Ezra
4 Amanaba kaJuda noBhenjamini+ nakezwa bona ebebasekudingisweni babuyile+ bakha ithempeli lakaJehova uZimu ka-Israyeli, 2 msinyana aya kuZerubhabheli neenhlokweni zeenkoro athi kibo: “Sibawa ukwakha nani; ngombana nathi silotjha uZimenu,+ besisolo simenzela umhlatjelo kusukela emihleni ka-Esari-rhadoni+ iKosi ye-Asiriya, okunguye osilethe la.”+ 3 Nje-ke uZerubhabheli noJetjhuwa nazo zoke iinhloko zeenkoro zakwa-Israyeli bathi kiwo: “Aninalungelo lokwakha nathi indlu kaZimethu,+ ngithi kwaphela esizokwakhela uJehova uZimu ka-Israyeli indlu, njengombana uKoretjhi iKosi yePheresiya asilayele.”+
4 Yeke abantu beenarha ezibabhodileko baragela phambili banyefula abantu bakwaJuda bona babaqede amandla, babathusela nokobana bangasakha.+ 5 Baqatjha abaluleki bona bararanise abakuhlelileko+ hlangana naso soke isikhathi sokubusa kwakaKoretjhi iKosi yePheresiya bekwaba sesikhathini sokubusa kwakaDariyasi+ iKosi yePheresiya. 6 Ekuthomeni kokubusa kwaka-Arhatjhiverotjhi, batlola incwadi bamangalela abantu bakwaJuda nebeJerusalema. 7 Emihleni ka-Aritarhitjhasta iKosi yePheresiya, uBhitjhilamu, uMiteredathi, uThabeyeli nabo boke abasebenzisana nabo batlolela ikosi u-Aritarhitjhasta incwadi; bayitjhugululela elimini lesi-Aramu,+ bebayitlola ngamaledere wesi-Aramu.*
8 * URerhumu isikhulu esiphezulu sembusweni nomtloli uTjhimtjhayi batlolela iKosi u-Aritarhitjhasta incwadi emangalela iJerusalema, bathi: 9 (Beyivela kuRerhumu isikhulu esiphezulu sembusweni nemtlolini uTjhimtjhayi nabo boke abasebenzisana nabo, abahluleli namasekela wababusi, abonobhala, abantu be-Ereke,+ beBhabhiloni, izakhamuzi zeSusa,+ okuma-Elamu,+ 10 nazo zoke iintjhaba u-Osinaphari omkhulu nohlonitjhwako azisa ekudingisweni wazihlalisa emadorobheni weSamariya,+ nabanye abantu besifundeni esingaPhetjheya koMlambo,* 11 nasi ikhophi yencwadi abayithumela yona.)
“EKosini u-Aritarhitjhasta ivela eensebenzini zakho, abantu besifunda esingaPhetjheya koMlambo: 12 Sibikela ikosi bona amaJuda akhuphukele lapha asuka kuwe afikile eJerusalema. Akha kabutjha idorobho elikhohlakeleko nelivukela umbuso, aqedelela amaboda+ begodu alungisa neensekelo. 13 Sithi asibikele ikosi ukuthi nakungenzeka idorobheli lakhiwe kabutjha namabodalo aqedwe, angekhe abhadele umthelo+ namkha imali yendlela, umphumela kuzokuba kulahleka kwamabulungelo wamagugu wamakhosi. 14 Njengombana umrholwethu uvela esigodlweni akusikuhle ukubona umnotho wekosi udlelezelwa, nje-ke sithumela incwadi le bona sazise ikosi ngendaba le, 15 ukwenzela bona kuphenyisiswe encwadini yomlando wabokhokho bakho.+ Encwadini yomlando leyo uzokufunda bona idorobheli lidorobho elivukela umbuso, elilimaza amakhosi neemfunda, begodu kilo bekunabantu ebebaphehla ukuvukela umbuso kusukela ekadeni. Kungebangelo-ke idorobheli latjhatjalaliswa.+ 16 Nje-ke sibikela ikosi bona nakungenzeka idorobheli lakhiwe kabutjha namabodalo aqedwe, angekhe usakghona ukulawula isifunda esingaPhetjheya koMlambo.”+
17 Ikosi yathumela ipendulo kuRerhumu isikhulu esiphezulu sembusweni nemtlolini uTjhimtjhayi nakibo boke abasebenzisana nabo ebebahlala eSamariya nabanye abantu abasesifundeni esingaPhetjheya koMlambo, yathi:
“Lotjhani! 18 Incwadi enisithumele yona ifundwe* ngokuzwakalako phambi kwami. 19 Ngakhupha umyalo wokobana kuphenyisiswe, yeke kwafumaneka bona kusukela ekadeni idorobheli beliphikisana namakhosi bekwaba nokuvukela nemiguruguru lapho.+ 20 Bekunamakhosi anamandla eJerusalema ebewabusa soke isifunda esingaPhetjheya koMlambo, begodu umthelo womuntu ngamunye, umthelo wepahla nomthelo wendlela bewubhadelwa kiwo. 21 Nje-ke khuphani umyalo wokuthi abantwabo balise umsebenzi loyo, abakavunyelwa ukwakha kabutjha idorobhelo bekube kulapho ngikhupha omunye umyalo. 22 Qinisekani bona aniriyadi malungana nalokhu, ukwenzela bona izinto zekosi zingadlelezelwa ukuya phambili.”+
23 Ngemva kokobana incwadi yeKosi u-Aritarhitjhasta ifundelwe uRerhumu nomtloli uTjhimtjhayi nabasebenzisana nabo, msinyana batjhinga emaJudeni eJerusalema. Bawajamisa ngekani bona angasarageli phambili nomsebenzi wokwakha. 24 Wajanyiswa njalo umsebenzi wendlu kaZimu ebeyiseJerusalema; begodu wajama njalo bekwaba semnyakeni wesibili wokubusa kwakaDariyasi iKosi yePheresiya.+