U-Ezra 7

₁Emveni kwalokho, ngesikhathi sokubusa kwenkosi u-Arithahishashitha ePheresiya, u-Ezra, indodana kaSeraya, ka-Azariya kaHilikiya, ₂kaShalumi, kaZadoki, ka-Ahithubi, ₃ka-Amariya, kaMerayothi, ₄kaZeraya, ka-Uzi, kaBhuki, ₅ka-Abhishuwa, kaFinehasi, ka-Eleyazari, ka-Aroni, umphristi omkhulu, ₆lowo Ezra wasuka eBhabhele waya eJerusalema. Wayengumbhali onekhono emthethweni kaMose ayewunikwe nguSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli; inkosi yamnika konke akucelayo, ngokuba isandla sikaSimakade uNkulunkulu wakhe sasinaye. ₇U-Ezra waphuma eBhabhele ngonyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kuka-Arithahishashitha, waya eJerusalema nabanye bakwa-Israyeli, abaphristi, abaLevi, abaculi, abalindisango nezisebenzi zasethempelini.

₈Bafika eJerusalema ngenyanga yesihlanu, ngonyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kwenkosi. ₉Baphuma eBhabhele ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yokuqala, kwathi ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yesihlanu, bafika eJerusalema, ngokuba isandla somusa sikaNkulunkulu wakhe sasinaye, ₁₀ngokuba inhliziyo ka-Ezra yayigxile ekufundeni umthetho kaSimakade, nokuwenza, nokufundisa izimiso nemithetho kwa-Israyeli.

₁₁Leli yifuzela lencwadi inkosi u-Arithahishasitha alinika u-Ezra, umphristi, umbhali, owayengumbhali wemithetho nezimiso zikaSimakade ku-Israyeli, ethi:

₁₂“U-Arithahishasitha, inkosi yamakhosi ku-Ezra, umphristi nombhali womthetho kaNkulunkulu wezulu: ukuthula.

₁₃“Ngishaya umthetho othi: noma yimuphi umuntu wakwa-Israyeli, noma abaphristi bakhona, noma abaLevi abasembusweni wami abathanda ukuya eJerusalema, bangahamba nawe. ₁₄Ngokuba uthunywa yinkosi nabeluleki bayo abayisikhombisa, ukuba niyobheka ukuthi kuhamba kanjani kwaJuda naseJerusalema ngokomthetho kaNkulunkulu wenu osesandleni sakho, ₁₅nokuhambisa isiliva negolide inkosi nabeluleki bayo abalinikele ngesihle kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ondlu yakhe iseJerusalema; ₁₆nithathe nalo lonke isiliva negolide eniyokufumana esifundazweni sonke eBhabhele, neminikelo yesihle yabantu neyabaphristi, abayinikela ngesihle endlini kaNkulunkulu wabo eJerusalema. ₁₇Niyisebenzise ngokucophelela leyo mali, nithenge izinkunzi, izinqama, amawundlu, iminikelo yokusanhlamvu neminikelo yokuphuzwayo, nikunikele e-althare endlini kaNkulunkulu wenu eJerusalema.

₁₈“Wena nabafowenu, lokho enikubona kufanele ukuba nikwenze ngesiliva nangegolide elisalileyo, kwenzeni ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu wenu. ₁₉Izitsha ozinikiwe ukuba zisetshenziselwe inkonzo yendlu kaNkulunkulu wakho, uyakuzibuyisela kuNkulunkulu wakho eJerusalema. ₂₀Noma yini enye edingekayo endlini kaNkulunkulu wakho okufanele niyihlinzeke ngokwenu, ithatheni engcebeni yenkosi.

₂₁“Mina Arithashashitha, inkosi, ngiyala bonke abagcinimafa abasesifundanzweni entshonalanga yeYufrathe ukuba noma yini ayoyifuna kini u-Ezra, umphristi nombhali womthetho kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini, yenziwe ngokucophelela okukhulu, ₂₂kuze kufike ekhulwini lamathalenta esiliva, nekhulu lamakhora kakolo, amabhathi ayikhulu ewayini, amabhathi alikhulu amafutha, nosawoti ongenakubalwa. ₂₃Konke okuyalwe nguNkulunkulu wasezulwini makwenziwe ngesineke, kwenzelwa indlu kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini, funa intukuthelo kaNkulunkulu yehlele inkosi namadodana ayo. ₂₄Futhi siyanazisa ukuthi anivunyelwe ukukhokhisa intela abaphristi, abaLevi, abaculi, abalindisango, izisebenzi zasethempelini nezinye izisebenzi ezisebenza kule ndlu kaNkulunkulu.

₂₅“Wena-ke Ezra, makuthi ngokuhlakanipha uNkulunkulu akuphe khona, uqoke abehluleli nezimantshi abayokwehlulela bonke abantu bakini abasesifundazweni esisentshonalanga yeYufrathe; makube ngabantu abawaziyo umthetho kaNkulunkulu wenu, abangawaziyo kufanele bawufundiswe. ₂₆Bonke abangawulaleli umthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho nomthetho wenkosi, kumele bajeziswe ngokubafaneleyo, kungaba ngokufa noma ngokudingiswa, noma ngokudlelwa impahla noma ngokuboshwa.”

₂₇Makadunyiswe uSimakade, uNkulunkulu wokhokho bethu, obeke into enje enhliziyweni yenkosi, ukuba ihlobise indlu kaSimakade eJerusalema ngale ndlela, ₂₈ongenzele umusa phambi kwenkosi nabeluleki bayo, naphambi kwazo zonke izikhulu zenkosi ezingamaqhawe. Ngaba nesibindi ngoba isandla seNkosi uSimakade sasinami, ngaqoqa abaholi kwa-Israyeli ukuba benyuke nami.