Abakwa-Israyeli Bangcolisa Ulibo OluNgcwele Ngabezizwe
1Sekwenziwe konke lokho, abaholi beza kimi, bathi: “Abantu bakwa-Israyeli, abaphristi, abaLevi abazehlukanisanga kubantu bezizwe nasemikhubeni yabo eyenyanyekayo, eyamaKhanani, amaHithi, amaPherizi, amaJebusi, ama-Amoni, abakwaMowabi, abaseGibhithe nama-Amori. 2Ngokuba bazithathela amadodakazi azo aba ngabafazi babo, bathathela namadodana abo. Balungcolisile ulibo olungcwele ngokuzihlanganisa nabezizwe. Abaholi nezikhulu baba ngobhongoza ekwenzeni lokho kungethembeki.”
3Ngikuzwa lokho, ngaklebhula ingubo yami nesembatho sami, ngazihluthula izinwele ekhanda nasesilevini, ngahlala phansi, ngimangele. 4Kwase kubuthana bonke labo abathuthumela uma bezwa okwakushiwo nguNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ngenxa yokungethembi kwababebuye ekuthunjweni, bahlala nami kwaze kwaba yisikhathi somnikelo wakusihlwa.
Umkhuleko Ka-Ezra
5Ngesikhathi somnikelo wakusihlwa, ngasukuma ekuzileni, izingubo zami nesembatho sami kuklebhukile, ngaguqa ngaphakamisela izandla zami kuSimakade uNkulunkulu wami, 6ngathi:
“Nkulunkulu wami, nginamahloni, ngihlazeke kakhulu, ngesaba ngisho ukubheka kuwe, Nkulunkulu wami, ngokuba izono zethu sezedlula amakhanda ethu, necala lethu selifinyelela emazulwini. 7Kusukela emihleni yokhokho bethu kuze kube namuhla, sithe shi ezonweni, ngenxa yezono zethu, namakhosi ethu, nabaphristi, sinikelwe emakhosini ezinye izizwe, enkembeni, ekuthunjweni, ekuphangweni nasehlazweni elikhulu, njengoba kunje manje.
8“Kepha manje uSimakade uNkulunkulu wethu usenzele umusa okwesikhashana, washiya insali, wasenza saba nesabelo endaweni yakhe engcwele ukuze akhanyise amehlo ethu, asinike ikhefu, asophule ebugqileni bethu. 9Ngokuba siseyizigqila, uNkulunkulu wethu akasishiyanga ebugqileni bethu, kodwa usenzele ububele bakhe phambi kwamakhosi asePheresiya; asinika impilo entsha ukuze sakhe kabusha indlu kaNkulunkulu wethu, sakhe kabusha obekuyincithakalo, wasenzela ugange kwaJuda naseJerusalema.
10“Kepha manje, Nkulunkulu wethu, sesizothini ngalokhu na? Phela siyilahlile imithetho yakho 11owasiyala ngayo ngomlomo wezinceku zakho, abaphrofethi, uthi: ‘Izwe eningena kulo ukulidla lingcoliswe ngukungcola kwabantu bezizwe ngamanyala abo. Baligcwalise ngokungcola kusukela kulo mngcele kuya kuloya. 12Ngakho-ke amadodakazi enu ningawaganiseli amadodana azo, namadodana enu ningawathatheli abafazi kumadodakazi azo, ningalokothi nifune ukuthula kwazo nempumelelo yazo, ukuze nibe namandla, futhi nidle okuhle kwezwe, nilishiyele abantwana benu libe yifa labo laphakade.’
13“Emuva kokuba sezisehlele zonke lezo zinto ngenxa yezenzo zethu ezimbi, necala lethu elikhulu, kodwa Wena Nkulunkulu, awusijezisanga ngokufanele iziphambeko zethu, wabuye washiya insali efana nalena, 14kambe singabuye siyephule yini imithetho yakho ngokuganana nabezizwe abenza amanyala anjengalawa na? Ubungayukusithukuthelela yini uze usibhubhise nya, kungasali nsali na? 15Simakade Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, Wena ulungile, kodwa thina usiphunyukisile, sasala sayinsali njengoba kunje namuhla. Siphambi kwakho necala lethu, nakuba kungekho namunye ongama phambi kwakho ngenxa yalokho.”
