Ezra
1:1 Ke kaloku, ngomnyaka wokuqala kaKoreshi ukumkani wasePersi, kwafika ilizwi likaYehova
ukuba kuzaliseke ngomlomo kaYeremiya, uYehova wabaxhokonxa
Umoya kaKoreshi ukumkani wasePersi wathumela ilizwi kulo lonke
bonke ubukumkani bakhe, wabubhala kananjalo, esithi,
1:2 Utsho uKoreshi ukumkani wasePersi ukuthi, UYehova, uThixo wamazulu, undinikile
zonke izikumkani zehlabathi; Yena undiyalele ukuba ndimakhele
yaseYerusalem ekwaYuda.
1:3 Ngubani na kuni ophakathi kwabantu bakhe bonke? uThixo wakhe makabe naye
enyuke aye eYerusalem ekwaYuda, ayakhe indlu kaYehova
UYehova, uThixo kaSirayeli, nguye uThixo, oseYerusalem.
1:4 Kwaye nabani na othe wasala naphi na apho aphambukela khona, makayeke amadoda
indawo yakhe imncedise ngesilivere, nangegolide, nangeempahla, nangeempahla
nezilwanyana ezo, ndawonye neminikelo yokuqhutywa yintliziyo, yendlu kaThixo ephakathi
iYerusalem.
1:5 Zesuka ke iinkulu zezindlu zooyise zakwaYuda nezakwaBhenjamin, nezakwaBhenjamin
ababingeleli, nabaLevi, nabo bonke abo uThixo wawuxhokonxayo umoya wabo
nyukani niye kwakha indlu kaYehova eseYerusalem.
1:6 Bonke ababebangqongile bezomeleza izandla zabo ngezitya
ngesilivere, negolide, nempahla, neenkomo, nezinto ezinqabileyo
izinto, ngaphandle kwazo zonke ezinikelwe ngokuqhutywa yintliziyo.
1:7 Kananjalo ukumkani uKoreshi wazirhola iimpahla zendlu kaYehova.
awayithabathayo eYerusalem uNebhukadenetsare, wayibeka
endlwini yothixo wakhe;
1:8 Ezo ke uKoreshi ukumkani wasePersi wazikhupha ngesandla sika
nguMitredati unondyebo, wazibalela kuSheshbhatsare, umthetheli
kwaYuda.
1:9 Lilo eli ke inani lazo: izitya zegolide ezimashumi mathathu, iwaka
izitya zesilivere, iimela ezimashumi mabini anesithoba;
1:10 Zaba mashumi mathathu izitya zokutshiza zegolide, neendebe zesilivere zohlobo lwesibini ezimakhulu mane anamanye
ishumi elinye, newaka lezinye izitya.
1:11 Zonke iimpahla zegolide nezesilivere zaba ngamawaka amahlanu anesine
ikhulu. Zonke ezo zinto wazinyusa uSheshbhatsare ekuthinjweni
awathi anyuswa eBhabheli asiwa eYerusalem.