Ezra
5 Nje-ke umphorofidi uHagayi+ nomphorofidi uZakariya+ isizukulwana saka-Ido+ baphorofida emaJudeni ebewakwaJuda neJerusalema, ngegama lakaZimu ka-Israyeli obekanabo. 2 UZerubhabheli+ indodana kaTjheyalitiyeli noJetjhuwa+ indodana kaJehozadaki bathoma ngesikhatheso ukwakha kabutjha indlu kaZimu+ ebeyiseJerusalema; abaphorofidi bakaZimu bebanabo begodu babasekela.+ 3 Nje-ke uTatenayi umbusi wesifunda esingaPhetjheya koMlambo* noTjhetari-Bhozenayi nabasebenzisana nabo baya kibo bababuza bathi: “Ngubani oninikele imvumo yokwakha indlu le nokuqedelela umakhiwo lo?” 4 Bababuza: “Bobani amagama wamadoda asebenza esakhiwenesi?” 5 Kodwana uZimu bekabatlhogomela abadala bamaJuda+ begodu akhenge babalisise ukusebenza bekwaba kulapho sekuthunyelwa umbiko kuDariyasi bekwabuya nencwadi engokomthetho enependulo malungana nendaba le.
6 Nasi ikhophi yencwadi uTatenayi umbusi wesifunda esingaPhetjheya koMlambo noTjhetari-Bhozenayi nabasebenzisana nabo, abasekeli bababusi besifunda esingaPhetjheya koMlambo, abayithumela eKosini uDariyasi; 7 bayithumela umbiko otlolwe nganasi indlela:
“EKosini uDariyasi:
“Kwanga ukuthula kungaba nawe! 8 Sithi sibikele ikosi ukuthi besiye esifundeni sakwaJuda endlini kaZimu omkhulu, sikhuluma nje indlu leyo yakhiwa ngamatje amakhulu neengodo ziyabekwa emabodeni. Abantu benza umsebenzi loyo ngokukhuthala okukhulu begodu uragela phambili. 9 Nje-ke sabuza abadala babo, sathi: ‘Ngubani oninikele imvumo yokwakha indlu le nokuqedelela umakhiwo lo?’+ 10 Sababuza namagamabo ukuthi sikwazise, ukwenzela bona sitlole amagama wamadoda adosa phambili.
11 “Nasi ipendulo abasinikela yona: ‘Siziinceku zakaZimu wezulu nephasi begodu sakha kabutjha indlu eyakhiwa eminyakeni eminengi eyadlulako, eyakhiwa yikosi ekulu yakwa-Israyeli.+ 12 Kodwana ngebanga lokuthi abokhokho bethu basilinga uZimu wezulwini,+ wabanikela esandleni seKosi yeBhabhiloni uNebukadinetsari,+ umKhaledi,* owagiriza indlu le+ bewathumba nabantu wabasa ekudingisweni eBhabhiloni.+ 13 Nokho, emnyakeni wokuthoma wokubusa kwakaKoretjhi iKosi yeBhabhiloni, iKosi uKoretjhi yakhupha umyalo wokobana kwakhiwe kabutjha indlu kaZimu le.+ 14 IKosi uKoretjhi yakhupha ethempelini leBhabhiloni izitja zegolide nezesiliva zendlu kaZimu, lezo uNebukadinetsari azithatha ngethempelini leJerusalema wazisa ethempelini leBhabhiloni.+ Zanikelwa indoda ekuthiwa nguTjhetjhibhatsari,*+ loyo uKoretjhi amenza umbusi.+ 15 UKoretjhi wathi kuye: “Thatha izitjezi. Khamba nazo, uzise ethempelini eliseJerusalema begodu indlu kaZimu ayakhiwe kabutjha endawenayo yangaphambilini.”+ 16 Nje-ke wafika uTjhetjhibhatsari loyo, wabeka iinsekelo zendlu kaZimu+ eseJerusalema; solo iyakhiwa bekube nje.’+
17 “Nje-ke nangabe kubonakala kukuhle ekosini, akwenziwe iphenyo ebulungelweni lamagugu webukhosini lapho eBhabhiloni, ukuhlolisisa bona iKosi uKoretjhi yawukhupha na umyalo wokobana kuyokwakhiwa kabutjha indlu kaZimu eJerusalema+ begodu sibawa bona ikosi isazise ngesiqunto sayo.”