1 Esdra
3:1 Kwathi uDariyu esebusa, wenzela zonke izinceku zakhe idili elikhulu.
nakuyo yonke indlu yakhe, nakuzo zonke izikhulu zamaMediya kanye
iPheresiya,
3:2 Nakubo bonke ababusi, nezinduna, nezinduna ezazingaphansi
kuye, kusukela eNdiya kuze kufike eTopiya, wezifunda eziyikhulu namashumi amabili nesikhombisa.
3:3 Kwathi sebedlile baphuza, basutha babuyela ekhaya.
uDariyu inkosi wayesengena ekamelweni lakhe lokulala, walala;
wavuswa.
3:4 Khona-ke izinsizwa ezintathu, ababengabalindi, ababegcina isidumbu senkosi.
bakhuluma omunye komunye;
3:5 Yilowo nalowo kithi makakhulume umusho: lowo oyonqoba, nobani
isahlulelo siyakubonakala sihlakaniphe kunezinye, kuyo inkosi
UDariyu wapha izipho ezinkulu nezinto ezinkulu njengesibonakaliso sokunqoba.
3:6 Njengokwembathiswa okunsomi, ukuphuza igolide, nokulala phezu kwegolide,
nenqola enamatomu egolide, nomnqwazi welineni elicolekileyo, a
iketanga entanyeni yakhe:
3:7 Futhi uyohlala eduze kukaDariyu ngenxa yokuhlakanipha kwakhe, futhi kuyoba
wabiza uDariyu umzala wakhe.
3:8 Futhi ke, yilowo nalowo wabhala isigwebo sakhe, uphawu, futhi wabeka ngaphansi kwenkosi
uDariyu umcamelo wakhe;
3:9 Futhi wathi, lapho inkosi isivukile, abanye bayomnika imibhalo;
ohlangothini lwakhe inkosi nezikhulu ezintathu zasePheresiya ziyakwahlulela
ukuthi isigwebo sakhe sihlakaniphe kakhulu, kuyakunikwa ukunqoba njengalokhu
waqokwa.
3:10 Owokuqala wabhala wathi: Iwayini linamandla kakhulu.
3:11 Eyesibili yaloba: Inkosi inamandla.
3:12 Owesithathu waloba ukuthi: Abesifazane banamandla, kepha ngaphezu kwakho konke iqiniso liyabekezela
kude ukunqoba.
3:13 Manje lapho inkosi wasukuma, bathatha imibhalo yabo, futhi wakhulula
wazifunda kuye, wazifunda;
3:14 Futhi wathumela wabiza zonke izikhulu zasePheresiya naseMediya, futhi
ababusi, nezinduna, nezinduna, nezinduna
izikhulu;
3:15 Wamhlalisa esihlalweni sobukhosi sokwahlulela; nemibhalo yayikhona
funda phambi kwabo.
3:16 Wathi, "Bizani izinsizwa, futhi bayokhuluma ezabo
imisho. Babizwa-ke, bangena.
3:17 Wathi kubo: "Sitshele izingqondo zenu mayelana
imibhalo. Kwase kuqala owokuqala owakhuluma ngamandla ewayini;
3:18 Wathi: "O nina madoda! kubangela konke
amadoda aphuzayo ukudukisa.
3:19 Kwenza ingqondo yenkosi nentandane kube konke
eyodwa; owesigqili, lokhululekileyo, owempofu locebileyo;
3:20 Futhi uphendulela yonke imicabango ibe intokozo nenjabulo, ukuze umuntu
alukhumbuli usizi nesikweletu;
3:21 Futhi kwenza zonke izinhliziyo ezicebile, kangangokuthi umuntu akakhumbuli inkosi
noma umbusi; futhi lwenza ukukhuluma izinto zonke ngamathalenta;
3:22 Futhi lapho sebezindebe zabo, bakhohlwa uthando lwabo kokubili abangane
futhi abazalwane, futhi ngemva kwesikhashana behosha izinkemba.
3:23 Kodwa lapho besuka ewayinini, abakhumbuli abakwenzile.
3:24 O nina madoda, akulona yini iwayini elinamandla, eliphoqelela ukwenza kanjalo? Futhi nini
wayesekhulumile wathula.