UEZRA 4

₁Kwathi lapho izitha zakwaJuda nezakwaBenjamini sezizwile ukuthi abathunjwa bakhela uJehova uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli ithempeli,

₂zasondela kuZerubabele nakuzo izinhloko zawoyise, zathi kubo: Masakhe nani, ngokuba sifuna uNkulunkulu wenu njengani, sinikela kuye kwasemihleni kaEsari-Hadoni inkosi yaseAsiriya owasikhuphulela lapha.

₃Kepha oZerubabele noJeshuwa nensali yezinhloko zawoyise bakwaIsrayeli bathi kuzo: Aninandaba nathi yokwakhela uNkulunkulu wethu indlu, kepha thina sodwa siyakumakhela uJehova uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli njengokusiyala kwenkosi uKoresi, inkosi yasePheresiya.

₄Abantu balelozwe base bedangalisa izandla zabantu bakwaJuda, babesabisa ekwakheni,

₅babaqashela abeluleki, bashafisa amasu abo zonke izinsuku zikaKoresi inkosi yasePheresiya, kwaze kwaba-sekubuseni kukaDariyu inkosi yasePheresiya.

₆Ekubuseni kuka-Ahashiveroshi, ekuqaleni kokubusa kwakhe, baloba bamangalela abakhileyo kwaJuda naseJerusalema.

₇Emihleni ka-Aritahishashita oBishilamu, noMithiredati, noThabeyeli, nabanye abangane bakhe baloba kuAritahishashita inkosi yasePheresiya; okulotshiweyo kwakunjengokulotshwa kwesiAramu, kwachazwa ngesiAramu.

₈URehumi unqamulajuqu noShimshayi umbhali babhala incwadi enje kuAritahishashita inkosi ngeJerusalema ngokuthi:

₉URehumi unqamulajuqu noShimshayi umbhali nabanye abangane babo, amaDinayi, nama-Afarisathiki, namaTharipheli, nama-Afarisi, nama-Arikhevi, nabaseBabele, namaShushaniki, namaDehavi, namaElamu,

₁₀nezinye izizwe ezathunjwa nguOsinaphari omkhulu nodumileyo, zahlaliswa emzini waseSamariya nakwelinye phesheya koMfula*, nokuthi nokuthi.

₁₁Nansi impinda yencwadi abayithuma kuAritahishashita inkosi yokuthi: Izinceku zakho abantu abaphesheya koMfula*, nokuthi nokuthi.

₁₂Makwazeke enkosini ukuthi abaJuda abakhuphuka kuwe sebefikile kithi eJerusalema; bayawakha umuzi ohlubukileyo nonengekayo; sebeyakuqeda izingange, bahlanganise izisekelo.

₁₃Makwazeke enkosini kalokhu ukuthi uma lomuzi wakhiwa, ziqedwe izingange, abayikuthela intela, nenkokhiso, nemali yendlela, okuyakulimaza amakhosi ekugcineni.

₁₄Njengokuba manje sidla usawoti wendlu yenkosi, kungasifanele ukuba sibone ihlazo lenkosi, ngalokho sithumele sayazisa inkosi

₁₅ukuba kucingwe encwadini yezindaba yawoyihlo; uyakufumana encwadini yezindaba, wazi ukuthi lomuzi ungumuzi ohlubukayo, olimaza amakhosi namazwe, nokuthi benzile ukwambuka phakathi kwawo kwasendulo; ngalokho lomuzi wachithwa.

₁₆Siyazisa inkosi ukuthi uma lomuzi wakhiwa, ziqedwe izingange zawo, ngalokho awusayikuba-nasiqephu phesheya koMfula*.

₁₇Inkosi yayisithuma incwadi kuRehumi unqamulajuqu noShimshayi umbhali nabanye abangane babo ababehlala eSamariya nakwelinye phesheya koMfula* yokuthi: Ukuthula, nokuthi nokuthi.

₁₈Incwadi enayithuma kithina ifundwé kahle phambi kwami.

₁₉Ngayaleza, kwacingwa, kufumanisekile ukuthi lowomuzi uziphakamisele amakhosi kwasendulo nokuthi ukuhlubuka nokwambuka kwenziwe phakathi kwawo.

₂₀Kade kwakukhona amakhosi anamandla naphezu kweJerusalema, ayebusa lonke elingaphesheya koMfula*; aphiwa intela, nenkokhiso, nemali yendlela.

₂₁Makuyalezwe ukuba labobantu bathiywe, ungakhiwa lowomuzi, ngize ngiyaleze mina.

₂₂Xwayani ukuba ningayekethisi kulokho; kungase kwande ukonakala, kulimaze amakhosi, na?

₂₃Lapho impinda yencwadi yenkosi uAritahishashita isifundiwe phambi kwawoRehumi noShimshayi umbhali nabangane babo, bashesha baya eJerusalema kubaJuda, babathiya ngezikhwepha nangamandla.

₂₄Wawusuthiywa umsebenzi wendlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema. Wathiywa kwaze kwaba-ngumnyaka wesibili wokubusa kukaDariyu inkosi yasePheresiya.