2 Esdra
3:1 Ngonyaka wamashumi amathathu ngemva kokuchithwa komuzi, ngangiseBhabhiloni, futhi
ngalala ngikhathazekile embhedeni wami, imicabango yami yafika enhliziyweni yami;
3:2 Ngoba ngabona incithakalo yaseSiyoni, kanye nengcebo yalabo abahlala kuyo
iBhabhiloni.
3:3 Futhi umoya wami washukunyiswa kakhulu, kangangokuthi ngaqala ukukhuluma amazwi egcwele
ukwesaba koPhezukonke, wathi:
3:4 O Nkosi, ophethe, wena wakhuluma ekuqaleni, lapho wenza
tshala umhlaba, wena wedwa, wayala abantu;
3:5 Futhi wanika u-Adamu umzimba ngaphandle komphefumulo, okwakuwumsebenzi wokwakha
izandla zakho, waphefumulela kuye umoya wokuphila, waba khona
waphila phambi kwakho.
3:6 Futhi wena umholele epharadesi, lapho isandla sakho sokunene satshalwa.
umhlaba ungakafiki.
3:7 Futhi kuye wamyala ukuba athande indlela yakho: okuyinto yena
wona, wahle wamisa ukufa kuye lakuye
izizukulwane, okwaphuma kuyo izizwe, nezizwe, nabantu, nemindeni
inombolo.
3:8 Futhi bonke abantu bahamba ngokwentando yabo, futhi benza izinto ezimangalisayo
phambi kwakho, wayidelela imiyalo yakho.
3:9 Futhi ngemva kwesikhathi waletha uzamcolo phezu kwalabo
wahlala emhlabeni, wababhubhisa.
3:10 Futhi kwenzeka kubo bonke, ukuthi njengoba ukufa kwaba ku-Adamu, kwaba njalo
uzamcolo kulaba.
3:11 Nokho washiya oyedwa kubo, uNowa nendlu yakhe.
okuphuma kuye bonke abalungileyo.
3:12 Futhi kwenzeka, ukuthi lapho ababehlala emhlabeni baqala
banda, babazuzela abantwana abanengi, baba yisizwe esikhulu;
baqala futhi ukungamesabi uNkulunkulu kunabokuqala.
3:13 Manje lapho bephila ngobubi kangaka phambi kwakho, wena wakhetha wena a
indoda yaphakathi kwabo, ibizo layo lalinguAbrahama.
3:14 Lowo wamthanda, futhi kuye yedwa wenza intando yakho.
3:15 Futhi wenza isivumelwano esiphakade naye, wamthembisa ukuthi wena
akasoze ayishiya inzalo yakhe.
3:16 Futhi kuye wena wamnika u-Isaka, futhi u-Isaka futhi wamnika uJakobe
kanye no-Esawu. UJakobe wazikhethela yena, wamfaka ngesandla sika-Esawu;
kanjalo uJakobe waba isixuku esikhulu.
3:17 Kwathi, lapho uhola inzalo yakhe eGibhithe, wena
wazenyusela entabeni yaseSinayi.
3:18 Futhi ekhothamisa amazulu, wena wamisa ngokuqinile umhlaba, unyakazisa wonke
umhlaba, wazamazamisa utwa, wakhathaza abantu bakhona
iminyaka yobudala.
3:19 Futhi inkazimulo yakho wadabula amasango amane, umlilo, nokuzamazama komhlaba, futhi
owomoya, namakhaza; ukuze unike umlayo enzalweni ka
uJakobe, nenkuthalo esizukulwaneni sika-Israyeli.
3:20 Futhi nokho awuzange ususe kubo inhliziyo embi, ukuze umthetho wakho
angase athele izithelo kuzo.
3:21 Ngoba u-Adamu wokuqala, owayenenhliziyo embi, waphambuka
nqoba; kanjalo nabo bonke abazelwe nguye.
3:22 Ngakho ubuthakathaka benziwa unomphela; kanye nomthetho (futhi) enhliziyweni ye
abantu abanobubi bempande; baze bamuka abalungileyo
kude, futhi omubi wahlala.
3:23 Ngakho izikhathi zadlula, futhi iminyaka yaphela: ke
Wakumisela inceku ethiwa uDavide;
3:24 Lowo wayala ukwakha umuzi igama lakho, futhi ukunikela
kuwe impepho neminikelo yempuphu kuyo.
3:25 Lapho lokhu sekwenziwe iminyaka eminingi, khona-ke abakhileyo emzini bawushiya
wena,
3:26 Futhi kukho konke njengoba u-Adamu futhi zonke izizukulwane zakhe benza
futhi babenenhliziyo embi.
3:27 Futhi ngakho wanikela umuzi wakho esandleni sezitha zakho.
3:28 Ingabe izenzo zabo-ke kungcono kakhulu abahlala eBhabhiloni, ukuthi kufanele
ngalokho uyabusa phezu kweSiyoni na?
3:29 Ngoba lapho ngifika lapho, futhi ngibone impieties ezingenakubalwa, ke yami
umphefumulo wami ubone abaningi abenza okubi ngalo mnyaka wamashumi amathathu, kangangokuthi inhliziyo yami yaphela amandla
mina.
3:30 Ngoba ngibonile ukuthi ubavumela ukuba benze isono, futhi uye wabayeka ababi
wabhubhisa abantu bakho, walondoloza izitha zakho;
futhi awukawusho.
3:31 Angikhumbuli ukuthi le ndlela ingase ishiywe: Ingabe ke baseBhabhiloni
kangcono kunabaseSiyoni?
3:32 Noma kukhona abanye abantu abakwaziyo ngaphandle Israyeli? noma yini
isizukulwane siyakholwa yizivumelwano zakho njengoJakobe na?
3:33 Nokho umvuzo wabo awubonakali, futhi umshikashika wabo awunasithelo
Ngiye ngapha nangapha phakathi kwabezizwe, futhi ngiyabona ukuthi bayageleza
engcebweni, ungacabangi imiyalo yakho.
3:34 Ngakho kala ububi bethu esikalini, kanye nokwabo futhi
abahlala emhlabeni; kanjalo igama lakho aliyikutholwa ndawo ngaphandle kwangaphakathi
Israyeli.
3:35 Noma kwaba nini lapho abahlala emhlabeni bengonanga
ukubona kwakho? Noma yibaphi abantu abagcine imiyalo yakho na?
3:36 Uyothola ukuthi u-Israyeli ngegama uzigcinile iziyalezo zakho; kodwa hhayi
umhedeni.