Ezra - Chapter 7

Verse 1: Emva kwalokho esabusa u-Aritahishashita, inkosi yasePheresiya, u-Ezra kaSeraya ka-Azariya kaHilikiya,

Verse 2: kaShalumi kaSadoki ka-Ahithubi

Verse 3: ka-Amariya ka-Azariya kaMerayoti

Verse 4: kaZeraya ka-Uzi kaBuki

Verse 5: ka-Abishuwa kaFinehasi ka-Eleyazare ka-Aroni umpristi omkhulu,

Verse 6: u-Ezra lo wakhuphuka eBabele; wayengumbhali echwepheshile emthethweni kaMose awunikiweyo nguJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli; inkosi yamnika konke akucelayo ngokwesandla sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe esasiphezu kwakhe.

Verse 7: Kwakhuphuka nabanye abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, nabapristi, namaLevi, nabahlabeleli, nabalindisango, namaNethini, baya eJerusalema ngomnyaka wesikhombisa ka-Aritahishashita inkosi.

Verse 8: Wafika eJerusalema ngenyanga yesihlanu ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wenkosi.

Verse 9: Ngokuba ngolokuqala lwenyanga yokuqala waqala ukukhuphuka eBabele; ngolokuqala lwenyanga yesihlanu wafika eJerusalema ngokwesandla esihle sikaNkulunkulu wakhe esasiphezu kwakhe,

Verse 10: ngokuba u-Ezra wayebhekise inhliziyo yakhe ukufuna umthetho kaJehova, nokwenza nokufundisa izimiso nezahlulelo kwa-Israyeli.

Verse 11: Lokhu kuyimpinda yencwadi inkosi u-Aritahishashita eyamnika yona u-Ezra umpristi nombhali, umbhali wamazwi emiyalo kaJehova nawezimiso zakhe ku-Israyeli, yokuthi:

Verse 12: “U-Aritahishashita, inkosi yamakhosi ku-Ezra, umpristi nombhali womthetho kaNkulunkulu wezulu; ukuthula, nokuthi nokuthi.

Verse 13: “Ngikhipha isimemezelo sokuthi bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli, nabapristi babo, namaLevi embusweni wami, abafuna ukuya eJerusalema, bangahamba nawe,

Verse 14: njengokuba uthunyiwe yinkosi nabeluleki bayo abayisikhombisa ukubuza ngelakwaJuda neJerusalema njengokomthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho osesandleni sakho,

Verse 15: nokuyisa isiliva negolide inkosi nabeluleki bayo abalinikele ngesihle kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ondlu yakhe iseJerusalema,

Verse 16: kanye nalo lonke isiliva negolide oyakukufumana ezweni lonke laseBabele, neminikelo yesihle yabantu neyabapristi, benikelela ngesihle indlu kaNkulunkulu wabo eseJerusalema.

Verse 17: Ngalokho uyakuthenga ngesineke sonke ngale mali izinkunzi, nezinqama, namawundlu kanye neminikelo yakho yempuphu neminikelo yakho yokuphuzwa, unikele ngakho e-altare lendlu kaNkulunkulu wenu eseJerusalema.

Verse 18: “Okuhle kuwe nakubafowenu ukuba nikwenze ngesiliva negolide eliseleyo, kwenzeni ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu wenu.

Verse 19: Izitsha onikwe zona ukuba zibe ngezenkonzo yendlu kaNkulunkulu wakho, zibuyisele phambi kukaNkulunkulu waseJerusalema.

Verse 20: Okunye okudingekayo endlini kaNkulunkulu wakho, ofanele ukukunika, kukhiphe endlini yengcebo yenkosi.

Verse 21: “Kimina, yebo, mina Aritahishashita inkosi, kukhishwa isimemezelo kubo bonke abaphathizikhwama abangaphesheya koMfula ukuthi konke u-Ezra umpristi nombhali womthetho kaNkulunkulu wezulu ayakukubiza kini, makwenziwe ngesineke sonke,

Verse 22: kuze kube ngamatalenta ayikhulu esiliva, namakhora ayikhulu kakolweni, namabhati ayikhulu ewayini, namabhati ayikhulu amafutha, nosawoti ongabaliwe.

Verse 23: Konke okusesimemezelweni sikaNkulunkulu wezulu makwenzelwe ngesineke indlu kaNkulunkulu wezulu, ngokuba kungase kube khona intukuthelo phezu kombuso wenkosi namadodana ayo na?

Verse 24: Futhi siyanazisa ukuthi akakho onegunya lokuthelisa abapristi namaLevi, nabahlabeleli, nabalindisango, namaNethini, nezinceku zale ndlu kaNkulunkulu intela, nenkokhiso, nemali yendlela.

Verse 25: “Wena-ke, Ezra, ngokuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu wakho okusesandleni sakho, misa abahluleli nabaholi abayakwahlulela bonke abantu abangaphesheya koMfula, bonke abazi imithetho kaNkulunkulu wakho; nongayaziyo nimfundise.

Verse 26: Bonke abangayikwenza umthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho nomthetho wenkosi mabahlulelwe ngaso sonke isineke, noma kube ngokokufa noma okokuxoshwa, noma impahla yabo ibe yisizi, noma kube ngukuboshwa.”

Verse 27: Makabongwe uJehova uNkulunkulu wawobaba obeke enhliziyweni yenkosi ukuhlobisa indlu kaJehova eseJerusalema,

Verse 28: wehlisela phezu kwami umusa phambi kwenkosi, nabeluleki bayo, naphambi kwezikhulu zonke zenkosi ezingamaqhawe. Mina ngaqiniswa ngokwesandla seNkosi uNkulunkulu wami esasiphezu kwami, ngabutha ku-Israyeli abayizinhloko ukuba bakhuphuke nami.