U-Ezra 5 - iBhayibhili Elingcwele 1978

Ukuqhubeka komsebenzi wokwakha ithempeli

¹ Abaprofethi oHagayi loZekariya indodana kaIdo batshumayela bekhuthaza abaJuda ababekoJuda laseJerusalema ebizweni likaNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli.

² Kwasekusuka oZerubabeli indodana kaSalatiyeli loJeshuwa indodana kaJozadaki, bayakha indlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema, labaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu babasiza.

³ Basebefika oTathenayi umbusi welizwe elingaphetsheya kweYufrathi loShethari‐Bozenayi, labanye bakibo, bathi: Ngubani okhuphe umthetho olivumele ukwakha lindlu lokuyiqedisa na?

⁴ Basebebabuza lokuthi: Ngobani amabizo abantu abakha lindlu na?

⁵ Kodwa uNkulunkulu wabo wabalondoloza abadala babaJuda, kababamisanga kuze leyondaba ifinyelele kuDariyu, abuyise impendulo ngencwadi ngayo.

⁶ Nansike incwadi abayithumela kuDariyu inkosi oTathenayi umbusi welizwe elingaphetsheya kweYufrathi loShethari‐Bozenayi lababelabo ababusi ababeselizweni elingaphetsheya kweYufrathi,

⁷ baloba bathi: Nkosi Dariyu, siyakubingelela.

⁸ Siyayazisa inkosi ukuthi besiselizweni lakoJuda, endlini kaNkulunkulu omkhulu. Safumanisa ukuthi iyakhiwa ngamatshe amakhulu, lokuthi sekufakwe izigodo emidulini; umsebenzi uyaqhubeka kuhle, uya phambili ngokusebenza kwabo.

⁹ Sasesibabuza abadala sathi: Ngubani okhuphe umthetho olivumele ukwakha lindlu lokuyiqedisa na?

¹⁰ Sababuza amabizo abo ukuze sikubikele, lokuze silobe amabizo abantu ababaphetheyo.

¹¹ Bona basiphendula bathi: Thina siyizinceku zikaNkulunkulu wezulu lomhlaba, sivusa indlu eyayakhiwe eminyakeni eminengi eyedlulileyo, inkosi enkulu yakoIsrayeli eyayakha yayiqeda.

¹² Kodwa ngoba okhokho bethu bamthukuthelisa uNkulunkulu ophezulu, wabanikela esandleni sikaNebukadineza inkosi yaseBabiloni, umKaladiya, owadiliza lindlu, wathumba labantu wabasa eBabiloni.

¹³ Kodwake uKurosi inkosi yaseBabiloni ngomnyaka wokuqala wokubusa kwakhe wakhupha umthetho wokuthi lindlu kaNkulunkulu kayakhiwe futhi.

¹⁴ Lezitsha zegolide lezesiliva ezendlu kaNkulunkulu uNebukadineza ayezithethe ethempelini eJerusalema wazifaka ethempelini laseBabiloni, uKurosi inkosi wazikhupha ethempelini eBabiloni, wazinikeza kuSheshibazari ayembeke ukuba abe ngumbusi,

¹⁵ wathi kuye: Thatha lezizitsha, uyezibeka ethempelini eliseJerusalema, lendlu kaNkulunkulu yakhiwe futhi endaweni yayo.

¹⁶ USheshibazari lowo wafika wabeka izisekelo zendlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema; kusukela kulesosikhathi kuze kube khathesi ilokhu isakhiwa, kayikapheli.

¹⁷ Ngakhoke uba kulungile enkosini kakuhlolisiswe endlini yokugcina impahla zenkosi eBabiloni ukuba kubonwe ukuthi umthetho wakhutshwa yini nguKurosi inkosi ukuba kwakhiwe futhi lindlu kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema. Inkosi isitshele ekufisayo ngalindaba.