U-Ezra
7 Ngemva kwalezi zinto, ngesikhathi sokubusa kuka-Aritahishashita inkosi + yasePheresiya, u-Ezra *+ wabuya. Wayeyindodana kaSeraya, + indodana ka-Azariya, indodana kaHilikiya, + 2 indodana kaShalumi, indodana kaZadoki, indodana ka-Ahithubi, 3 indodana ka-Amariya, indodana ka-Azariya, + indodana kaMerayoti, 4 indodana kaZeraya, indodana ka-Uzi, indodana kaBhuki, 5 indodana ka-Abhishuwa, indodana kaFinehasi, + indodana ka-Eleyazare, + indodana ka-Aroni + umpristi omkhulu. 6 Lo Ezra wakhuphuka evela eBhabhiloni. Wayengumkopishi* owayewazi kahle uMthetho KaMose, + ababewunikwe uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Inkosi yamnika konke ayekucelile, ngoba isandla sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe sasiphezu kwakhe.
7 Amanye ama-Israyeli, abapristi, amaLevi, + abahlabeleli, + abalindisango + nezikhonzi zasethempelini, *+ bakhuphukela eJerusalema ngonyaka wesikhombisa weNkosi u-Aritahishashita. 8 U-Ezra wafika eJerusalema ngenyanga yesihlanu, ngonyaka wesikhombisa wenkosi. 9 Ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yokuqala, wathatha uhambo olusuka eBhabhiloni, wafika eJerusalema ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yesihlanu, ngoba isandla esihle sikaNkulunkulu wakhe sasiphezu kwakhe. + 10 U-Ezra wayelungise inhliziyo* yakhe ukuba ahlole uMthetho kaJehova nokuba awenze + nokuba afundise kwa-Israyeli iziqondiso nezahlulelo zawo. +
11 Nansi ikhophi yencwadi iNkosi u-Aritahishashita eyayinika u-Ezra umpristi nomkopishi,* oyisazi* semiyalo kaJehova neziqondiso zakhe ku-Israyeli:
12 * “Ivela ku-Aritahishashita, + inkosi yamakhosi, iya ku-Ezra umpristi, umkopishi* woMthetho kaNkulunkulu wamazulu: Kwangathi ungaba nokuthula. Manje 13 ngikhiphe umyalo wokuba wonke umuntu embusweni wami kubantu bakwa-Israyeli nabapristi babo namaLevi, othandayo ukuya nawe eJerusalema makahambe nawe. + 14 Ngoba wena uthunywe yinkosi nabeluleki bayo abayisikhombisa ukuba uhlole ukuthi uMthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho owuphethe uyagcinwa yini kwaJuda naseJerusalema, 15 nokuba uthathe isiliva negolide inkosi nabeluleki bayo abalinike uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ngokuzithandela, ondawo yakhe yokuhlala iseJerusalema, 16 kanye nalo lonke isiliva negolide olithola kuso sonke isifundazwe* saseBhabhiloni nesipho abantu nabapristi abasinikelela indlu kaNkulunkulu wabo eseJerusalema ngokuzithandela. + 17 Ngale mali kufanele uthenge ngokushesha izinkunzi, + izinqama, + amawundlu + kanye neminikelo yako yokudla okusanhlamvu + neminikelo yako ephuzwayo, + kumele ukulethe e-altare lendlu kaNkulunkulu wenu eseJerusalema.
18 “Noma yini ebonakala iyinhle kuwe nakubafowenu ukuyenza, ningayenza ngalo lonke elinye isiliva negolide, ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu wenu. 19 Zonke izitsha enizinikwayo zenkonzo yendlu kaNkulunkulu wakho, kufanele uzilethe phambi kukaNkulunkulu eJerusalema. + 20 Zonke ezinye izinto ezidingekayo endlini kaNkulunkulu wakho okumele uzikhiphe, uyozithatha engcebweni yasebukhosini. +
21 “Mina Nkosi Aritahishashita, ngikhiphe umyalo kubo bonke abaphathi-zimali abangaPhesheya Komfula, wokuthi konke u-Ezra umpristi, + umkopishi* woMthetho kaNkulunkulu wamazulu, akucelayo kini kumele kwenziwe ngokushesha, 22 ngisho noma kungaba amathalenta* angu-100 esiliva, amakhora* angu-100 kakolweni, amabhathi* angu-100 ewayini, + amabhathi angu-100 amafutha + nosawoti + ongenasilinganiso. 23 Konke uNkulunkulu wamazulu akuyalile makwenzelwe indlu kaNkulunkulu wamazulu + ngentshiseko, ukuze kungabikho lulaka oluvuthela umbuso wenkosi namadodana ayo. + 24 Nixwayiswa nangokuthi akuvumelekile ukuba kufunwe ngenkani intela, inkokhiso, + imali yomgwaqo kunoma yimuphi kubapristi nakumaLevi, abaculi, + abalindimnyango, izikhonzi zasethempelini *+ nezisebenzi zakule ndlu kaNkulunkulu.
25 “Wena Ezra, ngokuhlakanipha owakuthola kuNkulunkulu wakho, misa izimantshi nabahluleli ukuze bahlulele bonke abantu abangaPhesheya Komfula, bonke labo abazi imithetho kaNkulunkulu wakho; futhi kufanele ufundise noma ubani ongayazi. + 26 Wonke umuntu ongawugcini uMthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho nomthetho wenkosi, kufanele ahlulelwe ngokushesha, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi isahlulelo siwukubulawa, ukudingiswa, inhlawulo noma ukufakwa ejele.”
27 Kwangathi uJehova uNkulunkulu wokhokho bethu angadunyiswa, ofake enhliziyweni yenkosi isifiso sokwenza indlu kaJehova eseJerusalema ibe yinhle! + 28 Ungibonise uthando oluqotho phambi kwenkosi + nabeluleki bayo + nazo zonke izikhulu zenkosi ezinamandla. Ngakho ngaba nesibindi ngoba isandla sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wami sasiphezu kwami, ngaqoqa kwa-Israyeli amadoda aholayo* ukuba akhuphuke kanye nami.