UNehemiya 4:1-23
4 USanibhalathi+ wathi esizwa ukuthi sasesivuselela umduli wazonda wabila, njalo waqhubeka eseyisa amaJuda.
2 Wakhuluma phambi kwabangane bakhe lebutho leSamariya wathi: “Kanti kwenzani okungamaJuda lokhu? Kubona angani umsebenzi lo kungawenza kukodwa? Bangenelisa yini ukunikela imihlatshelo? Bazawakha bawuqede ngelanga elilodwa yini umduli? Kuyini kambe abangakwakha ngamatshe atshileyo aphakathi kwenqumbi yezibi?”+
3 UThobhiya+ um-Amoni+ owayemi eceleni kwakhe laye wangezelela wathi: “Nxa okulikhanka kungakhwela phezu komduli abawakhayo uyahle udilike.”
4 Ngakho ngathandaza ngathi: “Awu Nkulunkulu wethu, zwana ukuthi abantu laba baseyisa njani.+ Sicela konke okubi abasifisela khona ukubuyisele kubo+ njalo ubanikele ezitheni zabo zibathumbe bayekuba yizigqili.
5 Sicela ungalesuli icala labo futhi ungabathetheleli isono sabo+ ngoba bathethise abantu abayakhayo.”
6 Saqhubeka sivuselela umduli sivala zonke izikhala futhi umduli waphakama waze wafika ingxenye yobude bawo. Abantu baqhubeka besebenza ngenhliziyo yonke.
7 USanibhalathi, loThobhiya,+ lama-Arabhu,+ lama-Amoni labe-Ashidodi+ bathi besizwa ukuthi umsebenzi wokuvuselela umduli weJerusalema wawusiya phambili lokuthi kwakuvalwa zonke izikhala bazonda bagcwalelana.
8 Bavumelana ukuthi bahlangane bayehlasela iJerusalema ukuze baphambanise umsebenzi.
9 Kodwa thina sathandaza kuNkulunkulu wethu, safaka abantu ukuthi balinde ebusuku lemini.
10 Abantu bakoJuda labo basebesithi: “Abantu abaselamandla okuqhubeka besebenza. Asisoze safa saqeda ukwakha umduli njengoba lezibi zizinengi kangaka.”
11 Izitha zethu zazilokhu zisithi: “Sizabathutshela belibele sitheleke phezu kwabo sibabulale, simise umsebenzi.”
12 AmaJuda ayehlala eduze kwabo ayesithi engafika abe elokhu esixwayisa esithi: “Bazathutsha ndawo zonke basihlasele.”
13 Ngakho ngafaka abalindi ukuthi balinde emdulini ezindaweni eziyizigodi lezisemagcekeni. Babezalinda ngezimuli zabo behlome ngezinkemba langemikhonto, bephethe lamadandili.*
14 Ngathi ngibona ukuthi abantu sebesesaba ngasukuma ngakhuluma lezikhulu+ labasekeli bababusi labo bonke abantu, ngathi kubo: “Lingabesabi.+ Khumbulani ukuthi uJehova mkhulu njalo uyesabeka.+ Lwelani abafowenu, labomkenu, lamadodana enu, lamadodakazi enu kanye lemizi yenu.”
15 Izitha zethu zezwa ukuthi sesilazi icebo lazo kanye lokuthi uNkulunkulu weqiniso wayeselenze langaphumeleli. Thina sonke sabuyela emsebenzini saqhubeka sisakha umduli.
16 Kusukela ngalelolanga kwakusithi nxa amanye amadoda esakha umduli,+ amanye abe elindile* ehlome ngemikhonto lamahawu lamadandili futhi egqoke amajazi ensimbi. Abakhokheli+ bona babebasekela* bonke abantu bakoJuda
17 ngesikhathi besakha umduli. Lalabo ababesebenza ukuthwala izinto zokwakha babesebenza ngesandla esisodwa, esinye isandla siphethe isikhali.
18 Bonke abakhi babesebenza behlome inkemba ekhalweni futhi lowo owayezatshaya uphondo+ wayemi eceleni kwami.
19 Ngasengikhuluma lezikhulu labasekeli bababusi labantu bonke ngathi: “Umsebenzi mkhulu njalo sisebenza siqhelelene.
20 Yikho nxa lingezwa uphondo lukhala libuye lizobuthana lapha esikhona. UNkulunkulu wethu uzasilwela.”+
21 Ngakho saqhubeka sisebenza, ngapha eyinye ingxenye yamadoda iphethe imikhonto. Sasisebenza kusukela ilanga liphuma kuze kuphume izinkanyezi.
22 Ngalesosikhathi ngaphinda ngathi ebantwini: “Indoda ngayinye lesisebenzi sayo kumele balale phakathi kweJerusalema. Bazasebenza emini kuthi ebusuku batshintshane ukuba ngabalindi.”
23 Ngakho mina labafowethu lezisebenzi zami+ kanye labalindi yikho esakwenzayo. Sasesiswela ngitsho lesikhathi sokutshintsha izigqoko futhi ngamunye wethu wayesehlala ethwele isikhali sakhe ngesandla sokudla.
Amabala angaphansi
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Kumbe, “nxa ingxenye yamadoda isakha, enye iyabe ilindile.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “babengemva kwabo.”
