U-Ezra 7:1-28
7 Ngemva kwalezizinto, ngesikhathi sokubusa kuka-Athakisekisi+ inkosi yasePhesiya, u-Ezra*+ wabuyela eJerusalema esuka eBhabhiloni. Wayeyindodana kaSeraya,+ indodana ka-Azariya, indodana kaHilikhiya,+
2 indodana kaShalumi, indodana kaZadokhi, indodana ka-Ahithubi,
3 indodana ka-Amariya, indodana ka-Azariya,+ indodana kaMerayothi,
4 indodana kaZerahiya, indodana ka-Uzi, indodana kaBhukhi,
5 indodana ka-Abhishuwa, indodana kaFiniyasi,+ indodana ka-Eliyazari,+ indodana ka-Aroni+ umphristi okhokhelayo.
6 U-Ezra weza evela eBhabhiloni. Wayengumbhali futhi eyisazi soMthetho* kaMosi+ owawuvela kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Inkosi yamnika konke ayekucela ngoba isandla sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe sasiphezu kwakhe.
7 Ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kweNkosi u-Athakisekisi, amanye ama-Israyeli, labaphristi, lamaLevi,+ labahlabeleli,+ labalindi bamagedi+ kanye lezisebenzi zethempelini*+ basuka baya eJerusalema.
8 U-Ezra yena wafika eJerusalema ngenyanga yesihlanu ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kwenkosi.
9 Wayesuke eBhabhiloni mhlaka 1 ngenyanga yokuqala njalo wafika eJerusalema mhlaka 1 ngenyanga yesihlanu ngoba isandla* sikaNkulunkulu wakhe sasiphezu kwakhe.+
10 U-Ezra wayeselungise inhliziyo* yakhe ukuze ahlole uMthetho kaJehova lokuthi enze lokho okutshoyo+ njalo afundise abako-Israyeli+ izimiso lezahlulelo zawo.
11 Nanka amazwi ayesencwadini iNkosi u-Athakisekisi eyayinika u-Ezra umphristi, owayengumbhali futhi eyazi kuhle imithetho kaJehova lemilayo yakhe ko-Israyeli:
12 * “U-Athakisekisi+ inkosi yamakhosi, kuwe mphristi Ezra, wena ongumbhali woMthetho kaNkulunkulu wamazulu: Ukuthula akube lawe.
13 Sengibeke umlayo wokuthi loba ngubani phakathi kwabantu bako-Israyeli abasembusweni wami labaphristi babo lamaLevi abafuna ukuhamba lawe eJerusalema, kabahambe.+
14 Inkosi labacebisi bayo abayisikhombisa bayakuthuma ukuthi uyehlolisisa ukuthi uMthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho owuphetheyo* uyalandelwa yini eJerusalema lakoJuda,
15 lokuthi uthathe isiliva legolide okunikelwe ngesihle yinkosi labacebisi bayo kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ohlala eJerusalema.
16 Kuzamele uthathe laso sonke isiliva legolide ozalithola kuzo zonke izabelo zeBhabhiloni kanye lezipho ezilethwe ngabantu labaphristi, besenzela indlu kaNkulunkulu wabo eseJerusalema.+
17 Thatha leyomali uhle uthenge ngayo inkunzi,+ lezinqama,+ lemvana+ kanye leminikelo yamabele+ leminikelo yokunathwayo.+ Konke lokhu kumele uhambe lakho uyekwethula e-alithareni lendlu kaNkulunkulu wakho eJerusalema.
18 “Wena labafowenu thathani isiliva legolide lenze loba yini eliyibona ifanele, ehambelana lentando kaNkulunkulu wenu.
19 Zonke izitsha zomsebenzi wendlu kaNkulunkulu wakho ozazinikwa, kumele uyezethula phambi kukaNkulunkulu eJerusalema.+
20 Konke okunye okufunekayo endlini kaNkulunkulu wakho okumele unikele ngakho, uzakuthatha esikhwameni senotho yesikhosini.+
21 “Mina Nkosi Athakisekisi ngibeka umlayo oya kubo bonke abagcinizikhwama abasesabelweni esingaphetsheya komfula,* ngithi konke okuzacelwa ngu-Ezra+ umphristi, umbhali woMthetho kaNkulunkulu wamazulu kakuphiwe masinyane,
22 lanxa kungaba ngamathalenta* esiliva angu-100, ingqoloyi egcwala amakhori* angu-100, lewayini+ eligcwala amabhathi* angu-100, lamafutha+ agcwala amabhathi angu-100 kanye lesawudo+ elingeke lilinganiswe.
23 Konke uNkulunkulu wamazulu athi kwenziwe endlini yakhe kakwenziwe ngokukhuthala ukuze ulaka lukaNkulunkulu wamazulu+ lungehleli embusweni wenkosi lasemadodaneni ayo.+
24 Kanti njalo siyalazisa ukuthi imithelo ekhitshwa ngabantu bonke, lemithelo+ yempahla leyemigwaqo, akumelanga ibhadaliswe abaphristi, lamaLevi, labahlabeleli,+ labalindi bamagedi, lezisebenzi zethempelini*+ kanye lezinye izisebenzi zendlu kaNkulunkulu.
25 “Ngakho wena Ezra sebenzisa ukuhlakanipha okunikwe nguNkulunkulu wakho,* ubeke omantshi labahluleli ukuze bahlulele abantu bonke esabelweni esingaphetsheya komfula, bonke abayaziyo imithetho kaNkulunkulu wakho njalo kumele ufundise loba ngubani ongayaziyo.+
26 Wonke umuntu ongawulaleliyo uMthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho lomthetho wenkosi, kanikwe isigwebo masinyane, kungaba ngesokubulawa loba esokuxotshwa, loba esokubhadaliswa kumbe esokufakwa ejele.”
27 Kadunyiswe uJehova uNkulunkulu wabokhokho bethu, yena okufake enhliziyweni yenkosi ukuthi yenze indlu kaJehova eseJerusalema ibenhle kakhulu.+
28 Ungitshengise uthando oluqotho phambi kwenkosi+ labacebisi+ bayo lazo zonke izikhulu zayo ezilamandla. Yikho ngibe lesibindi ngoba isandla sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wami besiphezu kwami, ngasengibuthanisa wonke amadoda akhokhelayo* ko-Israyeli ukuze ahambe lami.
Amabala angaphansi
^ Ibizo leli litsho, “Ukunceda.”
^ Kumbe, “Wayengumbhali oyingcitshi yoMthetho.”
^ Kumbe, “lamaNethinimi.” NgesiHebheru, “labayizipho.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “isandla esihle.”
^ Kumbe, “wayezimisele enhliziyweni.”
^ Imibhalo yokuqala ka-Ezr 7:12 kusiya ku-7:26 yayibhalwe ngesi-Aramu.
^ Ngesi-Aramu, “osesandleni sakho.”
^ Isabelo esingaphetsheya komfula zindawo ezisentshonalanga komfula uYufrathe.
^ Ithalenta lalingamakhilogremu angu-34,2. Khangela iSengezo ku-B14.
^ Ikhori elilodwa lalingamalitha angu-220. Khangela iSengezo ku-B14.
^ Ibhathi elilodwa lalingamalitha angu-22. Khangela iSengezo ku-B14.
^ Kumbe, “lamaNethinimi.” NgesiHebheru, “labayizipho.”
^ Ngesi-Aramu, “ukuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu wakho okusezandleni zakho.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “azinhloko.”
