UNehemiya

9 Mhlaka 24 ngaleyonyanga abako-Israyeli babuthana bazila ukudla begqoke izembatho zamasaka, bezithela ngenhlabathi emakhanda.+ 2 Labo ababengabako-Israyeli ngomdabuko behlukana labantu bonke bezinye izizwe,+ basebesima bavuma izono zabo lezabokhokho babo.+ 3 Bama endaweni yabo babalela abantu ibhuku loMthetho+ kaJehova uNkulunkulu wabo okwamahora amathathu.* Ngemva kwalokho bavuma izono zabo okwamahora amathathu bekhotheme phambi kukaJehova uNkulunkulu wabo.

4 UJeshuwa, loBhani, loKhadimiyeli, loShebhaniya, loBhuni loSherebhiya,+ loBhani, loKhenani bama endaweni ephakemeyo+ eyayilungiselwe amaLevi. Bamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu bethandaza kuJehova uNkulunkulu wabo. 5 AmaLevi lawa, uJeshuwa, loKhadimiyeli, loBhani, loHashabheniya, loSherebhiya, loHodiya, loShebhaniya, loPhethahiya athi: “Sukumani lidumise uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu kuze kube nini lanini.+ Awu Nkulunkulu, kabalidumise ibizo lakho eliphakemeyo, lelo abantu abaswela amazwi afaneleyo okulikhazimulisa lokulibusisa.

6 “Wena wedwa unguJehova,+ nguwe owenza amazulu aphakemeyo lakho konke okukuwo,* wenza lomhlaba lakho konke okukuwo, lolwandle lakho konke okukulo. Konke lokhu kugcinwe nguwe njalo ibutho elisemazulwini* liyakukhothamela. 7 Wena unguJehova uNkulunkulu weqiniso owakhetha u-Abrama+ wamkhipha e-Uri+ idolobho lamaKhaledi, wamnika ibizo elithi Abrahama.+ 8 Wabona ukuthi uthembeke ngenhliziyo yonke kuwe+ yikho wenza laye isivumelwano wamthembisa ukuthi uzamnika ilizwe lamaKhenani, lamaHithi, lama-Amori, lamaPherizi, lamaJebusi lamaGirigashi ukuze libe ngelezizukulwane zakhe.+ Wazigcina izithembiso zakho ngenxa yokuthi ulungile.

9 “Wabubona ubunzima okhokho bethu ababephakathi kwabo eGibhithe+ futhi wezwa ukukhala kwabo beseLwandle Olubomvu. 10 Wenza izimangaliso lezibonakaliso ukuze ujezise uFaro lezinceku zakhe labo bonke abantu belizwe lakhe+ ngoba wawusazi ukuthi babehlukuluza+ abako-Israyeli. Wenza ukuthi ibizo lakho laziwe futhi lilokhu libatshazwa kuze kube lamuhla.+ 11 Wehlukanisa ulwandle phambi kwamehlo abo bachapha behamba emhlabathini owomileyo.+ Ababebaxotshanisa wabaphosela enzikini yolwandle njengelitshe liphoselwa emanzini alamagagasi esabekayo.+ 12 Emini wawubakhokhela ngeyezi* kuthi ebusuku ubakhokhele ngomlilo* ukuze ubakhanyisele lapho okwakumele bahambe khona.+ 13 Wehlela entabeni iSinayi+ njalo wakhuluma labo usezulwini+ wabapha izahlulelo zakho ezilungileyo, lemithetho eqondileyo, lezimiso ezinhle kanye lemilayo.+ 14 Wabatshela ukuthi bagcine iSabatha lakho elingcwele+ njalo wabanika imilayo lezimiso kanye lemithetho usebenzisa uMosi inceku yakho. 15 Wabanika isinkwa esivela ezulwini ngesikhathi belambile+ njalo wabakhiphela amanzi edwaleni ngesikhathi bomile.+ Wabatshela ukuthi bangene bathathe ilizwe owawufunge ukuthi uzabanika lona.

16 “Kodwa okhokho bethu abazange bayilalele imilayo yakho futhi baba yiziqholo,*+ bazenzela umathanda.+ 17 Babengafuni ukulalela+ njalo bazikhohlwa izimanga owawubenzele zona, baqinisa amakhanda bakhetha owabo umkhokheli ukuze babuyele bayekuba yizigqili eGibhithe.+ Kodwa wena unguNkulunkulu ozimiseleyo ukuthethelela, olozwelo* futhi olesihawu. Uyaphuza ukuthukuthela futhi ugcwele uthando oluqotho,+ yikho ungazange ubalahle.+ 18 Benza isithombe sethole ngensimbi bathi: ‘Lo nguNkulunkulu wethu owasikhipha eGibhithe,’+ njalo benza izinto ezimbi kakhulu betshengisa ukuthi abakuhloniphi. 19 Lanxa kunjalo wena waba lesihawu esikhulu kubo futhi awuzange ubalahle enkangala.+ Iyezi* elalibakhokhela alizange lisuke phezu kwabo emini, lomlilo* waqhubeka ubakhanyisela lapho okwakufanele bahambe khona ebusuku.+ 20 Wabapha umoya wakho* ukuze bahlakaniphe+ futhi awuzange ubancitshe imana.+ Wabanika lamanzi ngesikhathi bomile.+ 21 Wabapha ukudla okweminyaka engu-40 besenkangala.+ Babengasweli lutho, izigqoko zabo azizange zijujuke+ lenyawo zabo azizange zivuvuke.

