Ezra
4:1 Manje lapho izitha zikaJuda noBhenjamini bezwa ukuthi abantwana
kwabathunjwa bakhela uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ithempeli;
4:2 Khona-ke beza kuZerubabele, futhi izinduna zawoyise, futhi bathi
wathi kubo: “Masakhe nani, ngokuba sifuna uNkulunkulu wenu njengani; futhi thina
nimhlabele kusukela ezinsukwini zika-Esarihadoni inkosi yase-Asiriya
wasikhuphula lapha.
4:3 Kodwa uZerubabele, noJeshuwa, futhi abanye izinhloko zawoyise
u-Israyeli wathi kubo: “Anihlangene nathi ukwakha indlu
kuNkulunkulu wethu; kepha thina sodwa siyakwakhela uJehova uNkulunkulu wabo
Israyeli, njengalokho inkosi uKoresi inkosi yasePheresiya yasiyala.
4:4 Khona-ke abantu bezwe babenza buthaka izandla zabantu bakwaJuda.
wabahlupha ekwakheni;
4:5 Futhi abaqasha abeluleki ngokumelene nabo, ukuze babhubhise inhloso yabo, bonke
izinsuku zikaKoresi inkosi yasePheresiya, kwaze kwaba sekubuseni kukaDariyu inkosi yase-Araba
iPheresiya.
4:6 Futhi ekubuseni kuka-Ahashiveroshi, ekuqaleni kokubusa kwakhe, babhala
kuye ukumangalela abakhileyo kwaJuda naseJerusalema.
4:7 Emihleni ka-Aritahishashita waloba uBishlamu, noMithredati, noThabeyeli,
abanye babangane babo, ku-Aritahishashita inkosi yasePheresiya; kanye ne
ukuloba incwadi kwakulotshwe ngolimi lwesiSiriya, kwahunyushwa
ngolimi lwesiSiriya.
8 URehumi umbusi noShimshayi umbhali babhala incwadi ngokumelene nabo
eJerusalema ku-Aritahishashita inkosi kanje:
4:9 Khona-ke uRehum induna, noShimshayi umbhali, nabanye
yabangane babo; namaDina, nama-Afarisati, namaTarpeli,
ama-Afarsite, ama-Arkevi, amaBhabhiloni, amaSusaki,
namaDehavi, nama-Elamu,
4:10 Futhi zonke ezinye izizwe ezilethwa u-Asnapper omkhulu nohloniphekile
wawela, wahlala emizini yaseSamariya, nakwabanye abakulo
eceleni komfula, futhi ngaleso sikhathi.
4:11 Lena ikhophi yencwadi abayithumela kuye, ngisho kuze
u-Aritahishashita inkosi; Izinceku zakho amadoda nganeno komfula nangasentshonalanga
isikhathi esinjalo.
4:12 Makwazeke enkosini ukuthi amaJuda akhuphukela kithi evela kuwe
sebefikile eJerusalema, bakha umuzi ohlubukayo nomubi, futhi
wamisa izindonga zalo, futhi wahlanganisa izisekelo.
4:13 Manje makwazeke enkosini, ukuthi, uma lo muzi wakhiwa, futhi i
zimiswe izindonga, bangabe besakhokha intela, nenkokhiso, nenkokhiso;
kanjalo uyakulimaza inzuzo yamakhosi.
4:14 Manje ngoba sinesondlo kusukela esigodlweni senkosi, futhi kwakungenjalo
sifanelwe ukubona ihlazo lenkosi, ngakho-ke sithumele futhi
yaqinisekisa inkosi;
4:15 Ukuze kucwaningwe encwadini yezindaba zawoyihlo
uyakuthola encwadini yemibhalo, nazi ukuthi lo muzi uyisizinda
umuzi ohlubukayo, olimazayo emakhosini nasezifundeni, nokuthi bona
basusa ukuvukela umbuso phakathi nesikhathi esidala: okwabangela lokho
lomuzi wachithwa.
4:16 Siyayivuma inkosi ukuthi, uma lo muzi ubuye wakhiwe, kanye nezindonga
umise, ngale ndlela awuyikuba nasabelo ngalapha
umfula.
4:17 Inkosi yasithumela impendulo kuRehum induna kanye noShimshayi
umbhali kanye nabanye abangane babo abahlala eSamariya.
nakwabanye phesheya komfula Ukuthula, nangaleso sikhathi.
4:18 Incwadi enayithumela kithi ifundwe ngokucacile phambi kwami.
4:19 Futhi ngayala, futhi kwaphenywa, futhi kwatholakala ukuthi lokhu
umuzi wasendulo wenze ukuvukela amakhosi, nalokho
kwenziwa khona ukuhlubuka nokuhlubuka.
4:20 Kube khona amakhosi anamandla phezu kweJerusalema, aye wabusa phezu
wonke amazwe ngaphesheya komfula; futhi kukhokhwa intela, intela, nenkokhiso
kubo.
4:21 Yaleza manje ukuba bayeke laba bantu kanye nalo muzi
ungakhiwa, kuze kukhishwe omunye umyalo ovela kimi.
4:22 Qaphelani manje ukuba ningehluleki ukwenza lokhu;
ukulimala kwamakhosi?
4:23 Manje lapho ikhophi yencwadi yenkosi u-Aritahishashita ifundwa phambi kukaRehum, futhi
UShimshayi umbhali nabangane babo bakhuphukela khona ngokushesha
iJerusalema kumaJuda, futhi wawaqeda ngamandla nangamandla.
4:24 Khona-ke wayeka umsebenzi wendlu kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema. Ngakho-ke
Yaphela kwaze kwaba ngumnyaka wesibili wokubusa kukaDariyu inkosi yasePheresiya.