Ukufika kwaka-Ezra eJerusalema
1Emva kwalokho, emihleni yokubusa kwaka-Aritarhitjhasta ikosi yePheresiya, u-Ezra wathoma umsebenzakhe. Yena gade amsa kaSeraya omsa ka-Azariya, umsa kaRhilikhiya 2omsa kaTjhalumu, umsa kaTsadokhi omsa ka-Arhithubi, 3umsa ka-Amariya omsa ka-Azariya, umsa kaMerayothi 4omsa kaZerarhiya, umsa ka-Uzi omsa kaBhukhi, 5umsa ka-Abitjhuwa omsa kaFiniyasi, umsa ka-Elazara omsa ka-Aroni umphristi wokuthoma. 6U-Ezra loyo wakhuphuka asuka eBhabheli. Yena bekamtloli osisazi somthetho kaMosi, okumthetho owanikelwa nguSomnini uZimu wakwa-Israyeli. Ikosi yePheresiya beyimnikele koke agade akubawile ngombana isandla sakaSomnini uZimakhe besiphezu kwakhe.
7Godu kwathi ngomnyaka wekhomba wokubusa kwaka-Aritarhitjhasta ikosi, kwakhuphuka eJerusalema abanye bama-Israyeli nabanye babaphristi nebamaLevi, abavumi nabalindisango kanye neensebenzi zethempeli. 8U-Ezra wafika eJerusalema ngenyanga yesihlanu, okumnyaka wekhomba wokubusa kwekosi. 9Lokha inyanga yokuthoma nayinelanga linye wasungula ikhambo lakhe asuka eBhabheli. Kwathi ngelanga lokuthoma enyangeni yesihlanu walibhada eJerusalema. Mbala isandla esihle sakaZimakhe besiphezu kwakhe. 10U-Ezra lo bekabeke ihliziywakhe ekufundeni umthetho kaSomnini uZimu nokobana awenze begodu bekazimisele ukufundisa iimiso nemiyalwayo kwa-Israyeli.
11Naku-ke umkhuphelo wencwadi ikosi u-Aritarhitjhasta awunikela u-Ezra umphristi nomtloli osisazi semiyalo kaSomnini neemiso zakhe mayelana no-Israyeli, uthi:
12Incwadi le iphuma ku-Aritarhitjhasta ikosi yamakhosi, iya ku-Ezra umphristi nomfundisi omkhulu womthetho kaZimu wezulwini.
Akwande!
Nje-ke 13ngikhupha umyalo bona nanyana ngubani wabantu bakwa-Israyeli kungaba baphristi babo namkha amaLevabo embuswenami ofuna ukukhamba aye eJerusalema, angakhamba nawe. 14Wena uthunywe yikosi nabeluleki bayo abalikhomba bonyana uyokuhlolisisa kwaJuda neJerusalema bona abantu balandela umthetho wakaZimakho owuphethe esandleni sakho na. 15Begodu uthunywe bonyana ukhambise isiliva negolide enikelwe ngesihle yikosi nabeluleki bayo kuZimu wakwa-Israyeli ohlala eJerusalema. 16Ukhambe godu nesiliva negolide ozalifunyana kiso soke isifunda seBhabheli kanye neminikelo yoke yesihle enikelwe babantu nabaphristi ngehliziyo etjhaphulukileko mayelana nethempeli lakaZimabo eJerusalema. 17Ngesilivelo uthenge ngokuyelela iinkunzana, amaqama neemvana kanye neminikelo yakhona yeenthoro neyokuselwako ukuze unikele ngakho e-aldarini lethempeli lakaZimakho ngeJerusalema. 18Nanyana yini ebonakala ilungile kuwe nakubafowenu enithanda ukuyenza ngesiliva negolide eseleko, ningayenza, ikani nje nakungokwentando kaZimenu. 19Izitja ezinikelwe wena mayelana nomsebenzi wethempeli lakaZimakho, ufese uzethule eJerusalema. 20Okunye okudingako mayelana nethempeli lakaZimakho, ongahle uthande ukukusebenzisa nakwenzeka, uzakufunyana esikhwameni sesigodlo.
21Nje-ke mina Aritarhitjhasta ikosi, ngiyala boke abaphathi bezomnotho esifundeni sangetjingalanga yomlambo iYufrathe bonyana nanyana yini u-Ezra umphristi osisazi somthetho kaZimu wezulwini azayidinga kini, anikelwe yona ngaphandle kokuriyada. 22Kufuze banikele kufikela lapha kuba makhilogremu aziinkulungwana ezintathu namakhulu amane wesiliva, amakhilogremu aziinkulungwana ezilitjhumi nasithandathu namakhulu amahlanu wekoroyi, iinkulungwana ezimbili namakhulu amabili wamalitha wamafutha we-oliva kanye netswayi elingalinganisekiko ngobunengi. 23Nanyana yini uZimu wezulwini ayala ngayo, ayenziwe ngokupheleleko mayelana nethempeli lakaZimu wezulwini loyo ukuze ilaka lakhe lingavuthi phezu kombuso wekosi namadodanayo. 24Godu naziswa bonyana akukavumeleki ukubeka imithelo, iimbiko namkha imali yendlela phezu kwananyana ngiwuphi wabaphristi, amaLevi, abavumi, abalindisango, iinsebenzi zethempeli nanyana ngisiphi isisebenzi sethempeli lakaZimu.
25Nje-ke wena Ezra, ngokuhlakanipha onakho owakuphiwa nguZimakho, beka abakhokheli nabagwebi abazi imithetho kaZimakho ukuze bagwebe boke abantu ngesifundeni sangetjingalanga yomlambo iYufrathe. Labo abangayaziko imithetho leyo, ubafundise yona. 26Loyo ongekhe alalele umthetho kaZimakho nomthetho wekosi, akahlunguphazwe khulu, kungaba ngesigwebo sokubulawa, ngokudingiswa, ngokumukwa ipahlakhe namkha ngokubotjhwa.
27Akudunyiswe uSomnini uZimu wabobaba obeke into enjengale ehliziyweni yekosi bonyana kuhlotjiswe ithempeli lakaSomnini eJerusalema, 28nowengezelele kimi umusa wakhe ongapheliko phambi kwekosi nebelulekini bayo kanye naphambi kweenkhulu zoke ezinamandla zekosi leyo. Ngiqine idolo ngombana isandla sakaSomnini uZimami besiphezu kwami, nje-ke ngibuthelele amadoda abarholi kwa-Israyeli bonyana akhuphuke kanye nami.
