Ezra 5:1-17
5 UHagayi+ umprofethi noZakariya+ umzukulu ka-Ido+ umprofethi baprofetha kumaJuda ayekwaJuda naseJerusalema, egameni+ likaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli owayephezu kwabo.+
2 Kungaleso sikhathi lapho uZerubhabhele+ indodana kaSheyalitiyeli+ noJeshuwa+ indodana kaJehozadaki basuka khona baqala ukwakha kabusha indlu kaNkulunkulu, eyayiseJerusalema; kwakukhona nabaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu+ bekanye nabo besiza.
3 Ngaleso sikhathi uThathenayi+ umbusi ongaphesheya koMfula+ noShethari-bhozenayi nabasebenza nabo beza kubo, futhi yilokhu ababekusho kubo: “Ubani onikhiphele umyalo wokuba nakhe le ndlu futhi niqede lesi sakhiwo semishayo?”+
4 Babuye basho lokhu kubo: “Angobani amagama amadoda anamandla akha lesi sakhiwo?”
5 Iso+ likaNkulunkulu wabo laba phezu+ kwamadoda amadala amaJuda, futhi ababayekisanga kwaze kwaba yilapho umbiko usuyile kuDariyu nencwadi engokomthetho ephathelene nalokhu isibuyiselwe kubo.
6 Nansi ikhophi+ yencwadi uThathenayi+ umbusi ongaphesheya koMfula+ noShethari-bhozenayi+ nasebenza nabo,+ ababusi abangaphansi ababengaphesheya koMfula, abayithumela kuDariyu inkosi;
7 bathumela izwi kuye, futhi umbhalo owawukulo wawuthi:
“KuDariyu inkosi:
“Ukuthula konke!+
8 Makwazeke enkosini ukuthi siye saya esifundeni sombuso+ sakwaJuda endlini kaNkulunkulu omkhulu,+ futhi iyakhiwa kugingqelwa amatshe ezindaweni zawo, futhi kufakwa izingodo ezindongeni; makwazeke nokuthi umsebenzi wenziwa ngomdlandla futhi uyathuthuka ezandleni zabo.
9 Khona-ke siwabuzile la madoda amadala. Yilokhu esikushó kuwo: ‘Ubani onikhiphele umyalo wokuba nakhe le ndlu futhi niqede lesi sakhiwo semishayo?’+
10 Futhi siwabuze amagama awo, ukuze sikwazise, ukuze silobe amagama amadoda anamandla awaholayo.+
11 “Nanti izwi alibuyisele kithi, athi: ‘Siyizinceku zikaNkulunkulu wamazulu nomhlaba,+ futhi sakha kabusha indlu eyayakhiwe eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambi kwalokhu, inkosi enkulu yakwa-Israyeli eyayakha yayiqeda.+
12 Nokho, ngenxa yokuthi obaba bamcasula+ uNkulunkulu wamazulu, wabanikela+ esandleni sikaNebukhadinezari+ inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, umKhaledi,+ yena wayibhidliza le ndlu+ wayisa abantu ekudingisweni eBhabhiloni.+
13 Noma kunjalo, ngonyaka wokuqala kaKoresi+ inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, uKoresi inkosi wakhipha umyalo wokuba yakhiwe kabusha le ndlu kaNkulunkulu.+
14 Futhi izitsha zegolide nezesiliva+ zendlu kaNkulunkulu uNebukhadinezari ayezikhiphe ethempelini, elaliseJerusalema, waziyisa ethempelini laseBhabhiloni,+ lezi uKoresi inkosi+ wazikhipha ethempelini laseBhabhiloni, zanikwa uSheshibhazari,+ igama lalowo amenza umbusi.+
15 Futhi wathi kuye: “Thatha lezi zitsha.+ Hamba uyozibeka ethempelini eliseJerusalema, futhi indlu kaNkulunkulu mayakhiwe kabusha endaweni yayo.”+
16 Lapho lowo Sheshibhazari efika wazibeka izisekelo zendlu kaNkulunkulu,+ eseJerusalema; kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuze kube manje ibilokhu yakhiwa kabusha kodwa ayikakaqedwa.’+
17 “Manje uma kubonakala kukuhle enkosini, makuphenywe+ endlini yenkosi yengcebo elapho eBhabhiloni, ukuthi kunjalo yini ukuthi kwakhishwa umyalo+ ovela kuKoresi inkosi wokuba kwakhiwe kabusha leyo ndlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema; futhi inkosi mayisithumele kithi isinqumo ngokuphathelene nalokhu.”
