Verse 1: U-Ezra esakhuleka, evuma izono ngokukhala, eziwise phansi phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu, kwabuthana kuye kuvela ku-Israyeli ibandla elikhulu kakhulu labesilisa nabesifazane nabantwana, ngokuba abantu bakhala ngokukhala okukhulu.
Verse 2: UShekaniya, indodana kaJehiyeli, enye yamadodana ka-Elamu, wathatha wathi ku-Ezra: “Siphambukile kuNkulunkulu wethu, sithathe abesifazane babezizwe kubantu bezwe. Nokho lisekhona ithemba ku-Israyeli ngale nto.
Verse 3: Ngalokho masenze isivumelwano noNkulunkulu wethu ukuba silahle bonke abesifazane nabazelwe yibo ngesiluleko senkosi nesabathuthumela ngomyalo kaNkulunkulu wethu; akwenziwe ngomthetho.
Verse 4: Vuka, ngokuba iphezu kwakho le ndaba; thina sinawe; yiba nesibindi, ukwenze.”
Verse 5: Wayesevuka u-Ezra, wafungisa izikhulu zabapristi, namaLevi, naye wonke u-Israyeli ukuba benze ngokwaleli zwi. Bafunga-ke.
Verse 6: Wayesevuka u-Ezra phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu, wangena ekamelweni likaJehohanani indodana ka-Eliyashibi, kepha esefike khona akadlanga sinkwa, kaphuzanga manzi, ngokuba walila ngenxa yesiphambeko sabathunjwa.
Verse 7: Bathumela izwi kwaJuda naseJerusalema kubo bonke abathunjwa ukuba babuthane eJerusalema
Verse 8: ngokuthi bonke abangafiki ngezinsuku ezintathu ngokwesiluleko sezikhulu namalunga kuyakudliwa yonke impahla yabo, bona bahlukaniswe nebandla labathunjwa.
Verse 9: Bonke abantu bakwaJuda nabakwaBenjamini babuthana eJerusalema ngezinsuku ezintathu; kwakuyinyanga yesishiyagalolunye, ngolwamashumi amabili lwenyanga; bonke abantu bahlala esigcawini ngaphambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu bethuthumela ngale ndaba nangemvula enkulu.
Verse 10: U-Ezra, umpristi, wasukuma, wathi kubo: “Niphambukile nithathe abesifazane babezizwe ukwandisa icala lakwa-Israyeli.
Verse 11: Ngalokho vumani izono kuJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyihlo, nenze intando yakhe, nizahlukanise nabantu bezwe nabesifazane babezizwe.”
Verse 12: Lase liphendula lonke ibandla, lathi ngezwi elikhulu: “Njengokusho kwakho kithina nga sikwenza.
Verse 13: Kepha abantu baningi, futhi kuyisikhathi semvula enkulu, asinakuma phandle, futhi lo msebenzi awusiwo walusuku lunye nowezimbili, ngokuba siphambukile kakhulu ngale ndaba.
Verse 14: Izinduna zethu mazime phambi kwebandla lonke; bonke abasemizini yethu abathathe abesifazane babezizwe mabeze ngesikhathi esinqunyiweyo, benamalunga emizi ngemizi nabahluleli bayo, ize ibuye kithi intukuthelo evuthayo kaNkulunkulu wethu kule ndaba.”
Verse 15: UJonathani, indodana ka-Asaheli, noJahazeya indodana kaThikiva kuphela bamelana nalokho; oMeshulamu noShabethayi umLevi babasiza.
Verse 16: Kepha abathunjwa benze njalo. Kwakhethwa u-Ezra, umpristi, namadoda ayizinhloko zawoyise njengezindlu zawoyise, bonke ngamagama; bahlala ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yeshumi ukuyiphenya le ndaba.
Verse 17: Baqeda namadoda ayethathe abesifazane babezizwe ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yokuqala.
Verse 18: Abafunyaniswa phakathi kwamadodana abapristi ukuthi bathathe abesifazane babezizwe nampa: kumadodana kaJeshuwa indodana kaJosadaki nakubafowabo: ngoMahaseya, no-Eliyezeri, noJaribi, noGedaliya.
Verse 19: Banika izandla zabo zokuthi bayakulahla abafazi babo; lokhu benecala, banikela ngenqama yomhlambi ngecala labo.
Verse 20: Kumadodana ka-Imeri: ngoHanani noZebadiya.
Verse 21: Kumadodana kaHarimi: ngoMahaseya, no-Eliya, noShemaya, noJehiyeli, no-Uziya.
Verse 22: Kumadodana kaPhashuri: ngo-Eliyohenayi, noMahaseya, no-Ishmayeli, noNethaneli, noJozabadi, no-Eleyasa.
Verse 23: KumaLevi: ngoJozabadi, noShimeyi, noKhelaya onguKelitha, noPhethahiya, noJuda, no-Eliyezeri.
Verse 24: Kubahlabeleli: ngu-Eliyashibi; kubalindisango: ngoShalumi, noTeleme, no-Uri.
Verse 25: Ku-Israyeli: Kumadodana kaPharoshi: ngoRamiya, no-Iziya, noMalikhiya, noMijamini, no-Eleyazare, noMalikhiya, noBenaya.
Verse 26: Kumadodana ka-Elamu: ngoMathaniya, noZakariya, noJehiyeli, no-Abidi, noJeremoti, no-Eliya.
Verse 27: Kumadodana kaZathu: ngo-Eliyohenayi, no-Eliyashibi, noMathaniya, noJeremoti, noZabadi, no-Aziza.
Verse 28: Kumadodana kaBebayi: ngoJehohanani, noHananiya, noZabayi, no-Atilayi.
Verse 29: Kumadodana kaBani: ngoMeshulamu, noMaluki, no-Adaya, noJashubi, noSheyali, noJeremoti.
Verse 30: Kumadodana kaPhahati Mowabi: ngo-Adina, noKhelali, noBenaya, noMahaseya, noMathaniya, noBesaleli, noBinuwi, noManase.
Verse 31: Amadodana kaHarimi: o-Eliyezeri, noJishiya, noMalikhiya, noShemaya, noShimeyoni,
Verse 32: noBenjamini, noMaluki, noShemariya.
Verse 33: Kumadodana kaHashumi: ngoMathenayi, noMathatha, noZabadi, no-Elifeleti, noJeremayi, noManase, noShimeyi.
Verse 34: Kumadodana kaBani: ngoMahadayi, no-Amramu, no-Uweli,
Verse 35: noBenaya, noBedeya, noKeluhi,
Verse 36: noVaniya, noMeremoti, no-Eliyashibi,
Verse 37: noMathaniya, noMathenayi, noJahasu,
Verse 38: noBani, noBinuwi, noShimeyi,
Verse 39: noShelemiya, noNathani, no-Adaya,
Verse 40: noMakenadebayi, noShashayi, noSharayi,
Verse 41: no-Azareli, noShelemiya, noShemariya,
Verse 42: noShalumi, no-Amariya, noJosefa.
Verse 43: Kumadodana kaNebo: ngoJehiyeli, noMatithiya, noZabadi, noSebina, no-Ido, noJoweli, noBenaya.
Verse 44: Bonke labo babethathe abesifazane babezizwe; kwakukhona phakathi kwabo abesifazane ababezele abantwana.