Labaphambene nekwakhiwa kabusha kwelithempeli
1Tatsi kube titsa tebakaJuda nebakaBhenjamini tive kutsi labantfu labebatfunjiwe bese balakha kabusha lithempeli laSimakadze Nkulunkulu wema-Israyeli, 2teta kuZerubhabheli nakubaholi bemindeni, tafike tatsi: “Sicela kunisita kulokwakha, ngobe njengani, natsi sifuna loNkulunkulu wenu. Tsine besisolo sinikela kuye kusukela ngesikhatsi sa-Esahadoni, inkhosi yase-Asiriya, lowasiletsa lapha.”
3Kodvwa Zerubhabheli, naJeshuwa, kanye nebaholi labanye bemindeni yaka-Israyeli baphendvula batsi: “Aninanhlanganyelo natsi ekwakheni lithempeli laNkulunkulu wetfu. Ngitsi kuphela lesitawulakha silakhele Simakadze, Nkulunkulu wema-Israyeli, njengobe Khuresi, inkhosi yasePheresiya, isiyalile.”
4Kwatsi tonkhe tive letatibomakhelwane babo tacala kubajabhisa nekubesabisa ngekwakha. 5Badizela letinye tiphatsimandla tembuso kutsi tiyigongonye yonkhe imitamo yekwakha sonkhe sikhatsi sekubusa kwaKhuresi, inkhosi yasePheresiya, kwaze kwaba sikhatsi sekubusa kwaDariyusi, inkhosi yasePheresiya.
Kumelana nemsebenti wekwakha ngesikhatsi sa-Athazeksesi
6Ekucaleni kwekubusa kwaZeksesi, inkhosi, letitsa tabhala phansi tibeka sive sakaJuda nebantfu baseJerusalema licala.
7Kwaphindza futsi ngesikhatsi sekubusa kwa-Athazeksesi, inkhosi yasePheresiya, boBishlamu, naMithredathi, naThabeyali kanye nebangani babo babhalela Athazeksesi incwadzi. Lencwadzi yayibhalwe ngelulwimi lwesi-Aramu, yase iyahunyushwa.
8Rehumi, indvuna, kanye naShimshayi, labengumabhalane, babhala incwadzi ngeJerusalema bayitfumela ku-Athazeksesi, inkhosi, itsi:
9“Lencwadzi iphuma kuRehumi, indvuna, naShimshayi longumabhalane, kanye nakubangani babo, behluleli kanye netiphatsimandla letibengamele baseTripholisi, nebasePheresiya, nebase-Ereki, kanye nebaseBhabhulona, nema-Elamu aseSusa, 10nalabanye Ashubaniphali lomkhulu nalohloniphekile labatfumba wababeka kutsi bakhe edolobheni laseSamariya nakuletinye tindzawo ngaseNshonalanga neYufrathe.”
11Nayi-ke inkhulumo leyayibhalwe kulencwadzi:
“Iya ku-Athazeksesi, inkhosi.
“Iphuma etincekwini takho letingemadvodza lakhe eNshonalanga Yufrathe:
12“Inkhosi kufanele yati kutsi lamaJuda lafike lapha, esuka lapho kuwe asaye eJerusalema kuyewulakha kabusha lelidolobha lelibi nalelihlubukako. Balwakha kabusha lubondza, kantsi nesisekelo bayasivusetela.
13“Ngetulu kwaloko inkhosi kufanele yati kutsi nangabe lakhiwa lelidolobha nelubondza lwalo luvusetelwa, kute imitselo, netetfulo, nentsela letawuphindze ikhishwe, netimali tasebukhosini titawuphela. 14Njengobe manje singaphansi kwenkhosi singafuni nekutsi sibone bukhosi bentelwa phansi, ngiko sitfumele lelivi kutakwatisa inkhosi ngaloko, 15khona utawuke uphenyisise emilandvweni yabokhokho bakho. Kuleyo ndzawo utawukhandza kutsi lelidolobha linenkhani, liluhlupho emakhosini kusukela endvulo. Bantfu balo kulukhuni kubabusa. Nguko nje labhujiswa lelidolobha. 16Siyayatisa inkhosi kutsi nangabe lakhiwa kabusha lelidolobha, nangabe futsi nalo lolubondza lwakhiwa kabusha, itawusala yodvwana, ingasenalutfo lapha eNshonalanga Yufrathe.”
17Inkhosi yatfumela imphendvulo yayo leyayibhalwe kanje:
“Lencwadzi ibhalelwe Rehumi, indvuna, naShimshayi, mabhalane, kanye nabo bonkhe labahambisana nabo labahlala eSamariya nakuso sonkhe sifundza saseNshonalanga Yufrathe. Ngiyanibingelela.
18“Lencwadzi leningibhalele yona ifundvwe yahunyushwa lapha embikwami. 19Ngivele ngakhipha umtsetfo kutsi kuphenyisiswe, kwatfolakala kutsi vele lelidolobha linemlandvo lomudze wekuhlubuka emakhosi. Bekuyindzawo yekuhlubuka nekuphambana nembuso. 20IJerusalema beyinemakhosi lanemandla kakhulu, abusa lonkhe leli lelingaseNshonalanga Yufrathe, imitselo, netetfulo kanye nentsela bekukhishwa kuwo. 21Ngako khiphani umlayeto nitjele lawo madvodza kutsi ayekele lowo msebenti, khona lelo dolobha lingetikwakhiwa, kuze kuphume lomunye umtsetfo kimi. 22Caphelani niyinakisise lendzaba. Lolusongo ningaluvumeli kutsi lube yingoti ebukhosini.”
23Yatsi kube lencwadzi ya-Athazeksesi, inkhosi, ifundzelwe Rehumi, naShimshayi, labengumabhalane, kanye nebangani babo, bavele basukumela etulu balibangisa kuwo emaJuda labeseJerusalema bayakuwaphocelela ngenkhani kutsi ayekele.
Kusukela phansi futsi kwakhiwa kwelithempeli
24Ngako umsebenti wekwakha indlu yaNkulunkulu eJerusalema wema, kwaze kwaba ngumnyaka wesibili wekubusa kwaDariyusi, inkhosi yasePheresiya.
