U-Ezra
5 Ngemva kwalokho umphrofethi uHagayi+ lomphrofethi uZakhariya+ umzukulu ka-Ido+ baphrofetha kumaJuda ayehlala koJuda laseJerusalema. Babephrofetha ngebizo likaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli owayephezu kwabo. 2 Kwathi sekunjalo uZerubhabheli+ indodana kaSheyalithiyeli, loJeshuwa+ indodana kaJehozadakhi baqalisa ukwakha kutsha indlu kaNkulunkulu+ eyayiseJerusalema. Abaphrofethi bakaNkulunkulu babelabo, bebasekela.+ 3 Ngalesosikhathi uThathenayi, umbusi* wesabelo esingaphetsheya komfula* loShethari-bhozenayi kanye lababesebenza labo bababuza bathi: “Ngubani oliphe imvumo yokuthi lakhe indlu le lokuthi liqedise isakhiwo lesi?” 4 Baphinda bathi kubo: “Sitsheleni amabizo amadoda asebenza kulesisakhiwo.” 5 Kodwa ilihlo likaNkulunkulu lalibakhangele abadala bamaJuda+ njalo kabazange babamise kwaze kwathunyelwa umbiko kuDariyu, kwasekulindelwa ukuthi kubuye incwadi evela kuye emayelana lendaba le.
6 Nansi incwadi eyathunyelwa enkosini uDariyu nguThathenayi umbusi* wesabelo esingaphetsheya komfula loShethari-bhozenayi labanye ababusi ayesebenza labo, ababesesabelweni esingaphetsheya komfula. 7 Bathumela umbiko kuyo njalo nanku abakubhalayo:
“Kuwe Nkosi Dariyu:
“Ukuthula akube lawe! 8 Sithe sikubikele nkosi ukuthi sike safika esabelweni sakoJuda endlini kaNkulunkulu omkhulu. Sithole indlu le isakhiwa ngamatshe amakhulu egiqwa efakwa ezindaweni zawo, lamapulanka esefakwa emidulini. Abantu bakhona basebenza ngamandla sibili futhi umsebenzi uya phambili ngenxa yokuthi bakhuthele. 9 Yikho-ke sibuze abadala babo sathi: ‘Ngubani oliphe imvumo yokuthi lakhe indlu le lokuthi liqedise isakhiwo lesi?’+ 10 Sibabuze lamabizo abo ukuze sikubhalele phansi amabizo amadoda akhokhelayo.
11 “Nansi impendulo abasiphe yona: ‘Sizinceku zikaNkulunkulu wamazulu lomhlaba njalo sakha kutsha indlu eyayakhiwe yaphela+ eminyakeni eminengi eyadlulayo, isakhiwa yinkosi enkulu yako-Israyeli. 12 Kodwa okhokho bethu bamthukuthelisa uNkulunkulu wamazulu,+ wasebanikela esandleni sikaNebhukhadinezari+ umKhaledi owayeyinkosi yaseBhabhiloni. Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yayidiliza indlu le,+ yathumba abantu yabasa eBhabhiloni.+ 13 Loba kunjalo, ngomnyaka wokuqala wokubusa kukaKhoresi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, iNkosi uKhoresi yabeka umlayo wokuthi indlu kaNkulunkulu+ yakhiwe kutsha. 14 Kanti njalo yakhipha izitsha zegolide lezesiliva ethempelini laseBhabhiloni+ yazinika indoda okuthiwa nguSheshibhazari*+ eyayimkhethe ukuthi abe ngumbusi.*+ Izitsha lezo zazingezendlu kaNkulunkulu futhi zazithethwe nguNebhukhadinezari ethempelini laseJerusalema waziletha ethempelini laseBhabhiloni. 15 UKhoresi wathi kuSheshibhazari: “Thatha izitsha lezo uhambe lazo eJerusalema uyezibuyisela ethempelini, okutsho indlu kaNkulunkulu okumele yakhiwe kutsha lapho eyayikhona kuqala.”+ 16 USheshibhazari wasefika wakha isisekelo sendlu kaNkulunkulu+ eJerusalema. Indlu le ibilokhu isakhiwa kusukela ngalesosikhathi kuze kube khathesi kodwa ayikapheli.’+
17 “Ngakho nxa kukuhle enkosini, akudingisiswe emibhalweni esendlini yenotho yesikhosini eBhabhiloni ukuze kubonakale ukuthi iNkosi uKhoresi yawubeka yini umlayo wokuthi indlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema+ yakhiwe kutsha. Besicela lokuthi okumiswe yinkosi mayelana lendaba le kuthunyelwe kithi.”