Izitha Ziklolodela Umsebenzi
USanibhalati uhlekisa ngokuthi impungushe ingawuwisa udonga, futhi ukuklolodela kuphenduka itulo lokuhlasela. Bathandaza kuBaba wethu bese bebeka abalindi: ingxenye yamadoda iyakha kuyilapho enye ingxenye imile ihlomile, yilowo nalowo ephethe inkemba, besebenza kusukela ekuseni kakhulu kuze kuphume izinkanyezi.
4 1Kwathi uSanibhalati esezwile ukuthi sasakha kabusha udonga, wathukuthela wagana unwabu, waklolodela amaJuda. 2Wathi phambi kwabafowabo nebutho laseSamariya: “Enzani la maJuda abuthakathaka? Azakuzivusela udonga? Azakunikela imihlatshelo? Azakuqeda ngosuku olulodwa na? Angakwazi yini ukuphilisa amatshe ewakhipha ezinqwabeni zezibi, eshile kanjalo?”
3UTobiya umAmoni wayeseceleni kwakhe, wathi: “Lolo donga lwamatshe abaluakhayo—noma ngabe impungushe ingakhuphukela kulo, ingaludilizela phansi!”
4Sizwe, Baba wethu, ngokuba sidelelekile. Buyisela ukuklolodela kwabo phezu kwamakhanda abo, ubanikele babe yimpango ezweni lokuthunjwa. 5Ungabusibekeli ububi babo, nesono sabo masingesulwa phambi kobuso bakho, ngokuba baklolodele abakhi ebusweni babo.
6Ngakho sawakha udonga, lwaze lwahlangana lonke lwaba ingxenye yobude balo, ngokuba abantu basebenza ngayo yonke inhliziyo yabo.
7Kodwa kwathi uSanibhalati, uTobiya, ama-Arabhu, ama-Amoni, nabase-Ashidodi besezwile ukuthi ukulungiswa kwezindonga zaseJerusalema kwakuqhubeka nezikhala zaziqala ukuvaleka, bagcwala ulaka. 8Bonke benza uzungu ndawonye ukuba beze balwe neJerusalema, bayidunge.
9Kodwa sakhuleka kuBaba wethu, samisa abalindi ukuba babaqaphe imini nobusuku.
10Phakathi nalokho abantu bakwaJuda bathi: “Amandla abasebenzi ayaphela, nezibi ziningi kangaka, ngeke sikwazi ukuluvusa udonga.” 11Izitha zethu zathi: “Bengakazi lutho, bengakasiboni, siyakufika phakathi kwabo, sibabulale, siwuqede umsebenzi.”
12Kwathi amaJuda ayehlala eduze kwazo eza, asitshela izikhathi eziyishumi athi: “Nomaphi lapho niphenduka khona, bayakusivukela.”
13Ngakho ngamisa abantu ngemuva kwezindawo eziphansi zodonga, ezindaweni ezivulekile, ngabamisa ngemindeni yabo benezinkemba zabo, imikhonto, neminsalo. 14Kwathi sengizibukile izinto, ngasukuma ngathi kuzikhulu, neziphathimandla, nabanye abantu: “Ningabesabi. Khumbulani uBaba oyiNkosi, omkhulu nowesabekayo, nilwele abafowenu, amadodana namadodakazi enu, omkenu nemizi yenu.”
15Kwathi izitha zethu sezizwile ukuthi sasilwazi uzungu lwazo nokuthi uBaba wethu wayeluchithile, sonke sabuyela odongeni, kwaba yilowo nalowo emsebenzini wakhe. 16Kusukela ngalolo suku, ingxenye yezinceku zami yenza umsebenzi, kanti enye ingxenye yayihlome ngemikhonto, izihlangu, iminsala, nezingubo zokuvikela. Izikhulu zazimi ngemuva kwabo bonke abantu bakwaJuda, 17ababakha udonga. Labo ababethwala impahla benza umsebenzi wabo ngesandla esisodwa, baphethe isikhali ngesinye, 18abakhi ngulowo nalowo wayebophe inkemba yakhe okhalweni lwakhe esebenza. Kodwa indoda eyayibetha icilongo yahlala eceleni kwami. 19Ngabe sengithi kuzikhulu, neziphathimandla, nabanye abantu: “Umsebenzi mkhulu usabalele, thina sihlukene omunye komunye eduze kodonga. 20Nomaphi lapho nizwa khona icilongo likhala, buthanani kithi khona lapho. UBaba wethu uyakusilwela!”
21Ngakho saqhubeka nomsebenzi, ingxenye yabantu iphethe imikhonto, kusukela ekuntweleni kokusa kuze kuphume izinkanyezi. 22Ngaleso sikhathi ngabatshela futhi abantu ngathi: “Wonke umuntu nomsizi wakhe makalale phakathi kweJerusalema ebusuku, ukuze babe ngabalindi ebusuku, babe yizisebenzi emini.” 23Ngakho mina, nabafowethu, nezinceku zami, nabalindi ababengilandela, asizikhumulanga izingubo zethu; ngulowo nalowo wayephethe isikhali sakhe, ngisho noma eyokukha amanzi.
