UNerhemiya uhlula izitha ezijamelene nomakho
1Kwathi lokha uSanibhalathi nakezwa bonyana sakha umthangala, wanyenya. Waphatheka kumbi khulu bewanyefula amaJuda 2phambi kwabantu bekhabo naphambi kwebutho leSamariya wathi: “Yintobani eyenziwa mitheretherana yamaJuda le? Adlumbana bonyana ikhona into angayilungisa bese enza umhlabelo na? Adlumbana bonyana angaqeda masinyana na? Njekhona angakghona ukubuya asebenzise amatje asequqwini yamawunguwungu etjhiswe mlilo leyo?”
3UThobiya umAmoni ogade amsekela wathi: “Iye, akuvuselelakokho, ngitjho nophagana nange angaqaqada phezu kwakho, angawugiriza umthangadlana wakhona wamatje lowo!”
4Ngathandaza ngathi: “Awu, Zimu! Akhusulalele ngombana siyanyefulwa. Phendulela ihlambabo le bonyana iwele phezu kweenhloko zabo, ubanikele babe yipango enarheni abathunjelwa kiyo. 5Ungakhe ungasibekela icala labo begodu ungavumeli bona izono zabo zisuleke emehlwenabo ngombana bathuke abakhi.”
6Nje-ke saragela phambili ngokwakha umthangala, ukuphakama kwawo bekwaba kuphakathi nendawo ngombana abantu bebanehliziyo yokusebenza.
7Kodwana kwathi lokha uSanibhalathi noThobiya kanye nama-Arabhu, ama-Amoni nabantu be-Atjhidodi nabezwa bonyana ukuvuselelwa komthangala eJerusalema kuragela phambili nokobana iinkhala besele zithome ukuvaleka, banyenya khulu. 8Nje-ke bakha isicathana sokobana kufuze beze bazokulwa neJerusalema bebabange ihlangahlangano kilo.
9Sathandaza uZimethu, sabeka abalindi ubusuku nemini bonyana bayelele ukuza kwabo. 10Abantu bakwaJuda bathi: “Amandla wabathwalako selayaphela, khisibe kusese neququ enengi; nje-ke asisakwazi ukuragela phambili nokwakha umthangala.” 11Ngahlanye izitha zethu zathi: “Bazokuthi bangakatjheji namkha bangaboni litho, sizobe sesiphakathi kwabo, sibabulale, sijamise umsebenzi.” 12Khonapho amaJuda ahlala hlanu kwezitha zethu eza kithi asitjela indlebe ukuzwa athi: “Buyelani kithi.”
13Nje-ke kwathi eenkhaleni lapha umthangala usese phasi khona, ngabeka abantu ngemuva kwawo ukuya ngemindenabo, baphethe iinsabula, imikhonto nemisubi. 14Kwathi sele ngihlole koke, ngasikima ngakhuluma nabosaziwako, iinkhulu kanye nabantu boke ngathi: “Ningabi nevalo ngabantwabo. Khumbulani uSomnini onamandla nowesabekako. Nje-ke lwelani abafowenu, amadodanenu, amadodakazenu, abomkenu kanye nemizenu.”
15Kuthe lokha izitha zethu nazizwa bonyana sele sazi ngesicathana sazo nokobana uZimu utjhiphirize ilisu lazo, zanyefa. Thina-ke sabuyela soke emthangaleni, omunye nomunye emsebenzinakhe. 16Kusukela mhlokho ingcenye yabantu bami yaraga umsebenzi, enye ingcenye yahloma ngeensabula, ngeemviko, imisubi nezambatho zepi. Abarholi bazihlela bonyana bajame ngemuva kwamaJuda, 17agade asakha umthangala. Labo ebebathwala ipahla yokwakha bebasebenza ngesandla sinye kuthi esinye siphathe isikhali. 18Omunye nomunye wabakhako gade ahlome isabulakhe edinini khisibe ngapha uyakha. Kodwana umbethi wepalapala gade ahlanu kwami. 19Ngakhuluma kibosaziwako neenkhulwini kanye nebantwini boke ngathi: “Umsebenzi mkhulu unabile, manje simaqalanga begodu sikude komunye nomunye emthangalenapha. 20Nje-ke kuphi nakuphi lapha nizwa khona ukulila kwepalapala, hlanganani nathi lapho. UZimethu uzasilwela.”
21Sangenelela khulu ekusebenzeni, ingcenye yamadoda ihlome iinsabula kusukela nakusako bekube ngamarhwaqela. 22Godu ngesikhatheso ngakhuluma nabantu ngathi: “Akuthi woke umuntu nesisebenzi sakhe bahlale ngeJerusalema ebusuku ukuze basisize babe balindi ebusuku kuthi emini babe ziinsebenzi.”
23Sengitjho mina, abafowethu, iinsebenzi zami namkha amadoda abalindi agade abalandeli bami, akakho noyedwa wethu owahlubula izambatho zakhe. Kwaba ngiloyo naloyo waziphathela isikhali esandleni sakhe.
