U-Ezra 4 - iBhayibhili Elingcwele 1978

Izitha zabakoJuda ziyabahlupha ekwakheni kwabo

¹ Kwathi lapho izitha zakoJuda lezakoBenjamini sezizwile ukuthi abantu ababuyileyo ekuthunjweni babesakhela iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli ithempeli,

² baya kuZerubabeli loJeshuwa lezinhloko zezindlu bathi kibo: Sivumeleni sakhe lani, ngoba sikhonza uNkulunkulu wenu njengani, sinikele imihlatshelo kuye kusukela ensukwini zikaEsarihadoni inkosi yaseAsiriya owasiletha lapha.

³ Kodwa uZerubabeli loJeshuwa lezinye inhloko zezindlu zakoIsrayeli bathi kibo: Kayisikho kwenu ukwakhela uNkulunkulu wethu indlu, kodwa yithi sodwa esifanele ukuyakhela iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli indlu njengokusilaya kwakhe uKurosi inkosi yasePerisiya.

⁴ Abantu balelolizwe basebebadondisa abakoJuda, babenza ukuba besabe ukuyakha indlu,

⁵ bayenga izikhulu ukufilisa icebo labo kuzo zonke insuku zokubusa kukaKurosi inkosi yasePerisiya, kwaze kwaba sensukwini zikaDariyu inkosi yasePerisiya.

⁶ Ekuqaliseni kokubusa kukaAhasuweru abantu balelolizwe bagwala izincwadi bemangalela abakoJuda labaseJerusalema.

⁷ Ensukwini zokubusa kukaAtakisekisi inkosi yasePerisiya oBishilamu loMithiredathi loTabeyeli labanye abakibo bagwalela uAtakisekisi incwadi eyayilotshwe ngesiAramu.

⁸ URehuma induna loShimishayi umbhali babhalela inkosi uAtakisekisi bemangalela iJerusalema bathi:

⁹ Nansi incwadi yaboRehuma induna loShimishayi umbhali kanye labanye, abehluleli, lababusi, lezinduna zamaPerisiya, labantu baseEreki labaseBabiloni labaseSusa, abathiwa ngabaseElamu,

¹⁰ labezinye izizwe ezathunjwa nguAshuribanipali omkhulu lodumileyo wazihlalisa emizini yaseSamariya lakulo lonke ilizwe elingaphetsheya komfula iYufrathi.

¹¹ Nanka amazwi encwadi yabo: Nkosi Atakisekisi, thina zinceku zakho, abantu bendawo engaphetsheya kweYufrathi, siyakubingelela.

¹² Siyayazisa inkosi ukuthi abaJuda abafika lapha bevela kuwe sebeyile eJerusalema. Sebewakha lowomuzi oxhwalileyo lomubi; balungisile izisekelo, sebeqedisa imiduli.

¹³ Siyayazisa inkosi ukuthi uba lumuzi usakhiwa lemiduli iphele, kabasayikuthela imithelo, futhi kuzadumaza amakhosi ekucineni.

¹⁴ Njengoba zisondliwa yinkosi kakusifanelanga ukuba sibone ihlazo lenkosi, ngakhoke siyayibikela inkosi

¹⁵ ukuze kuhlolisiswe ezingwalweni zezindaba zabokhokho bakho. Uzakubona ezingwalweni ukuba lumuzi ungumuzi ohluphayo, uyingozi emakhosini lemazweni awo, uhlala uvukela amakhosi lokhu kwasukela endulo. Yikho okwenza ukuba lumuzi uchithwe.

¹⁶ Siyayibikela inkosi ukuthi uba lumuzi usakhiwa, lemiduli yawo iphele, kayisayikuba lesikhundla elizweni elingaphetsheya kweYufrathi.

¹⁷ Inkosi yasiphendula isithi: KuboRehuma induna loShimishayi umbhali lakwabanye benu abahlala eSamariya lakulo lonke ilizwe elingaphetsheya komfula iYufrathi ngiyabingelela.

¹⁸ Incwadi elingithumele yona ifundiwe kuhle kimi.

¹⁹ Ngenze umthetho, ukuba kuhlolisiswe, kwabonakala ukuba lokho kusukela endulo lumuzi uhlala uvukela amakhosi, umvukela lokuhlamuka kuhlala kukhona.

²⁰ Amakhosi alamandla ake aba khona eJerusalema abusa ilizwe lonke elingaphetsheya komfula iYufrathi, kwathelwa kuwo imithelo.

²¹ Ngakhoke yenzani umthetho ukuba lababantu bamiswe ukuba lumuzi ungakhiwa ngize ngenze umthetho mina.

²² Qaphelisani ukuthi kaliyekethisi kulindaba ukuba kungabi khona okudumaza amakhosi.

²³ Kwathi incwadi yenkosi uAtakisekisi isifundiwe kuboRehuma loShimishayi umbhali lababelabo, baya masinyane kubaJuda abaseJerusalema, babamisa ngamandla ukwakha.

²⁴ Wasusimake umsebenzi wokwakha indlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema; wema kwaze kwaba ngumnyaka wesibili wokubusa kukaDariyu inkosi yasePerisiya.