Judith
4:1 Manje abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, ababehlala eJudiya, bezwa konke lokho
uHolofernesi, induna yenkulungwane kaNebukadinesari, inkosi yase-Asiriya
enziwe ezizweni, waphanga kanjani zonke zazo
amathempeli, awenza ize.
4:2 Ngakho bamesaba kakhulu, futhi bakhathazeka
iJerusalema, nethempeli likaJehova uNkulunkulu wabo:
4:3 Ngoba babesanda kubuya ekuthunjweni, futhi bonke abantu base
Muva nje kwase kubuthelwa iJudiya: nezitsha, ne-altare, kanye
indlu, yangcweliswa ngemva kokungcoliswa.
4:4 Ngakho bathumela kuyo yonke imingcele yaseSamariya, nasemizaneni kanye
eBethoroni, naseBelmen, naseJeriko, naseHoba, nase-Esora, nase-Esora
isigodi saseSalema:
4:5 Futhi bazuza ngokwabo ngaphambili kuzo zonke iziqongo eziphakeme
izintaba, waqinisa imizana ekuzo, wabeka
ukudla kwempahla yempi, ngokuba amasimu abo ayesevunwa kamuva.
4:6 Futhi uJoakim umpristi omkhulu, owayekhona ngalezo zinsuku eJerusalema, wabhala
kwabakhileyo eBethuliya, naseBetomesthamu elibhekene
i-Esdraeloni ngasenkangala, eduze kwaseDothayimi,
4:7 Wabayala ukuba bagcine imifantu yezintaba, ngokuba ngabo
kwakukhona indlela yokungena eJudiya, futhi kwakulula ukubavimba lokho
yayizokhuphuka, ngoba umgwaqo wawuqondile, kumadoda amabili ngasemgwaqweni
iningi.
4:8 Futhi abantwana bakwa-Israyeli benza njengoba uJehoyakimi umpristi omkhulu ayeyalile
bona kanye namalunga abo bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ababehlala khona
eJerusalema.
4:9 Khona-ke wonke amadoda akwa-Israyeli wakhala kuNkulunkulu ngokufutheka okukhulu, futhi
ulaka olukhulu bathobisa imiphefumulo yabo:
4:10 Bobabili, nabafazi babo nabantwana babo, nezinkomo zabo, futhi
bonke abafokazi nabaqashwayo, nezinceku zabo ezithengwayo ngemali, babeka
indwangu yamasaka ezinkalweni zabo.
4:11 Kanjalo wonke amadoda nabesifazane, futhi izingane, kanye nabakhileyo
baseJerusalema, bawa phambi kwethempeli, bathela umlotha emakhanda abo,
bendlala indwangu yabo yamasaka phambi kobuso bukaJehova;
gqoka indwangu yamasaka e-altare.
4:12 Futhi wamemeza kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli bonke nganhliziyonye kanyekanye, ukuthi yena
kabanikelanga abantwana babo ukuze babe yimpango, labafazi babo babe yimpango;
nemizi yefa labo ibe yincithakalo, nendlu engcwele
inhlamba nesihlamba, ukuze izizwe zijabule.
4:13 Ngakho uNkulunkulu wayizwa imithandazo yabo, futhi wabheka usizi lwabo:
abantu bazila ukudla izinsuku eziningi kulo lonke elaseJudiya naseJerusalema phambi kwendlu engcwele
yeNkosi uMninimandla onke.
4:14 Futhi uJehoyakimi umpristi omkhulu, futhi bonke abapristi ababemi phambi kukaJehova
INkosi, nabakhonza uJehova, izinkalo zabo zaziboshiwe
indwangu yamasaka, banikela ngeminikelo yokushiswa imihla ngemihla, kanye nezithembiso nesihle
izipho zabantu,
4:15 Futhi benomlotha emigqomeni yabo, futhi bakhala eNkosini kanye nazo zonke zabo
amandla, ukuze abuke yonke indlu ka-Israyeli ngomusa.