U-Ezra 9 - iBhayibhili Elingcwele 1978

UEzra wenza umkhuleko wokuvuma izono zabantu

¹ Kwathi sekwenziwe konke lokho, izinduna zeza kimi zathi: AbakoIsrayeli labapristi lamaLevi kabazahlukanisanga labantu bezizwe lamanyala abo, amaKanani lamaHethi lamaPerizi lamaJebusi lamaAmoni lamaMowabi lamaGibithe lamaAmori.

² Bazithathele emadodakazini azo ukuba abe ngomkabo labamadodana abo, kwaze kwaxubana isizwe esingcwele labantu bezizwe. Kulobububi izinduna lezikhulu yizo eziphambili.

³ Kwathi ngisizwa lokho ngadabula ingubo zami lesigqoko sami, ngangcothula inwele ekhanda lami lendevu zami, ngahlala phansi ngathithibala.

⁴ Bonke abawesabayo amazwi kaNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli babuthana kimi ngenxa yobubi babathunjiweyo ababuyileyo, mina ngihlezi ngithithibele kwaze kwaba yisikhathi somnikelo wakusihlwa.

⁵ Ngesikhathi somnikelo wakusihlwa ngasukuma ekuzileni kwami ukudla, ingubo yami lesigqoko sami kudabukile, ngaguqa ngamadolo ami, ngaphakamisela izandla zami eNkosini uNkulunkulu wami,

⁶ ngathi: Wena Nkulunkulu wami, ngilenhloni, ngiyesaba ukukukhangela, Nkulunkulu wami, ngoba ububi bethu buphakeme ngaphezu kwamakhanda ethu lesono sethu sifinyelele ezulwini.

⁷ Kusukela ensukwini zabokhokho kuze kube lamhla besiphakathi kwesono esikhulu, langenxa yobubi bethu thina lamakhosi ethu labapristi bethu sinikelwe ezandleni zamakhosi ezizwe lasekubhujisweni lasekuthunjweni lasekuphangweni lasehlazweni elibi njengalamhlanje.

⁸ Kodwa okwesikhatshana esifitshane nje iNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu ibisenzele umusa ngokusitshiyela ingcosana lokusinika isikhundla endaweni yayo engcwele, ukuze uNkulunkulu wethu asithokozise asivuselele ebugqilini bethu.

⁹ Ngoba siyizigqili, kanti uNkulunkulu wethu kasiyekelanga ebugqilini bethu, kodwa usenzele umusa emehlweni amakhosi asePerisiya, ukusivuselela ukuba sakhe indlu kaNkulunkulu wethu, silungise unxiwa lwayo lokusivikela koJuda laseJerusalema.

¹⁰ Khathesike, Nkulunkulu wethu, sizakuthini ngemva kwalokho na? Ngoba siyidelile imilayo yakho,

¹¹ owasilaya yona ngezinceku zakho abaprofethi, wathi: Ilizwe elingena kulo ukuba libe ngelenu liyilizwe elingcoliswe ngamanyala abantu belizwe, baligcwalisile ngengcekeza yabo kusukela komunye umngcele kusiya komunye.

¹² Ngakhoke lingendiseli amadodana abo amadodakazi enu, futhi lingathatheli amadodana enu amadodakazi abo, lingabenzeli okuhle lempumelelo ukuba liqine lidle okuhle kwelizwe, lilitshiyele abantwana benu libe yilizwe labo kokuphela.

¹³ Ngemva kwakho konke okusehleleyo ngenxa yezenzo zethu ezimbi langenxa yesono sethu esikhulu, lanxa wena Nkulunkulu wethu usitshaye ngokungalingani lezono zethu, wasiyekela siyingcosana enje,

¹⁴ sizakuyephula futhi yini imilayo yakho, sibuye sithathane labantu abenza lezizinto ezingcolileyo na? Kawuyikusithukuthelela ukuze usiqede kungasali lengcosana loba loyedwa ophunyukayo na?

¹⁵ Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, wena ulungile, usitshiyile siyingcosana ephunyukileyo njengalamhlanje. Sesikhona phambi kwakho lezono zethu: ngenxa yazo kakho loyedwa ongema phambi kwakho.