Abantu Abangathembeki KuBaba
Izikhulu zibika ukuthi abaholi bakwa-Israyeli uqobo bahola phambili ekushadeni nabantu ababazungezile. U-Ezra udabula izingubo zakhe, ahlwithe izinwele zakhe, ahlale ethukile kuze kube kusihlwa, bese ekhuleka evuma, eqamba icala ngokusobala futhi emangala ngokuthi uBaba wethu wabajezisa ngaphansi kwalokho okwakubafanele.
9 1Kwathi lokhu sekwenziwe, iziphathimandla zeza kimi, zathi: “Abantu bakwa-Israyeli, abapristi, namaLevi abazihlukanisanga nezizwe ezibazungezile kanye nezinto zazo ezinengekayo—amaKhanani, amaHeti, amaPherizi, amaJebusi, ama-Amoni, amaMowabi, amaGibhithe, nama-Amori. 2Bathatha amanye amadodakazi azo ukuba abe ngomkabo nawemadodana abo, baxuba inzalo engcwele nezizwe ezibazungezile. Futhi iziphathimandla nabaholi yibo abahola phambili kulokhu kungathembeki.”
3Lapho ngikuzwa lokhu, ngaklebhula ingubo yami nejazi lami, ngahlutha izinwele ekhanda lami nasesilevini sami, ngahlala phansi ngishaqekile. 4Base bebuthana kimi bonke ababethuthumela ngenxa yamazwi kaNkulunkulu wakwa-Israyeli, uBaba wethu, ngenxa yokungathembeki kwabathunjwa; ngahlala ngishaqekile kwaze kwaba yisikhathi somnikelo wakusihlwa. a a v4 Umnikelo wakusihlwa wawungumhlatshelo wansuku zonke owawenziwa cishe ngehora lesithathu ntambama.
5Ngesikhathi somnikelo wakusihlwa ngavuka ekuzithobeni kwami, ngingubo yami nejazi lami kuklebhukile, ngaguqa ngamadolo, ngelula izandla zami kuBaba wami, 6ngathi: “Baba wami, nginamahloni futhi ngihlazekile ukuphakamisela ubuso bami kuwe, Baba wami, ngokuba izono zethu zikhukhumele zadlula amakhanda ethu, necala lethu likhule laze lafika emazulwini. 7Kusukela ezinsukwini zokhokho bethu kuze kube manje besikulo icala elikhulu, nangenxa yezono zethu thina—amakhosi ethu nabapristi bethu—sanikelwa emakhosini amazwe, enkembeni, ekuthunjweni, ekuphangweni, nasehlazweni elisobala ebusweni bethu, njengoba kunjalo namuhla. 8Kodwa manje, okomzuzwana nje, umusa ufikile uvela kuBaba wethu, usishiyele insali, wasinika indawo eqinileyo yokugxila endaweni yakhe engcwele, ukuze akhanyise amehlo ethu, asiphe ukuvuselelwa okuncane ebugqilini bethu. 9Siyizigqila; kodwa uBaba wethu akasishiyanga ebugqilini bethu. Welulele kithi uthando lwakhe lwesivumelwano phambi kwamakhosi asePheresiya, wasivuselela ukuze siphakamise indlu kaBaba wethu, silungise amanxiwa ayo, futhi asinike udonga lokuvikela kwelakwaJuda naseJerusalema.
10Manje-ke, Baba wethu, singathini emva kwalokhu? Ngokuba siyilahlile imiyalo yakho,
11owasiyala ngayo ngezinceku zakho abaprofethi, uthi: ‘Izwe eningena kulo ukuba nilithathe lingcolisiwe ngokungcola kwezizwe zalo, ezithi ngemikhuba yazo enengekayo zaligcwalisa kusukela kolunye uhlangothi kuya kolunye ngamanyala azo. 12Ngakho-ke manje ningawaniki amadodana azo amadodakazi enu, ningawathatheli amadodana enu amadodakazi azo, futhi ningalokothi nifune ukuthula kwazo nokuchuma kwazo, ukuze nibe namandla, nidle okuhle kwezwe, nilishiyele abantwana benu libe yifa kuze kube phakade.’
13Emva kwakho konke lokho okusehlele ngenxa yezenzo zethu ezimbi necala lethu elikhulu—nokho wena, Baba wethu, wazibamba, wasijezisa ngaphansi kwalokho izono zethu ebezikufanele, wasinika insali enjengale, 14singaphinde yini sephule imiyalo yakho, sendiselane nezizwe ezenza lezi zinto ezinengekayo? Ubungeke yini usithukuthelele uze usibhubhise, kungasali nsali namuntu osindayo? 15Baba wethu, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ulungile wena, ngokuba sisele siyinsali esindayo, njengoba kunjalo namuhla. Nabu thina phambi kwakho enecaleni lethu, nakuba kungekho noyedwa ongema phambi kwakho ngenxa yalo.”
