UNehemiya

9 Ngosuku luka-24 lwenyanga yesikhombisa ama-Israyeli ahlangana; azila ukudla, ambatha indwangu yesaka azithela nangenhlabathi. + 2 Labo ababeyinzalo ka-Israyeli babe sebezihlukanisa nabo bonke abezinye izizwe, + bama bavuma izono zabo neziphambeko zoyise. + 3 Bemi endaweni ababekuyo bafunda ngokuzwakalayo incwadi yoMthetho + kaJehova uNkulunkulu wabo amahora amathathu;* ngamanye amahora amathathu babevuma izono bekhothama kuJehova uNkulunkulu wabo.

4 UJeshuwa, uBhani, uKhadimiyeli, uShebaniya, uBhuni, uSherebiya, + uBhani noKhenani bagibela esiteji + samaLevi bathandaza ngezwi elikhulu kuJehova uNkulunkulu wabo. 5 UJeshuwa, uKhadimiyeli, uBhani, uHashabhineya, uSherebiya, uHodiya, uShebaniya noPhethahiya abangamaLevi bathi: “Sukumani nidumise uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu kuze kube phakade. *+ Mabadumise igama lakho elikhazimulayo, okungekho kukhazinyuliswa nakudunyiswa okuvela kubantu okungalenela.

6 “Nguwe wedwa onguJehova; + wenze amazulu, yebo izulu lamazulu nakho konke okukuwo,* umhlaba nakho konke okukuwo, izilwandle nakho konke okukuzo. Konke ukugcina kuphila, nakho konke okusemazulwini* kukhothamela wena. 7 UnguJehova uNkulunkulu weqiniso, owakhetha u-Abrama + wabe usumkhipha e-Uri + lamaKhaledi wametha igama elithi Abrahama. + 8 Wathola inhliziyo yakhe ithembekile phambi kwakho, + ngakho wenza isivumelwano naye sokunika yena nenzalo *+ yakhe izwe lamaKhanani, elamaHeti, elama-Amori, elamaPherizi, elamaJebusi nelamaGirigashi; futhi wazigcina izithembiso zakho, ngoba ulungile.

9 “Ngakho wakubona ukuhlupheka kokhokho bethu eGibhithe, + wakuzwa nokukhala kwabo oLwandle Olubomvu. 10 Wenza izibonakaliso nezimangaliso ukuze ujezise uFaro nazo zonke izinceku zakhe nabo bonke abantu bezwe lakhe, + ngoba wawazi ukuthi babebahlukumezile abantu bakho. + Wazenzela igama eliye laqhubeka likhona kuze kube namuhla. + 11 Wahlukanisa ulwandle phambi kwabo, banqamula phakathi olwandle emhlabathini owomile, + ababebajaha wabajikijela ekujuleni njengetshe lijikijelwa olwandle olugubhayo. + 12 Wabahola ngensika yefu emini, nangensika yomlilo ebusuku, ukuze ubakhanyisele indlela okwakufanele bahambe ngayo. + 13 Wehlela phezu kweNtaba iSinayi + wakhuluma nabo usezulwini + wabanika izahlulelo zokulunga, imithetho yeqiniso,* iziqondiso ezinhle nemiyalo. + 14 Wabafundisa ukugcina iSabatha lakho elingcwele, + wabanika imiyalo, iziqondiso nomthetho usebenzisa inceku yakho uMose. 15 Wabapha isinkwa esivela ezulwini lapho belambile, + wabakhiphela amanzi edwaleni lapho bomile, + wabatshela ukuba bangene bathathe izwe owawufungile* ukuthi uzobanika lona.

16 “Kodwa okhokho bethu bagabadela + baba nenkani, *+ bengafuni ukulalela imiyalo yakho. 17 Benqaba ukulalela, + abazikhumbulanga izenzo zakho ezimangalisayo owazenza phakathi kwabo, kodwa baba nenkani,* bamisa umholi ukuze babuyele ebugqileni babo eGibhithe. + Kodwa wena unguNkulunkulu ozimisele ukuthethelela,* onozwela* nonesihe, owephuza ukuthukuthela nochichima uthando oluqotho *+ futhi awubalahlanga. + 18 Ngisho nalapho sebezenzele isithombe sensimbi* sethole, bethi, ‘Lona nguNkulunkulu wethu owasikhipha eGibhithe,’ + benza nezenzo ezinkulu zendelelo, 19 nalapho, ngesihe sakho esikhulu awubashiyanga ehlane. + Insika yefu ayibashiyanga emini ukuba ibahole endleleni, nensika yomlilo ebusuku ukuba ibakhanyisele indlela okwakufanele bahambe ngayo. + 20 Wabanika umoya wakho omuhle ukuze ubenze bahlakaniphe, + futhi awuzange ubagodlele imana lakho, + wabanika namanzi lapho bomile. + 21 Iminyaka engu-40 wabalungiselela ukudla ehlane. + Abazange baswele lutho. Izingubo zabo aziguganga, + nezinyawo zabo azivuvukalanga.