22 “Wabenza banqoba imibuso lezizwe, wabanika imibuso ilandelana.+ Bathatha ilizwe likaSihoni+ inkosi yeHeshibhoni+ lelika-Ogi+ inkosi yeBhashani. 23 Wenza abantwababo baba banengi njengezinkanyezi ezisesibhakabhakeni+ wasubaletha elizweni owathembisa okhokho babo ukuthi uzabapha lona libe ngelabo.+ 24 Ngakho abantwababo bangena elizweni balithatha+ wena wasunqoba amaKhenani+ ayehlala kulelolizwe wawasusa phambi kwabo. Wanikela esandleni sabo amakhosi awo labo bonke abantu bakuleyondawo ukuze babenze loba yini abayifunayo. 25 Bathumba amadolobho avikelwe ngemiduli emikhulu,+ bathatha umhlabathi ovundileyo+ lezindlu ezigcwele izinto ezinhle. Bathola kulemigodi yamanzi, lamasimu amagilebisi lawama-oliva+ lezihlahla zezithelo ezinengi. Badla basutha, bazimuka. Babethokoza kakhulu ngenxa yakho konke okuhle owawubanika khona.

26 “Kodwa bahlamuka+ bafulathela uMthetho owawubaphe wona njalo abazange bakulalele. Babulala abaphrofethi bakho ababebaxwayisa bezama ukubabuyisela kuwe. Batshengisa ukuthi abakuhloniphi ngitsho.+ 27 Yikho wabanikela ezitheni zabo+ zabathwalisa nzima.+ Kodwa babekhala kuwe nxa sebesekuhluphekeni, wena ubazwe usemazulwini ubusuthumela abantu bakho ukuthi babakhulule ezitheni zabo+ ngoba ulesihawu esikhulu.

28 “Kodwa babesithi bangaphuma ebunzimeni bahle baqalise futhi ukwenza okubi phambi kwakho+ ubusubanikela ezitheni zabo ezazibacindezela.+ Babephinda baphenduke kuwe bezocela uncedo,+ wena ubalalele usemazulwini. Wawubakhulula njalonje ngoba ulesihawu esikhulu.+ 29 Wawubaxwayisa ufuna ukubabuyisela eMthethweni wakho kodwa baba yiziqholo bala ukulalela imilayo yakho.+ Bephula imilayo yakho eyenza umuntu aphile nxa eyilandela.+ Bakufulathela baqinisa amakhanda bengafuni ukulalela. 30 Wababekezelela+ okweminyaka leminyaka waqhubeka ubaxwayisa usebenzisa abaphrofethi bakho ababelomoya wakho, kodwa abazange balalele. Ekucineni wabanikela ezizweni ezazibagombolozele.+ 31 Lanxa kunjalo awuzange ubatshabalalise+ njalo awubalahlanga ngoba wena ulesihawu esikhulu. UnguNkulunkulu olozwelo futhi olesihawu.+

32 “Khathesi-ke Nkulunkulu wethu, Nkulunkulu omkhulu, olamandla futhi omangalisayo ogcine isivumelwano sakhe njalo watshengisa ukuthi ulothando oluqotho,+ ungabukhohlwa ubunzima obusehleleyo thina lamakhosi ethu, labakhokheli bethu,+ labaphristi bethu,+ labaphrofethi bethu,+ labokhokho bethu labo bonke abantu bakho, kusukela ngensuku zamakhosi ase-Asiriya+ kuze kube lamuhla. 33 Kukho konke okusehleleyo wena ubulokhu ulungile ngoba utshengise ukuthi uthembekile kodwa thina yithi esenze okubi.+ 34 Amakhosi ethu, labakhokheli bethu, labaphristi bethu, labokhokho bethu abawulalelanga uMthetho wakho futhi abayilandelanga imilayo yakho lezikhumbuzo owabapha zona ngesikhathi ubaxwayisa. 35 Langesikhathi umbuso wabo usesekhona, besakholisa izinto ezinengi ezinhle owawubapha zona njalo beselizweni elibanzi elilomhlabathi ovundileyo owawubanike lona, abazange bakukhonze+ kodwa baqhubeka besenza okubi. 36 Yikho lamuhla sesiyizigqili+ elizweni owalipha okhokho bethu ukuthi bahlale kulo bezidlela izithelo futhi bekholisa izinto ezinhle ezikulo. 37 Konke ukudla esikutholayo sekungokwamakhosi owabeke phezu kwethu ukuthi asibuse ngenxa yezono esizenzileyo.+ Azenzela umathanda phezu kwethu lasezifuyweni zethu, sithwele nzima.

38 “Ngenxa yakho konke lokhu senza isivumelwano esiqinileyo+ futhi sizasibhala phansi, besekusithi abakhokheli bethu lamaLevi labaphristi+ bafake uphawu kuso ukuze basiqinise.”