Umsebenzi wokwakha uyaqala futhi. UDariyu uyabhalelwa
1Abaprofethi, uHagayi umprofethi noZakariya indodana ka-Ido, baprofetha kubaJuda ababekwaJuda naseJerusalema ngegama likaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli owayephezu kwabo. 2Kwase kusuka uZerubabele indodana kaSheyalitiyeli noJeshuwa, indodana kaJosadaki, baqala ukwakha indlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema; abaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu babenabo bebasiza.
3Ngasona leso sikhathi kwafika kubo uThathenayi, umbusi phesheya koMfula,* noShethati Bozenayi, nabangane babo, basho kanje kubo, bathi: “Ngubani owaniyaleza ukwakha le ndlu nokuqeda lolu gange na?” 4Khona sabatshela ukuthi angobani amagama abantu abakha le ndlu. 5Kepha iso likaNkulunkulu wabo laliphezu kwamalunga abaJuda, ababathiyanga, ize iye leyo ndaba kuDariyu, kubuyiselwe impendulo ngayo ngencwadi.
6Nansi impinda yencwadi uThathenayi, umbusi waphesheya koMfula,* noShethari Bozenayi, nabangane bakhe ama-Afarisaki ayengaphesheya koMfula* abayithuma kuDariyu inkosi; 7bathuma incwadi kuye okulotshwe kuyo ukuthi:
“KuDariyu inkosi; makube ngukuthula konke.
8“Makwazeke enkosini ukuthi saya ezweni lakwaJuda endlini kaNkulunkulu omkhulu eyakhiwe ngamatshe amakhulu, imithi ifakwe ezindongeni; lo msebenzi uqhubeka ngesineke, unempumelelo ezandleni zabo.
9“Sase sibuza kulawo malunga, sasho kuwo kanje, sathi: ‘Ngubani owaniyaleza ukwakha le ndlu nokuqeda lolu gange na?’ 10Sabuza namagama abo ukuba sikwazise, sibhale amagama abantu ababe yizinhloko zabo.
11“Babuyisela impendulo kithi, bathi: ‘Thina siyizinceku zikaNkulunkulu wezulu nomhlaba, sakha indlu ekade yakhiwa sekudlule iminyaka eminingi, eyakhiwa yinkosi enkulu yakwa-Israyeli, yaqedwa. 12Kepha ngokuba obaba bese bemthukuthelisile uNkulunkulu wezulu, wabanikela esandleni sikaNebukadinesari inkosi yaseBabele, umKaledi, owachitha le ndlu, wabamukisa, wabayisa eBabele.
13“ ‘Kepha ngomnyaka wokuqala kaKoresi inkosi yaseBabele, uKoresi inkosi wakhipha isimemezelo sokuba kwakhiwe le ndlu kaNkulunkulu. 14Futhi izitsha zegolide nezesiliva zendlu kaNkulunkulu azikhipha uNebukadinesari ethempelini elaliseJerusalema wazingenisa ethempelini laseBabele, zona lezo uKoresi inkosi wazikhipha ethempelini laseBabele, zanikwa omunye ogama lakhe lalinguSheshebasari, owayemenze umbusi; 15wathi kuye: “Thatha lezi zitsha, uye uzibeke ethempelini eliseJerusalema, indlu kaNkulunkulu yakhiwe endaweni yayo.” 16Wayesefika lowo Sheshebasari, wabeka izisekelo zendlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema; kusukela kuleso sikhathi kuze kube manje isakhiwa njalo, kayikapheli.’
17“Ngalokho uma kukuhle enkosini, makucingwe endlini yengcebo yenkosi elapho eBabele ukuba kunjalo yini ukuthi uKoresi inkosi wakhipha isimemezelo sokuba kwakhiwe le ndlu kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema; inkosi mayithume kithi inhloso yayo ngalokho.”
