UNehemiya

4 Kwathi nje lapho uSanibhalati + ezwa ukuthi silwakha kabusha udonga, wathukuthela kakhulu. Wayelokhu ewenza inhlekisa amaJuda. 2 Ephambi kwabafowabo nebutho laseSamariya, wathi: “Enzani la maJuda antekenteke? Azokwazi yini ukwenza lo msebenzi? Ingabe azokwenza imihlatshelo futhi azoqeda ngosuku olulodwa? Ingabe azokwazi ukuphinde asebenzise la matshe akulezi zinqwaba zemfucumfucu?” +

3 UThobiya + umAmoni, + owayemi eceleni kwakhe, wathi: “Ngisho noma kungakhuphuka impungushe kule nto abayakhayo, ingalubhidliza lolu donga lwabo lwamatshe.”

4 O Nkulunkulu wethu, yizwa, ngoba siyadelelwa, + yenza indelelo yabo ibuyele phezu kwamakhanda abo, + ubanikele ezitheni zabo futhi ubenze babe yizithunjwa kwelinye izwe. 5 Ungalimbozi icala labo, nesono sabo masingasulwa phambi kwakho, + ngoba badelele abakhi.

6 Ngakho saqhubeka sakha udonga, lonke udonga lwahlanganiswa futhi lwakhushulwa lwaze lwaba uhhafu, abantu baqhubeka besebenza ngokuzimisela.*

7 Kwathi nje lapho uSanibhalati, uThobiya, + abase-Arabhiya, + ama-Amoni nama-Ashidodi + bezwa ukuthi ukulungiswa kwezindonga zeJerusalema kuqhubekela phambili nokuthi izikhala ziyavalwa, bathukuthela kakhulu. 8 Bahlangana bakha uzungu lokuba beze bazokulwa neJerusalema futhi baphazamise. 9 Kodwa sathandaza kuNkulunkulu wethu, sahlala simise unogada ukuba aqaphe ubusuku nemini.

10 Nokho, abantu bakwaJuda babethi: “Izisebenzi* sezikhathele futhi kunemfucumfucu eningi; ngeke sikwazi ukwakha udonga.”

11 Izitha zethu nazo zazilokhu zithi: “Sizobafikela bengazelele sibabulale, siwumise lo msebenzi.”

12 Noma nini lapho amaJuda ayakhelene nazo efika, ayethi kithi ngokuphindaphindiwe:* “Bazosithelekela beqhamuka nhlangothi zonke.”

13 Ngakho ngamisa amadoda ngezansi esikhaleni esingemva kodonga ezindaweni ezichayeke engozini, ngawamisa ngokwemindeni yawo ephethe izinkemba, imikhonto nemicibisholo yawo. 14 Lapho ngibona ukuthi ayesaba, ngasukuma ngokushesha ngathi ezikhulwini + nasezinduneni nakubo bonke abantu: “Ningabesabi. + Cabangani ngoJehova omkhulu nowesabekayo; + nilwele abafowenu, amadodana namadodakazi enu, omkenu nemizi yenu.”

15 Kwathi lapho izitha zethu sezizwile ukuthi sesiyazi ngecebo lazo nokuthi uNkulunkulu weqiniso wayelibhuntshisile, sonke sabuyela odongeni sayosebenza. 16 Kusukela ngalolo suku kuqhubeke, ingxenye yamadoda yayisebenza, + enye ingxenye iphethe imikhonto, amahawu, imicibisholo namajazi ensimbi. Izikhulu + zazimi ngemva kwabo bonke abantu bendlu kaJuda 17 ababakha udonga zibasekela. Labo ababethwele imithwalo babesebenza ngesandla esisodwa, ngesinye bephethe isikhali.* 18 Ngamunye wabakhi wayebhince inkemba yakhe okhalweni kuyilapho akha, owayezoshaya uphondo + wayemi eceleni kwami.

19 Ngabe sengithi ezikhulwini nasezinduneni nakubo bonke abanye abantu: “Umsebenzi mkhulu nendawo ibanzi, futhi sigqagqene kakhulu odongeni. 20 Lapho nizwa ukukhala kophondo, nize nizoqoqana lapho ngikhona. UNkulunkulu wethu uzosilwela.” +

21 Ngakho saqhubeka sisebenza kuyilapho enye ingxenye yamadoda iphethe imikhonto, kusukela ekuntweleni kokusa kuze kube sekuphumeni kwezinkanyezi. 22 Ngaleso sikhathi ngathi kubantu: “Amadoda nezinceku zawo mawaqhubeke engaphakathi eJerusalema ebusuku, azosiqapha ebusuku bese esebenza emini.” 23 Ngakho mina nabafowethu nezikhonzi zami + namadoda angonogada ayengilandela, asizikhumulanga nhlobo izingubo zethu futhi ngamunye wethu wayephethe isikhali ngesandla sakhe sokudla.