Ukuzila Kweqiniso, Ukuthembeka Kweqiniso
IBethele lithumela amadoda ayobuza ukuthi kumele baqhubeke bezila yini. Umbuzo uyaguqulwa: iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa yokuzila yayingeyabo, hhayi ngenxa kaBaba wethu. Lokho akucela ngabaprofethi bangaphambili kwakuwukwahlulela okuqotho, umusa, nokungacindezeli umfelokazi, intandane, owezizwe, noma ompofu.
7 1Ngonyaka wesine wenkosi uDariyu, izwi likaBaba wethu lafika kuZakariya ngosuku lwesine lwenyanga yesishiyagalolunye, uKhisilevi. 2Abantu baseBhetheli bathuma uSharezeri noRegemi-meleki nabantu babo ukuba bancenge umusa kaBaba wethu, 3nokuba babuze abapristi bendlu kaBaba wamabutho asezulwini, nabaprofethi, bathi: “Ngilile futhi ngizile yini ngenyanga yesihlanu, njengoba ngenze iminyaka eminingi kangaka?”
4Khona izwi likaBaba wamabutho asezulwini lafika kimi, lathi:
5Yithi kubo bonke abantu bezwe nakubapristi: Lapho nazila nalila ngenyanga yesihlanu neyesikhombisa kule minyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa, kwakungenxa yami yini ngempela ukuthi nazila? a a v5 Ukuzila kwenyanga yesihlanu kwakukhumbula ukushiswa kwethempeli likaSolomoni yiBhabhiloni; ukuzila kwenyanga yesikhombisa kwakukhumbula ukubulawa kukaGedaliya, umbusi wokugcina wakwaJuda. 6Lapho nidla niphuza, akusikho yini okwenu uqobo lokhu enikudlayo nenikuphuzayo?
7Akuwona yini la kanye amazwi uBaba wethu awamemezela ngabaprofethi bakuqala, ngesikhathi iJerusalema nemizi eyizungezile kuhlalwe kuyo kunokuthula, kwakuhlalwe naseNegevi nasemathafeni asezansi?
8Izwi likaBaba wethu lafika kuZakariya, lathi:
9Lokhu uBaba wamabutho asezulwini akushoyo: Yahlulelani ngokulunga kweqiniso; bonisanani umusa nesihawu. 10Ningamcindezeli umfelokazi, nezintandane, nomfokazi, nabampofu; futhi ningacebi okubi omunye komunye ezinhliziyweni zenu.
11Kodwa benqaba ukulalela, bafulathela ngenkani, bavala izindlebe zabo ukuze bangezwa. 12Benza izinhliziyo zabo zaba lukhuni njengensengwa, benqaba ukuzwa umthetho namazwi uBaba wamabutho asezulwini ayewathumele ngoMoya wakhe ngabaprofethi bakuqala. Ngakho kwavela intukuthelo enkulu kuBaba wamabutho asezulwini.
13“Njengoba ngabiza bona bengafuni ukulalela, ngokunjalo lapho bebiza nami angizange ngilalele,” kusho uBaba wamabutho asezulwini. 14Ngabahlakaza ngesivunguvungu phakathi kwazo zonke izizwe ababengazazi. Izwe lasala liyincithakalo emva kwabo, kungekho muntu owadlula kulo, eza noma ehamba. Yilokhu abenza ngakho izwe elimnandi laba yihlane.
