U-Ezra 6:1-12

Khona uDariyu wakhipha isimemezelo, kwacingwa endlini yezincwadi, lapho ingcebo yayibekelelwa khona eBabele. Kwafunyanwa e-Akimetha endlini yamakhosi esezweni laseMediya umqulu okwakulotshwe kuwo isikhumbuzo sokuthi: “Ngomnyaka wokuqala kaKoresi inkosi, uKoresi inkosi wakhipha isimemezelo sokuthi: Ngendlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema, indlu mayakhiwe endaweni lapho benikelela khona ngemihlatshelo, zibekwe izisekelo zayo, ziqine, ukuphakama kwayo kube yizingalo ezingamashumi ayisithupha, ububanzi bayo bube yizingalo ezingamashumi ayisithupha; ayibe nezinhla ezintathu zamatshe amakhulu, nohla lwemithi emisha, izindleko zikhishwe endlini yenkosi; futhi izitsha zegolide nezesiliva zendlu kaNkulunkulu, uNebukadinesari azikhipha ethempelini eliseJerusalema waziyisa eBabele, mazibuyiswe, ziyiswe ethempelini eliseJerusalema, kube yileso naleso endaweni yaso, zibekwe endlini kaNkulunkulu. “Ngalokho, Thathenayi, mbusi phesheya koMfula,* nawe Shethari Bozenayi nabangane benu ama-Afarisaki abangaphesheya koMfula, manibe kude nalapho; wuyekeni umsebenzi waleyo ndlu kaNkulunkulu; umbusi wabaJuda namalunga abaJuda mabakhe le ndlu kaNkulunkulu endaweni yayo. “Futhi ngikhipha isimemezelo ngeniyakukwenza kulawo malunga abaJuda ukuba kwakhiwe leyo ndlu kaNkulunkulu: labo bantu mabanikwe kakhulu izindleko empahleni yenkosi, intela yaphesheya koMfula,* ukuba bangathiywa. Abakudingayo, amaduna, nezinqama, namawundlu okuyakuba yiminikelo yokushiswa kuNkulunkulu wezulu, kanye nokolweni, nosawoti, newayini, namafutha, njengezwi labapristi abaseJerusalema, mabanikwe khona imihla ngemihla kungaphuthi ukuba banikele ngemihlatshelo yephunga elimnandi kuNkulunkulu wezulu, bakhulekele ukuphila kwenkosi namadodana ayo. “Futhi ngikhiphe isimemezelo sokuthi yilowo nalowo oguqula leli zwi, makukhishwe umuthi endlini yakhe, aphakanyiswe, abethelwe kuwo, indlu yakhe yenziwe ibe yiquba ngenxa yalokho, uNkulunkulu ohlalise khona igama lakhe awise phansi onke amakhosi nabantu abayakwelula izandla zabo ukuba baguqule lokho, bachithe le ndlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema. Mina Dariyu ngikhiphe isimemezelo; masenziwe ngaso sonke isineke.”