22 “Wabanika imibuso nezizwe, wababela izindawo, + balidla izwe likaSihoni + inkosi yaseHeshibhoni + nezwe lika-Ogi + inkosi yaseBhashani. 23 Amadodana abo wawenza aba maningi ngangezinkanyezi zamazulu. + Wawaletha ezweni owawuthembise okhokho bawo ukuthi bazongena balidle. + 24 Ngakho amadodana abo angena alithatha izwe, + wena wanqoba amaKhanani + ayehlala kulelo zwe, wawanikela esandleni samadodana abantu bakho ukuba enze akuthandayo kuwo, wanikela amakhosi awo nabantu bakulelo zwe. 25 Athatha amadolobha anezivikelo eziqinile + nezwe elivundile, *+ athatha nezindlu ezigcwele zonke izinhlobo zezinto ezinhle, imithombo eyase imbiwe, amasimu amagilebhisi, izihlahla zeminqumo + nezihlahla zezithelo eziningi. Ngakho adla aneliseka futhi akhuluphala, anethezeka ebuhleni bakho obukhulu.

26 “Nokho awalalelanga, adlubulunda + awushiya uMthetho wakho.* Abulala abaprofethi bakho ababewaxwayisa ukuba abuyele kuwe, abonisa indelelo enkulu. + 27 Ngenxa yalokhu wawanikela esandleni sezitha zawo, + ezazilokhu ziwabangela ukucindezeleka. + Kodwa lapho esecindezelekile ayekhala kuwe, wena wawuzwa usemazulwini; ngenxa yesihe sakho esikhulu wawuwanika abasindisi ukuze bawakhulule esandleni sezitha zawo. +

28 “Kodwa ngokushesha nje lapho esekhululekile, ayephinda futhi enze okubi phambi kwakho, + wawube usuwashiya esandleni sezitha zawo ezaziwacindezela. *+ Khona-ke ayebuya acele usizo kuwe, + wena uzwe usemazulwini bese uwakhulula ngokuphindaphindiwe ngenxa yesihe sakho esikhulu. + 29 Nakuba wawuwaxwayisa ukuze uwabuyisele eMthethweni wakho, ayegabadela futhi awayilalelanga imiyalo yakho; + ona ngokungayigcini imithetho yakho, okuthi uma umuntu eyigcina aphile. + Kodwa akufulathela ngenkani, aqinisa amakhanda,* awangalalela. 30 Wawabekezelela + iminyaka eminingi futhi waqhubeka uwaxwayisa ngomoya wakho usebenzisa abaprofethi bakho, kodwa awalalelanga. Ekugcineni wawanikela esandleni sabantu bezizwe. + 31 Ngenxa yesihe sakho esikhulu awuwaqothulanga + noma uwashiye, ngoba wena unguNkulunkulu onozwela* nonesihe. +

32 “Manje, Nkulunkulu wethu, Nkulunkulu omkhulu, onamandla nobabazekayo, osigcinile isivumelwano sakhe nobonise uthando oluqotho, + mabungabonakali buyinto encane kuwe bonke lobu bunzima obusehlele, thina, amakhosi ethu, izikhulu zethu, + abapristi bethu, + abaprofethi bethu, + okhokho bethu nabo bonke abantu bakho kusukela ezinsukwini zamakhosi ase-Asiriya + kuze kube namuhla. 33 Wena ulungile kukho konke lokhu okusehlele, ngoba uye wathembeka; kodwa yithi esenze izinto ngokukhohlakala. + 34 Amakhosi ethu, izikhulu zethu, abapristi bethu nokhokho bethu, abawugcinanga uMthetho wakho, abayinakanga imiyalo yakho noma izixwayiso* zakho owabaxwayisa ngazo. 35 Ngisho nangesikhathi sokubusa kwamakhosi ethu, benenala yezinto ezinhle owawubanike zona, besezweni elibanzi nelivundile* owawubanike lona, abakukhonzanga + nemikhuba yabo emibi abayiyekanga. 36 Bheka namuhla siyizigqila +—izigqila ezweni owalinika okhokho bethu ukuba badle izithelo zalo nezinto zalo ezinhle. 37 Umkhiqizo walo oyinala ungowamakhosi owabeke phezu kwethu ngenxa yezono zethu. + Abusa phezu kwethu naphezu kwemfuyo yethu ngokuthanda kwawo, futhi thina sithwele kanzima.

38 “Ngakho ngenxa yakho konke lokhu, siyazibophezela + ngokubhala phansi, futhi lokhu kufakazelwa ngesigxivizo sezikhulu zethu, amaLevi ethu nabapristi bethu.” +