UJudith
4:1 Ke kaloku oonyana bakaSirayeli, ababemi kwelakwaYuda, bakuva oko konke
UHolofernes, umthetheli-waka kaNebhukadenetsare, ukumkani waseAsiriya;
Wayesenza ezintlangeni, waza wazibhunyula zonke ezo zinto
iitempile, wazitshitshisa.
4:2 Bamoyika ke ngokuncamisileyo, bakhathazeka ngenxa yoko
iYerusalem, netempile kaYehova uThixo wabo:
4:3 Kuba babesandul’ ukubuya ekuthinjweni, nabantu bonke basezweni
Kwatshanje kwahlanganisana ndawonye elakwaYuda: neempahla, nesibingelelo, kwanesibingelelo
indlu, yangcwaliswa emva kokuhlambela.
4:4 Bathumela ke ngoko kuyo yonke imida yakwaSamari, nasemizini, nasemizini, nasemizini yonke
eBhete-horon, naseBhelemen, naseYeriko, naseHobha, nase-Esora, naseHore
intlambo yaseSalem.
4:5 Bazizuza ngenxa engaphambili ezincotsheni zonke eziphakamileyo
iintaba, wayinqabisa imizana ekuzo, abeka
ukudla kwempahla yemfazwe; ngokuba amasimi abo aselebevunwe kade.
4:6 Kananjalo uYowakim umbingeleli omkhulu, owayeseYerusalem ngaloo mihla, wabhala
kwabemi baseBhethuliya, naseBheteleham, ekhangelene nayo
iEsdraelon ngasentlango, kufuphi neDotayim;
4:7 Bebathethela ngelithi, mabagcine iindlela zentaba, ngokuba zingazo
kwakukho indlela yokungena kwelakwaYuda, yaye kwakulula ukubanqanda oko
yenyuka, ngokuba indlela ibithe tye, inamadoda amabini kufuphi naye
uninzi.
4:8 Benza ke oonyana bakaSirayeli njengoko uYehoyakim umbingeleli omkhulu wabawisela umthetho
bona, namadoda amakhulu oonyana bakaSirayeli bonke, ababehleli khona
iYerusalem.
4:9 Akhala onke amadoda akwaSirayeli kuThixo ngobushushu obukhulu
ngenkohlakalo enkulu bayithoba imiphefumlo yabo.
4:10 Bona, nabafazi babo, nabantwana babo, nemfuyo yabo, kunye
bonke abasemzini nabaqeshwa, nabakhonzi babo abathenga ngemali, bababeke
banxibe ezirhwexayo ezinqeni zabo.
4:11 Benjenjalo ke onke amadoda, nabafazi, nabantwana, nabahleli khona
yaseYerusalem, yawa phambi kwetempile, yagalela uthuthu entloko;
batwabulula iingubo zabo ezirhwexayo phambi kobuso bukaYehova;
bhinqani ezirhwexayo esibingelelweni;
4:12 Bakhala kuThixo kaSirayeli bonke ngamxhelo mnye, ngamxhelo mnye, ukuba aphendule
Ababanikela oonyana babo ukuba baphangwe, nabafazi babo ukuba baphangwe;
imizi yelifa labo ibe yintshabalalo, ibe yindawo engcwele
ukunyeliswa nongcikivo, ukuba zibe nemihlali ngazo iintlanga.
4:13 Wayiva ke uThixo ukuthandaza kwabo, wazibona iintsizi zabo;
abantu bazila ukudla imihla emininzi kulo lonke elakwaYuda neYerusalem, phambi kwengcwele
yeNkosi uSomandla.
4:14 noYowakim umbingeleli omkhulu, nabo bonke ababingeleli ababemi phambi koYehova
INkosi, nababelungiselela eNkosini, bezibhinqile izinqe zabo
enxibe ezirhwexayo, wanyusa amadini anyukayo iimini ngeemini, kwanezibhambathiso zokukhulula
izipho zabantu,
4:15 benothuthu ezinkontshweni zabo, Bazibika kuYehova
amandla, ukuze ayikhangele ngenceba yonke indlu kaSirayeli.