U-Ezra 9:1-15
9 Ngokushesha nje lapho lezi zinto sezenziwe, izikhulu zeza kimi, zathi: “Abantu bakwa-Israyeli nabapristi namaLevi abazihlukanisanga nabantu bamazwe nemikhuba yabo enengekayo, + abantu abangamaKhanani, amaHeti, amaPherizi, amaJebusi, ama-Amoni, abakwaMowabi, abaseGibhithe + nama-Amori. +
2 Bazithathele amanye amadodakazi abo aba abafazi babo bathathela namadodana abo abafazi. + Manje bona, beyinzalo* engcwele, + bahlangene nabantu bakula mazwe. + Izikhulu nababusi abangamaphini yibo abahamba phambili kulokhu kungathembeki.”
3 Kwathi nje lapho ngizwa le nto, ngaklebhula ingubo yami nejazi lami elingenamikhono, ngahluthula izinwele ekhanda lami ngadoncula nentshebe yami, ngahlala phansi ngishaqekile.
4 Wonke umuntu owayehlonipha* amazwi kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli weza wangizungeza ngenxa yokungathembeki kwabantu abadingisiwe, ngesikhathi ngihlezi ngishaqekile kwaze kwaba yisikhathi somnikelo wokudla okusanhlamvu wakusihlwa. +
5 Ngesikhathi somnikelo wokudla okusanhlamvu wakusihlwa + ngasukuma ngilulazekile, ingubo yami nejazi lami elingenamikhono kuklebhukile, ngaguqa ngamadolo ngelulela izandla zami kuJehova uNkulunkulu wami.
6 Ngase ngithi: “O Nkulunkulu wami, ngizizwa nginamahloni futhi ngiphoxekile. Angicabangi ukuthi ngiyakufanelekela ukuthandaza kuwe Nkulunkulu wami, ngoba iziphambeko zethu zandile phezu kwamakhanda ethu necala lethu likhule laze lafika emazulwini. +
7 Kusukela ezinsukwini zokhokho bethu kuze kube namuhla besilokhu sinecala elikhulu; + ngenxa yeziphambeko zethu, thina, amakhosi ethu nabapristi bethu siye sanikelwa esandleni samakhosi akula mazwe, sanikelwa enkembeni, + sathunjwa, + saphangwa, + sahlaziswa, njengoba kunjalo namuhla. +
8 Kodwa manje ngomzuzwana nje, kufike umusa ovela kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu ngokuvumela abasele ukuba baphunyuke nangokusinika indawo evikelekile* endaweni yakhe engcwele, + ukuze enze amehlo ethu akhanye, O Nkulunkulu wethu, nokuba asiphumuze ebugqileni bethu.
9 Ngoba nakuba siyizigqila, + uNkulunkulu wethu akasishiyanga ebugqileni bethu; kodwa uye wasibonisa uthando oluqotho phambi kwamakhosi asePheresiya, + ukuze asiphumuze ngenjongo yokuvusa indlu kaNkulunkulu wethu + nokubuyisela izindawo zayo ezenziwe incithakalo nokuba asinike udonga lwamatshe* kwaJuda naseJerusalema.
10 “Kodwa manje yini esingayisho ngemva kwalokhu Nkulunkulu wethu? Ngoba siyishiyile imiyalo yakho
11 owasinika yona ngezinceku zakho abaprofethi, uthi: ‘Izwe eningena kulo ukuba nilithathe liyizwe elingcolile ngenxa yokungcola kwezizwe zala mazwe, ngenxa yemikhuba yazo enengekayo eziyigcwalise kusukela komunye umkhawulo kuya komunye ngokungcola kwazo. +
12 Ngakho amadodakazi enu ningawaniki amadodana azo, namadodakazi azo ningawathatheli amadodana enu; + akumelwe nanini nifune ukuthula nokuchuma kwazo, + ukuze nibe namandla nidle ubuhle bezwe futhi nilithathele amadodana enu kuze kube phakade.’
13 Ngemva kwakho konke okusehlele ngenxa yezenzo zethu ezimbi necala lethu elikhulu—ngoba wena, O Nkulunkulu wethu, awusebenzelananga nathi ngokwesiphambeko sethu, + futhi uvumele abanye kithi ukuba baphunyuke +—
14 ingabe kufanele siphinde siphule imiyalo yakho sakhe ubuhlobo bomshado* nezizwe ezenza lezi zinto ezinengekayo? + Ngeke yini usithukuthelele kakhulu kangangokuba uze usiqothule siphele, kungasali muntu ophunyukile noma osindile?
15 O Jehova Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, wena ulungile, + ngoba siphunyukile sasinda kuze kube namuhla. Nakhu siphambi kwakho sinecala, ngoba akunakwenzeka ukuma phambi kwakho ngenxa yalokhu.” +
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ NgesiHebheru, “beyimbewu.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “owayethuthumela ngenxa.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “isikhonkwane.”
^ Noma, “udonga lwesivikelo.”
^ Noma, “siganiselane.”
