Umthandazo kaEzra ngemitshato
1Ke kaloku emva kwezi zinto iinkokheli zeza kum, zathi: “AmaSirayeli la ndawonye nababingeleli nabaLevi abazahluli kwizizwe ezingabamelwana ngokubhekiselele kunqulo lwazo olungamasikizi olufana nolwamaKanana, amaHiti, amaPerezi, amaJebhusi, ama-Amon, amaMowabhi, amaJiputa, nama-Amori. 2Basuke bathatha iintombi zazo zangabafazi babo noonyana babo. Olu hlanga lulodwa baluxube nezi ntlanga zibangqongileyo. Ewe, ziinkokheli namagosa kanye ezi zihamba phambili koku kunganyaniseki.”
3Ndakuyiva le nto, ndasuka ndazikrazula iimpahla endandizinxibile, ezangaphantsi nezingaphezulu, ndazixhwitha iinwele neendevu zam, ndaza ndahlala phantsi ndimatshekile. 4Bonke ke abantu abalihlonelayo ilizwi likaThixo kaSirayeli baqokelelana ngakum ngenxa yoku kunganyaniseki kwabathinjwa. Ndahlala apho ndimangalisekile kwada kwalithuba lamadini asemalanga.
5Ngelo thuba lamadini amatshona ndaphakama kuloo ndawo yokuzithoba kwam, nezo mpahla zam zidlaka-dlaka zinjalo, ndaza ndaguqa ngamadolo, izandla ndaziphakamisela *kuNdikhoyo uThixo wam, 6ndathandaza ndathi: “Yhoo, Thixo wam! Ndidanile, ndineentloni, ndingenako nokubuphakamisela kuwe ubuso bam, Thixo wam. Kaloku izono zethu zisuke zayinkabankaba esiveleleyo; ubutyala bethu sebufikelele emazulwini. 7Ukususela kwimihla yoobawo-mkhulu kude kube kalokunje sinetyala elikhulu. Ngenxa yobugwenxa bethu thina nookumkani bethu nababingeleli bethu sesaba sisisulu sekrele, ukuthinjwa, ukuhluthwa izinto zethu, nokuhlazeka ezandleni zookumkani beentlanga, njengoko kusenjalo nanamhla.
8“Kodwa ke ngoku okwalo mzuzu, wena Ndikhoyo Thixo wethu, usibabale ngokusishiyela amasalela, wasizinzisa nakule ndawo ingcwele. Ewe, Thixo wethu, usenzele umnyinyiva nebuya-mbo ekuthinjweni. 9Nangona singamakhoboka, wena Thixo wethu akusilahlanga ekuthinjweni. Izikumkani zasePeshiya uzenze zanobubele kuthi. Usithe jize ngebuya-mbo lokuba sivuse indlu kaThixo wethu, siwavuse namabhodlo, waza ke wasikhusela thina bakwaJuda naseJerusalem.
10“Ngoku ke, Thixo wethu, sothini kodwa xa kunje? Kaloku sisuke sayidela imiyalelo 11owasinika ngezicaka zakho *abashumayeli usithi: ‘Lo mhlaba ningena nisiya kuma kuwo udyobhekile kukonakala kwabantu bawo. Ngemikhuba yabo emasikizi bawutsho waphuphuma kukungcola. 12Ngoko ke nina ze ningazendiseli koonyana babo iintombi zenu, noonyana benu bangazithathi iintombi zabo. Naphantsi kwaziphi na iimeko ningaze niyikhuthaze intlalo nenkqubela yabo, khon' ukuze nomelele nikuxhamle ukulunga kweli lizwe, kananjalo libe lilifa labantwana benu ngonaphakade.’
13“Le nto isihleleyo sisiphumo sezenzo zethu ezingcolileyo, neli tyala lethu lingaka. Kodwa naxa kunjalo, wena Thixo wethu akusohlwayanga ngokwezono zethu, koko usuke wasithi jize ngala masalela. 14Singathini ke ngoku thina ukubuya siyaphule imiyalelo yakho ngokuzibandakanya ngomtshato nabantu abamikhuba imanyumnyezi kanje? Khona, ubungathini wena ukungakhathazeki ude usitshabalalise angabikho naloo masalela asindileyo? 15Ewe, wena Ndikhoyo Thixo kaSirayeli, ulunge kwaphela! Namhlanje thina sinawo amasalela. Nakuba sinobutyala sinjalo, kodwa silapha. Phofu ngenxa yeli tyala lethu akukho namnye kuthi ungemayo phambi kwakho.”
