UNehemiya 1

₁Nanka amazwi kaNehemiya, indodana kaHakaliya.

Ngenyanga uKhisilevi, ngonyaka wama-20, ngiseShushani inhlokomuzi, ₂uHanani, omunye wabafowethu, wafika evela kwaJuda, ehamba nesigejane samadoda. Ngababuza ngabaJuda ababesinde ekuthunjweni basala kwaJuda, nangesimo seJerusalema. ₃Baphendula bathi: “Abasala esifundazweni sakwaJuda, abaze bathunjwa, basenkathazweni enkulu nasehlazweni; izingange zeJerusalema zidilizelwe phansi, namasango alo ashiswe ngomlilo.”

₄Ngathi ukuba ngizwe lezo zindaba, ngahlala phansi, ngakhala, ngazila izinsuku eziningi, ngizile ukudla ngikhuleka kuNkulunkulu wezulu. ₅Ngathi: “Ngiyakunxusa Simakade, Nkulunkulu wezulu, Wena omkhulu nowesabekayo, ogcina isivumelwano nothando olungenambandela kulabo abakuthandayo, begcina imithetho yakho. ₆Beka indlebe yakho, ubheke ngamehlo akho, uzwe umkhuleko wenceku yakho ewukhuleka kuwe namuhla, imini nobusuku, ikhulekela izinceku zakho, abantu bakwa-Israyeli, ivuma izono zabakwa-Israyeli, esone ngazo kuwe. Mina nomndeni wami sonile. ₇Senze ububi kuwe, asaze sayigcina imithetho, izimiso, nemiyalo owakunika uMose, inceku yakho. ₈Khumbula owakusho kuMose lapho uthi: ‘Uma ningihlubuka ngizonihlakazela phakathi kwezizwe, ₉kodwa uma nibuyela kimi, nibuye nigcine imithetho yami, nenze enganiyala ngakho, ngiyoniqoqa lapho nikhona, nginibuyisele endaweni engayiqokela ukuba iGama lami lihlale kuyo, ngisho noma ngabe nisemikhawulweni yomhlaba.’

₁₀“Bayizinceku zakho nabantu bakho owabophula ngamandla akho amakhulu nangesandla sakho esinamandla. ₁₁Nkosi, ake ubeke indlebe yakho emthandazweni wenceku yakho nasemithandazweni yezinceku zakho ezikuthokozelayo ukudumisa iGama lakho. Iphumelelise inceku yakho namuhla, uyiphe umusa phambi kwalo muntu.”

Ngaleso sikhathi ngangingumphathindebe wenkosi.