThobiya+ noGeshemi+ wase-Arabhiya+ nazo zonke ezinye izitha zethu sebetsheliwe ukuthi ngangilwakhe kabusha udonga+ futhi kwakungasele sikhala kulo (nakuba kuze kube yileso sikhathi izicabha+ ngokwazo ngangingakazifaki emasangweni),+
2 ngokushesha uSanibhalati noGeshemi bathumela kimi, bathi: “Woza sihlangane+ ngesivumelwano emizaneni yethafa elisesigodini lase-Ono.”+ Kodwa babeceba ukungilimaza.+
3 Ngakho ngathumela izithunywa kubo,+ ngathi: “Mkhulu lo msebenzi engiwenzayo,+ angikwazi ukwehla. Kungani kufanele umsebenzi ume ngesikhathi ngisawuyekile futhi ngehlele kini?”+
4 Nokho, bangithumelela leli zwi elifanayo izikhathi ezine, nami ngaqhubeka ngibaphendula ngezwi elifanayo.
5 Ekugcineni uSanibhalati+ wathumela isikhonzi sakhe kimi naleli zwi elifanayo okwesihlanu, nencwadi evulekile esandleni saso.
6 Kwakulotshwe kuyo ukuthi: “Kuzwakele phakathi kwezizwe, noGeshemi+ uyasho, ukuthi wena namaJuda niceba ukudlubulunda.+ Yingakho nakha lolo donga; futhi ngokwala mazwi, wena uba yinkosi kuwo.+
7 Futhi kukhona ngisho nabaprofethi obamisile ukuba bamemezele ngawe kulo lonke iJerusalema, bathi, ‘Kukhona inkosi kwaJuda!’ Manje izinto ezinjengalezi zizobikwa enkosini. Ngakho woza, sibonisane ndawonye.”+
8 Nokho, ngathumela kuye, ngathi: “Azikho izinto ezinjengalezi ozishoyo,+ kunalokho zisungulwe nguwe enhliziyweni yakho.”+
9 Ngoba bonke babezama ukusesabisa, bethi: “Izandla zabo+ zizowuyeka umsebenzi ungenziwa.” Kodwa manje qinisa izandla zami.+
10 Ngangena endlini kaShemaya indodana kaDelaya indodana kaMehetabeli ngesikhathi evalelwe.+ Wathi: “Masihlangane ngesivumelwano+ endlini kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, ngaphakathi ethempelini,+ sivale iminyango yethempeli; ngoba bayeza ukuzokubulala, yebo bayeza ebusuku+ ukuzokubulala.”
11 Kodwa ngathi: “Ingabe umuntu onjengami kufanele abaleke?+ Futhi ubani onjengami ongangena ethempelini aphile?+ Ngeke ngingene!”
12 Ngakho ngaphenya, bheka kwakungeyena uNkulunkulu+ owayemthumile, kodwa wayekhiphe+ lesi siprofetho ngami ngoba eqashwe+ uThobiya noSanibhalati.+
13 Wayeqashelwe+ lesi sizathu ukuze ngesabe+ bese ngenza ngaleyo ndlela, ngokuqinisekile ngone+ kube kubo yidumela elibi,+ ukuze bangihlambalaze.+
14 O Nkulunkulu wami, bakhumbule,+ oThobiya+ noSanibhalati, ngokwalezi zenzo zabo ngamunye, noNowadiya umprofethikazi+ nabo bonke abanye abaprofethi ababeqhubeka bezama ukungesabisa.
15 Ekugcineni udonga+ lwaphela ngosuku lwamashumi amabili nanhlanu ku-Eluli, ngezinsuku ezingamashumi amahlanu nambili.
16 Kwathi ngokushesha nje lapho zonke izitha+ zethu zizwa ngakho nazo zonke izizwe ezazisizungezile zikubona, zaphoxeka kakhulu emehlweni azo, futhi zazi ukuthi ukwenziwa kwalo msebenzi kwakuvele kuNkulunkulu wethu.+
17 Futhi ngalezo zinsuku, izicukuthwane+ zakwaJuda zazizandisa izincwadi zazo ezaziya kuThobiya+ nezikaThobiya ezaziza kuzo.
18 Ngoba baningi kwaJuda ababezihlanganise naye ngesifungo, ngoba wayengumkhwenyana kaShekaniya indodana ka-Ara;+ futhi uJehohanani indodana yakhe wayethathe indodakazi kaMeshulami+ indodana kaBherekiya.
19 Futhi, babelokhu besho izinto ezinhle ngaye phambi kwami.+ Namazwi ami babelokhu bewayisa kuye. Kwakukhona izincwadi uThobiya ayezithumela kimi ukuze angesabise.+
