UNehemiya Ukhusela Abazalwana Bakhe Abacinezelweyo
Esi sisongelo ngesi sihlandlo singaphakathi: indlala neerhafu ziqhube iintsapho ukuba zibeke amasimi esibambisweni zize zithengise abantwana bazo, lo gama izinhanha zamaYuda zibiza inzala kubazalwana bazo. Umsindo kaNehemiya, nokoyika uBawo wethu, kunyanzela imbuyekezo, aze ale isabelo sokudla serhuluneli iminyaka elishumi elinambini.
5 1Ke kaloku kwavela isikhalo esikhulu ebantwini nabafazi babo, sibhekisa kumaYuda angabazalwana babo. 2Abanye bathi: “Thina, noonyana bethu, neentombi zethu, sibaninzi; masizuze ingqolowa ukuze sidle siphile.” 3Abanye bathi: “Siyawabeka esibambisweni amasimi ethu, nezidiliya zethu, nezindlu zethu, ukuze sifumane ingqolowa ngemihla yendlala.” 4Abanye bathi: “Siyibolekile imali yerhafu yokumkani ngamasimi ethu nezidiliya zethu. 5Thina siyinyama yabazalwana bethu, abantwana bethu banjengabantwana babo—kanti siyabanyanzela oonyana bethu neentombi zethu ukuba babe sebukhobokeni. Abanye beentombi zethu sele bengamakhoboka, size singabi namandla: amasimi ethu nezidiliya zethu aphethwe ngabanye.”
6Ndacaphuka kakhulu ndakuva isikhalo sabo nala mazwi. 7Ndayigqala le nto, ndaza ndabakhalimela abanumzana nabaphathi, ndathi: “Ngamnye kuni ubiza inzala kubazalwana bakhe!” Ndaza ndabizela indibano enkulu nxamnye nabo. 8Ndathi kubo: “Senze konke esinako ukuze sibakhulule abazalwana bethu amaYuda ababethengiswe kwezinye iintlanga. Ngoku nina nithengisa ngabazalwana benu, baphinda bathengiswe kuthi!” Bathi tu, bengenanto yokuthetha. 9Ndaza ndathi: “Ayilungile le nto niyenzayo. Animelwe na ukuhamba ngokoyika uBawo wethu, ukuze niphephe ukungcikivwa ziintlanga eziziintshaba zethu? 10Nam, nabazalwana bam, nabakhonzi bam, siyababoleka imali nengqolowa. Masiyiyeke le nzala. 11Babuyiseleni namhla amasimi abo, nezidiliya zabo, nezinquma zabo, nezindlu zabo, kwakunye nenzala eniyibizileyo kubo ngemali, nengqolowa, newayini entsha, neoli.”
12Baphendula bathi: “Siya kukubuyisa, singabizi nto kubo. Siya kwenza njengoko utsho.” Ndaza ndabiza ababingeleli, ndabafungisa abanumzana ukuba baligcine eli dinga.
13Ndaza ndalivuthulula isondo lengubo yam, ndathi: “UBawo wethu makamvuthulule, amkhupha endlwini yakhe nasempahleni yakhe, wonke umntu ongaligciniyo eli dinga—avuthululwe ashiyeke elambatha.” Lonke ibandla lathi: “Amen,” ladumisa uBawo wethu. Baza abantu benza njengokuthembisa kwabo.
14Ukususela kwimini endamiselwa ngayo ukuba ndibe yirhuluneli yakwaYuda—ukususela ngomnyaka wamashumi amabini wokumkani uArtashasta kuse kowamashumi amathathu anesibini, iminyaka elishumi elinambini—nam nabazalwana bam asizange sidle ukudla okwabelwa irhuluneli. 15Kodwa iirhuluneli zangaphambili ezandandulelayo zabathwalisa umthwalo abantu, zabathabathela ukudla newayini, ngaphandle kwesilivere eyiponti. Kwanabakhonzi bazo babebalawula abantu. Kodwa mna andenzanga njalo, ngenxa yokuba ndandimoyika uBawo wethu. 16Ndabambelela kananjalo emsebenzini walo udonga; asithenganga mhlaba. Bonke abakhonzi bam bahlanganisana apho emsebenzini. 17AmaYuda nabaphathi abalikhulu elinamanci mahlanu nawo babesidla etafileni yam, ngaphandle kwabo bezintlanga eziningqongileyo. 18Umphako womhla ngomhla: inkomo ibe nye, iigusha ezintandathu ezihleliweyo, neentaka—konke kwenziwa ngemali yam; qho ngeentsuku ezilishumi, iwayini yalo lonke uhlobo ngobuninzi. Nangona kunjalo, andizange ndikubize ukudla okwabelwa irhuluneli, ngokuba umsebenzi wawunzima kakhulu kwaba bantu. 19Ndikhumbule ngokulungileyo, Bawo wam, ngenxa yezinto zonke endizenzele aba bantu.
