Ezra
9:1 Manje lapho lezi zinto seziphelile, izikhulu zeza kimi, wathi: "The
abantu bakwa-Israyeli, nabapristi, namaLevi, abazange bahlukane
besuka kubantu bamazwe, benza njengabo
izinengiso, amaKhanani, namaHeti, namaPherizi, namaPherizi
namaJebusi, nama-Amoni, namaMowabi, namaGibhithe, nama-Amori.
9:2 Ngoba baye bathatha emadodakazini abo, futhi ngenxa yabo
amadodana: ukuze inzalo engcwele ihlangane nabantu be
lawo mazwe: yebo, isandla sezikhulu nababusi sasiyinhloko phakathi
lelicala.
9:3 Futhi lapho ngizwa le nto, Ngaklebhula ingubo yami nesiphuku sami, futhi
ngahluthula izinwele zekhanda lami nesilevu sami, ngahlala phansi ngimangele.
9:4 Kwase kubuthana kimi bonke abathuthumela ngamazwi kaJehova
uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngenxa yesiphambeko salabo ababekhona
wamuka; ngahlala ngimangele kwaze kwaba ngumnikelo wakusihlwa.
9:5 Futhi ngesikhathi somhlatshelo wakusihlwa, Ngavuka ekucindezelekeni kwami; nokuba
klebhula ingubo yami nejazi lami, ngaguqa ngamadolo, ngelula okwami
izandla kuJehova uNkulunkulu wami,
9:6 Ngathi: “O Nkulunkulu wami, nginamahloni, nginamahloni ukuphakamisa ubuso bami kuwe;
uNkulunkulu wami, ngokuba ububi bethu bandile phezu kwamakhanda ethu neziphambeko zethu
ukhulile waze wafika emazulwini.
9:7 Kusukela ezinsukwini zokhokho bethu siye ephutheni elikhulu kulokhu
usuku; ngenxa yobubi bethu thina, namakhosi ethu, nabapristi bethu
wanikelwa esandleni samakhosi ezwe, enkembeni, ukuze
ekuthunjweni, nasekuphangweni, nasekujabhisweni kobuso, njenganamuhla.
9:8 Manje umusa ovela kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu ubonisiwe okwesikhashana.
ukuze asishiyele insali yokusinda, asibethele isikhonkwane endaweni engcwele yakhe
endaweni, ukuze uNkulunkulu wethu akhanyisele amehlo ethu, asiphe ukuphumula kancane
ebugqilini bethu.
9:9 Ngoba sasiyizigqili; nokho uNkulunkulu wethu akasishiyanga ebugqilini bethu;
kodwa uselulele umusa kithi emehlweni amakhosi asePheresiya, ukuze
siphe ukuphila, simise indlu kaNkulunkulu wethu, siyilungise
izincithakalo zalo, asinike ugange kwaJuda naseJerusalema.
9:10 Manje, O Nkulunkulu wethu, sizothini ngemva kwalokhu? ngoba sikulahlile
imiyalo yakho,
9:11 owayala ngayo ngezinceku zakho abaprofethi, wathi, The
izwe eningena kulo ukulidla liyizwe elingcolile phambi kwenu
ukungcola kwabantu bamazwe, nezinengiso zabo, okuyinto
baligcwalise kusukela emkhawulweni omunye kusiya komunye ngokungcola kwabo.
9:12 Ngakho manje ninganiki amadodakazi enu amadodana abo, futhi ningathathi
amadodakazi abo kumadodana enu, futhi ningafuni ukuthula kwabo noma ingcebo yabo
kuze kube phakade, ukuze nibe namandla, nidle okuhle kwezwe, nilishiye
kube yifa labantwana bakho kuze kube phakade.
9:13 Futhi ngemva kwakho konke okusehlele ngenxa yezenzo zethu ezimbi, futhi ngenxa enkulu yethu
isiphambeko, lokhu wena Nkulunkulu wethu usijezise kancane kunezethu
ububi bufanele, wasinika ukukhululwa okungaka;
9:14 Ingabe kufanele siphinde siphule imiyalo yakho, futhi sihlanganyele ebudlelwaneni
abantu balezi zinengiso? ubungeke yini usithukuthelele uze
ubususiqedile, kwaze kwangabikho nsali nophunyukayo na?
9:15 O Jehova, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, wena ulungile, ngoba thina basaphunyukile, njengoba nje
Kuyinamuhla: bheka, siphambi kwakho ngezono zethu, ngokuba thina
akanakuma phambi kwakho ngenxa yalokhu.