U-Ezra 7

7 ¹Emva kwalezi zehlakalo, ngesikhathi sokubusa kuka-Aritahishashita inkosi yasePheresiya, u-Ezra indodana kaSeraya, indodana ka-Azariya, indodana kaHilikiya, ²indodana kaShalumi, indodana kaSadoki, indodana ka-Ahithubi, ³indodana ka-Amariya, indodana ka-Azariya, indodana kaMerayothi, ⁴indodana kaZerahiya, indodana ka-Uzi, indodana kaBuki, ⁵indodana ka-Abishuwa, indodana kaFinehasi, indodana ka-Eleyazare, indodana ka-Aroni umpristi omkhulu. ⁶Lo Ezra wenyuka esuka eBhabhiloni, engumbhali onekhono eMthethweni kaMose owawunikwe nguBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Inkosi yamnika konke akucela, ngokuba isandla sikaYise sasiphezu kwakhe. ⁷Abanye kwabako-Israyeli, abapristi, amaLevi, abahlabeleli, abalindimasango, nezinceku zethempeli benyukela eJerusalema ngonyaka wesikhombisa ka-Aritahishashita inkosi. ⁸U-Ezra wafika eJerusalema ngenyanga yesihlanu, ngonyaka wesikhombisa wenkosi. ⁹Ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yokuqala wasuka eBhabhiloni; wafika eJerusalema ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yesihlanu, ngokuba isandla esihle sikaYise sasiphezu kwakhe. ¹⁰Ngokuba u-Ezra wayebeke inhliziyo yakhe ukuba afunde uMthetho kaBaba wethu, awugcine, afundise nezimiso nezimiselo zakhe kwa-Israyeli.

Incwadi yenkosi eya ku-Ezra

¹¹Nansi ikhophi yencwadi inkosi u-Aritahishashita eyayinika u-Ezra umpristi nombhali, oyingcweti emiyalweni nasezimisweni zikaBaba wethu ezinikwe u-Israyeli:

¹²U-Aritahishashita, inkosi yamakhosi, ku-Ezra umpristi, umbhali woMthetho kaNkulunkulu wezulu: ngiyakubingelela. Manje-ke,

¹³Ngiyamemezela: noma ngubani wakwa-Israyeli osembusweni wami, kanye nabapristi namaLevi, ofisa ukuya eJerusalema angahamba nawe. ¹⁴Ngokuba uthunywa yinkosi nabeluleki bayo abayisikhombisa ukuba uphenye ngoJuda neJerusalema ngokoMthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho, osesandleni sakho, ¹⁵nokuletha isiliva negolide inkosi nabeluleki bayo abakunikela ngokukhululeka kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, okhaya lakhe liseJerusalema, ¹⁶kanye naso sonke isiliva negolide oyokuthola kuso sonke isifundazwe saseBhabhiloni, kanye nezipho zokuzithandela zabantu nabapristi, ezinikelwe ngokukhululeka indlu kaNkulunkulu wabo eseJerusalema. ¹⁷Ngale mali, thenga ngokushesha izinkunzi, izinqama, namawundlu, kanye neminikelo yazo yokudla neyeziphuzo, uzinikele e-altare lendlu kaNkulunkulu wakho eseJerusalema. ¹⁸Yenza noma yini wena nabafowenu enibona kungcono ngayo ngensalela yesiliva negolide, njengokuthanda kukaNkulunkulu wakho. ¹⁹Letha phambi kukaNkulunkulu waseJerusalema izitsha ozinikiwe ngenxa yenkonzo yendlu kaNkulunkulu wakho. ²⁰Konke okunye indlu kaNkulunkulu wakho ekudingayo, okuwumthwalo wakho ukukunikela, ukukhiphe engcebeni yenkosi.

²¹Mina, inkosi u-Aritahishashita, ngimemezela kuwo wonke umgcinimafa osesifundazweni esiNgaphesheya koMfula: yenzani ngokuqinisekileyo noma yini u-Ezra umpristi, umbhali woMthetho kaNkulunkulu wezulu, ayicela kini. ²²Kufikela cishe emaphawundini angu-7,500 esiliva, amabhushela angu-600 kakolweni, amagaloni angu-600 ewayini, amagaloni angu-600 amafutha, nosawoti ongenamkhawulo. ²³Noma yini uNkulunkulu wezulu ayiyalayo, yenzeni ngokupheleleyo ngenxa yendlu yakhe, ukuze ulaka lungehleli phezu kombuso wenkosi namadodana ayo. ²⁴Siphinde sinazise: akukho ntela, mthelo, noma mali yokuwela okungabekwa phezu kwanoma yibaphi abapristi, amaLevi, abahlabeleli, abalindimasango, izinceku zethempeli, noma izisebenzi zale ndlu kaNkulunkulu.

²⁵Ezra, ngokuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu wakho okusesandleni sakho, misa izimantshi nabahluleli ukuba babuse bonke abantu abasesifundazweni esiNgaphesheya koMfula—bonke abayaziyo imithetho kaNkulunkulu wakho. Labo abangayazi ubafundise. ²⁶Noma ngubani ongawamukeli umthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho nomthetho wenkosi makajeziswe ngokuqinileyo—ngokufa, ngokuxoshwa, ngokuthathelwa impahla, noma ngokuvalelwa etilongweni.

²⁷Makabongwe uBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu wokhokho bethu, owakufaka enhliziyweni yenkosi ukuba ayihlobise indlu kaBaba wethu eseJerusalema, ²⁸owangibonisa uthando lwesivumelwano phambi kwenkosi, nabeluleki bayo, nazo zonke izikhulu zenkosi ezinamandla. Ngakho ngaba nesibindi, ngokuba isandla sikaBaba sasiphezu kwami, ngaqoqa abaholi kwa-Israyeli ukuba benyuke nami.