Ezra 7

₁Emvakwaloko, ngesikhatsi sekubusa kwa-Athazeksesi, inkhosi yasePheresiya, Ezra, umsa waSeraya, umsa wa-Azariya, umsa waHilkiya, ₂umsa waShalumi, umsa waSadoki, umsa wa-Ahitubi, ₃umsa wa-Amariya, umsa wa-Azariya, umsa waMerayothi, ₄umsa waZerahiya, umsa wa-Uzi, umsa waBukhi, ₅umsa wa-Abishuwa, umsa waFinehasi, umsa wa-Eleyazare, umsa wa-Aroni, umPhristi Lomkhulu, ₆Ezra wefika aphuma eBhabhulona.

Ezra abeyingcweti kutemtsetfo waMosi, lowawumiswe nguSimakadze, Nkulunkulu wema-Israyeli. Inkhosi yayimnike konkhe labekucelile, ngobe sandla saSimakadze Nkulunkulu wakhe sasisetikwakhe. ₇Labanye bema-Israyeli, ngisho nebaphristi, nemaLevi, nebahlabeli, nabomahlalesangweni, netisebenti tasethempelini, nabo beta eJerusalema ngemnyaka wesikhombisa wekubusa kwa-Athazeksesi, inkhosi.

₈Ezra wefika eJerusalema ngenyanga yesihlanu ngemnyaka wesikhombisa wekubusa kwenkhosi. ₉Luhambo lwakhe lwekusuka eBhabhulona abelucale ngelilanga lekucala enyangeni yekucala, eJerusalema wefika ngelilanga lekucala enyangeni yesihlanu, ngobe sandla lesihle saNkulunkulu sasisetikwakhe. ₁₀Ngobe Ezra abetinikelele kuhlolisisa nekwenta lokungumtsetfo waSimakadze kanye nekufundzisa ema-Israyeli timiso nemiyalo yawo.

₁₁Leli lihumusho lencwadzi leyabhalwa yinkhosi Athazeksesi ayibhalela Ezra labengumphristi futsi ayingcweti kutemtsetfo, indvodza leyayifundzile itati kahle tintfo letaticondzene nemiyalo netimiso taSimakadze nga-Israyeli:

₁₂“Iphuma ku-Athazeksesi, inkhosi yemakhosi. Iya ku-Ezra, umphristi nemfundzisi wemtsetfo waNkulunkulu losezulwini. Ngiyakubingelela.

₁₃“Ngikhipha simiso kutsi nome ngubani um-Israyeli lolapha embusweni wami, ngisho nebaphristi nemaLevi, labafisa kuya eJerusalema bangahamba kanye nawe. ₁₄Wena utfunyelwe yinkhosi ikanye nebeluleki bayo labasikhombisa kutsi uyekuhlolisisa kahle ngelive lakaJuda kanye nangeJerusalema macondzana nemtsetfo waNkulunkulu wakho losesandleni sakho. ₁₅Ngetulu kwaloko kufanele uhambe nesiliva negolide lekunikelwe ngenhlitiyo lemhlophe yinkhosi kanye nebeluleki bayo kuNkulunkulu wema-Israyeli, lohlala eJerusalema, ₁₆uhambe nesiliva negolide yonkhe longayitfola eveni laseBhabhulona kanye neminikelo yesihle yebantfu nebaphristi labayinikelela lithempeli laNkulunkulu wabo eJerusalema.

₁₇“Ngayo lemali kufanele utsenge tinkunzi, netihhanca, nemazinyane lamadvuna etimvu, utsenge neminikelo yalokutinhlavu neminikelo yetinatfo, uyinikelele elatini lelithempeli laNkulunkulu wakho eJerusalema.

₁₈“Wena nabomnakenu emaJuda ningenta loko lenikubona kukuhle ngalesiliva nalegolide lesele, kuye ngekwentsandvo yaloNkulunkulu wenu. ₁₉Ubotetfula kuNkulunkulu waseJerusalema tonkhe letimphahla letibekwe etandleni takho kutsi tisetjentiswe enkonzweni yekukhonta ethempelini laNkulunkulu wakho. ₂₀Konkhe lokunye lokudzingako lokucondzene nelithempeli laNkulunkulu wakho, longakhona kutsi ube nako, ungakutfola endlini yengcebo yenkhosi.

₂₁“Mine, nkhosi Athazeksesi, ngikhipha umtsetfo locondziswe kubo bonkhe bosikhwama labangasenshonalanga nemfula iYufrathe kutsi banike Ezra, umphristi longumfundzisi wemtsetfo waNkulunkulu, konkhe lakucela kini, kufanele kwentiwe ngesineke sonkhe, ₂₂kuze kuyewufika kumakhilogremu langaba ti-3 400 esiliva, nemakhilogremu langaba ti-10 000 akolo, nemalitha langaba ti-2 000 eliwayini, nemalitha langaba ti-2 000 emafutsa emncumo kanye nalo lonkhe luswayi loludzingekile. ₂₃Konkhe lokufunwe nguNkulunkulu wasezulwini akwentiwe ngenkhutsalo, kwentelwe lithempeli laNkulunkulu wasezulwini. Kufanele ngani kutsi lulaka luvutsele umbuso nemadvodzana enkhosi? ₂₄Kufanele nati futsi kutsi aninawo emandla ekutsatsa imitselo netetfulo kunome ngubani webaphristi, nemaLevi, nebahlabeli, nabomahlalesangweni, netisebenti tasethempelini nome ngangubani losebentako endlini yaNkulunkulu.

₂₅“Wena, Ezra, ngenhlakanipho yakho lonikwe yona nguNkulunkulu wakho, beka bomantji nebehluleli kutsi batewuhola behlulele bonkhe labo bantfu labangasenshonalanga nemfula iYufrathe, labayatiko imitsetfo yaNkulunkulu wakho. Nine kufanele nibafundzise bonkhe labo labangayati. ₂₆Lowo longawuhloniphi umtsetfo waNkulunkulu kanye nemtsetfo wenkhosi kufanele ajeziswe ngekutsi abulawe, nome adzingiswe, nome adliwe konkhe lanako, nome afakwe ejele.”

₂₇Ezra wakhuluma watsi: “Akadvunyiswe Simakadze, Nkulunkulu wabobabe, lokubekile enhlitiyweni yenkhosi kutsi kuhlonishwe indlu yaSimakadze eJerusalema ngalendlela, ₂₈nalowelulele sandla sakhe semusa kimi ngekutsi ngizuze umusa enkhosini nakubeluleki bayo nakuto tonkhe tindvuna tayo letinemandla. Njengobe sandla saSimakadze Nkulunkulu wami besisetikwami, ngaba nesibindzi ngabutsa emadvodza aka-Israyeli labebaholi kutsi ahambe nami.”