1 Esdra
2:1 Ngomnyaka wokuqala kaKoresi inkosi yasePheresiya, izwi likaJehova
INkosi ingafezeka, lokho ayekuthembisile ngomlomo kaJeremy;
2:2 INkosi yavusa umoya kaKoresi, inkosi yamaPheresiya, futhi yena
wenza isimemezelo embusweni wakhe wonke, nangokubhala,
2:3 Wathi: "Usho kanje uKoresi, inkosi yamaPheresiya; INkosi ka-Israyeli,
Nkosi ePhezukonke, ingenze inkosi yomhlaba wonke,
2:4 Futhi wangiyala ukuba ngimakhele indlu eJerusalema eJudiya.
2:5 Ngakho-ke uma kukhona kini ongowabantu bakhe, mayibe iNkosi,
yebo, iNkosi yakhe, mayibe naye, akhuphukele eJerusalema eliphakathi
kwaJuda, nakhe indlu kaJehova ka-Israyeli, ngokuba uyiNkosi
ohlala eJerusalema.
2:6 Ngakho-ke noma ubani ohlala ezindaweni ezizungezile, makamsize, labo, I
anothi, omakhelwane bakhe, ngegolide, nangesiliva;
2:7 Ngezipho, ngamahhashi, kanye nezinkomo, kanye nezinye izinto, okuyinto babe
kwamiswa ngesifungo, ngethempeli leNkosi eJerusalema.
2:8 Khona-ke induna yemindeni yakwaJuda nasesizweni sakwaBenjamini
wasukuma; nabapristi, namaLevi, nabo bonke abanhliziyo zabo zinhliziyonye
INkosi yayisukile ukuba ikhuphuke, futhi yakhele iNkosi indlu
Jerusalema,
2:9 Futhi labo ababebazungezile, futhi wabasiza kukho konke nge
isiliva negolide, namahhashi, nezinkomo, kanye nezipho eziningi zamahhala
yesixuku esikhulu izingqondo zabo zanyakaziswa kukho.
2:10 Inkosi uKoresi wakhipha izitsha ezingcwele, okuyinto uNabukhadinezari ayenazo
wasuswa eJerusalema, wamisa ethempelini lakhe izithombe.
2:11 Manje lapho uKoresi, inkosi yamaPheresiya, wabakhipha, wakhulula
kuMithridates umgcinimafa wakhe:
2:12 Futhi ngaye zanikelwa kuSanibhasari umbusi waseJudiya.
2:13 Futhi lokhu kwakuyisibalo sabo; Izindebe zegolide eziyinkulungwane, nenkulungwane
ezesiliva, imicengezi yesiliva ezingamashumi amabili nesishiyagalolunye, nezitsha zegolide ezingamashumi amathathu namashumi amathathu
isiliva izinkulungwane ezimbili namakhulu amane neshumi, nezinye izitsha eziyinkulungwane.
2:14 Ngakho zonke izitsha zegolide nezesiliva, okuyinto bathunjwa, kwaba
izinkulungwane ezinhlanu namakhulu amane namashumi ayisithupha nesishiyagalolunye.
2:15 Laba babuyiswa nguSanabasari, kanye nabo
ekuthunjweni, kusukela eBhabhiloni kuya eJerusalema.
2:16 Kodwa ngesikhathi sika-Aritahishashita inkosi yamaPheresiya Belemus, futhi
noMithridates, noTabeliyu, noRathumus, noBeeltethmus, noSemeliyu
unobhala, kanye nabanye ababethunywa kanye nabo, behlala
eSamariya nakwezinye izindawo, bamlobela ngokumelene nabakhileyo
EJudiya naseJerusalema lezi zincwadi ezilandelayo;
2:17 Enkosini u-Aritahishashita, inkosi yethu, nezinceku zakho, noRathumus umbhali,
USemeliyu umbhali, nabanye bomkhandlu wabo, nabahluleli lokho
aseCelosyria naseFenike.
2:18 Manje makwazeke enkosini inkosi, ukuthi amaJuda asuka kuwe ukuya
thina, sesingenile eJerusalema, lowo muzi ohlubukayo nomubi, asakhe
izimakethe, alungise izingange zalo, abeke isisekelo
lethempeli.
2:19 Manje uma lo muzi kanye nezindonga zawo kuphinde kwakhiwe, ngeke
kuphela nanqaba ukuthela intela, kepha nihlubuke namakhosi.
2:20 Futhi njengoba nje izinto eziphathelene nethempeli manje esandleni, thina
cabanga ukuthi kufanelekile ukungayideleli indaba enjalo,
2:21 Kodwa ukukhuluma enkosini yethu, inkosi, ukuze, uma kungokwenu
intokozo ingafundwa ezincwadini zaboyihlo.
2:22 Futhi uzothola emibhalweni yemilando okulotshiweyo mayelana nalezi
lizaqonda ukuthi lowomuzi wawuhlubuka, uhlupha
kokubili amakhosi nemizi.
2:23 Futhi ukuthi amaJuda ayevukela, futhi njalo evusa izimpi kuwo; okwe
okwabangela ukuthi lomuzi ube yincithakalo.
2:24 Ngakho manje, O nkosi nkosi, siyakutshela ukuthi uma lokhu
umuzi mawakhiwe futhi, nezindonga zawo zimiswe kabusha, wena usuke
kusukela manje abasekho ukudlula eCelosyria naseFenike.
2:25 Khona-ke inkosi yaphinde yabhala kuRathumu, umbhali, ukuze
uBhelethethmu, kuSemeliyu umbhali, nakwabanye ababephakathi
emva kwalokho, nabakhileyo eSamariya naseSiriya naseFenike
indlela;
2:26 Ngiyifundile incwadi eniyithumele kimi
walaya ukuthi kuphenyisise, kwafunyanwa ukuthi lowomuzi
kusukela ekuqaleni wayelwa namakhosi;
2:27 Futhi amadoda akhona azinikele ekuhlubukeni nasempini, futhi labo abanamandla
amakhosi nabanolaka eJerusalema, ayebusa ekhokhisa intela
I-Celosyria nePhenice.
2:28 Ngakho-ke ngiyaleza ukuba bavinjwe lawo madoda ekwakheni
umuzi, uqaphele ukuba kungabe kusakwenziwa kuwo;
2:29 Futhi ukuthi lezo zisebenzi ezimbi aziqhubeki phambili ekucasuleni
amakhosi,
2:30 Khona-ke kufundwa izincwadi zakhe inkosi u-Aritahishashita, uRathumus noSemeliyu
umbhali, nabanye ababenomyalo kanye nabo, besuka bangena
sheshani nibheke eJerusalema neviyo labamahhashi noquqaba
abantu abasemidwebeni yempi, baqala ukuvimba abakhi; kanye nesakhiwo
yethempeli eJerusalema yaphela kwaze kwaba ngumnyaka wesibili wokubusa kuka
UDariyu inkosi yamaPheresiya.