UNehemiya 9:1-25

Ngosuku lwamashumi amabili nane lwaleyo nyanga abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuthana, bazila ukudla benezindwangu zamasaka nothuli phezu kwabo. Inzalo ka-Israyeli yayizahlukanisa nabezizwe bonke, yayimi ivuma izono zayo nokona kwawoyise. Basukuma endaweni yabo, bafunda encwadini yomthetho kaJehova uNkulunkulu wabo inxenye yesine yosuku; inxenye yesine bavuma izono zabo, bakhuleka kuJehova uNkulunkulu wabo. Kwase kukhwela ezikhwelweni zamaLevi oJeshuwa, noBani, noKadimiyeli, noShebaniya, noBuni, noSherebiya, noBani, noKhenani, bamemeza ngezwi elikhulu kuJehova uNkulunkulu wabo. AmaLevi oJeshuwa, noKadimiyeli, noBani, noHashabineya, noSherebiya, noHodiya, noShebaniya, noPhethahiya athi: “Sukumani nimbonge uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu kusukela phakade kuze kube phakade. “Malibongwe igama lakho elikhazimulayo, eliphakanyisiwe ngaphezu kwakho konke ukubonga nokudumisa. Wena unguJehova, wena wedwa. Wenzile izulu, izulu lamazulu nalo lonke ibandla lawo, umhlaba nakho konke okukuwo, izilwandle nakho konke okukuzo, ulonda konke, nebandla lasezulwini likhuleka kuwe. “Wena unguJehova uNkulunkulu owakhetha u-Abrama, wamkhipha e-Uri lamaKaledi, wametha igama lokuthi u-Abrahama; wafumana inhliziyo yakhe ithembekile phambi kwakho, wenza isivumelwano naye ukunika inzalo yakhe izwe lamaKhanani, nelamaHeti, nelama-Amori, nelamaPherizi, nelamaJebusi, nelamaGirigashi, wawafeza amazwi akho, ngokuba ulungile. “Wabona ukuhlupheka kwawobaba eGibithe, wezwa ukukhala kwabo ngaseLwandle Olubomvu; wenza izibonakaliso nezimangaliso kuFaro nasezincekwini zakhe zonke, nakubo bonke abantu bezwe lakhe, ngokuba wazi ukuthi babebaqholoshela, wazenzela igama, njengalokhu kunjalo nanamuhla. Wahlukanisa ulwandle phambi kwabo, badabula phakathi kolwandle emhlabathini owomileyo; nababaxoshayo wabaphonsa otweni njengetshe emanzini anamandla. Wabahola ngensika yefu emini nangensika yomlilo ebusuku ukubakhanyisela endleleni ababeyakuhamba ngayo. “Wehlela entabeni yaseSinayi, wakhuluma nabo usezulwini, wabanika izahlulelo ezilungileyo, nemithetho eqinisileyo, nezimiso, nemiyalo emihle; wabazisa isabatha lakho elingcwele, wabayala ngemiyalo, nangezimiso, nangomthetho ngesandla sikaMose inceku yakho; wabanika isinkwa esivela ezulwini ngokulamba kwabo, wabakhiphela amanzi edwaleni ngokoma kwabo, wabayala ukuba bangene ukulidla izwe owaphakamisa ngalo isandla sakho ukuba ubanike lona. “Kepha bona nawoyise baqholosha, benza lukhuni izintamo zabo, kabalalelanga imiyalo yakho, benqaba ukulalela, abakhumbulanga izimangaliso zakho owazenza phakathi kwabo, kepha benza lukhuni izintamo zabo, nangokuhlubuka kwabo bamisa induna ukuba babuyele ebugqileni babo; kodwa wena unguNkulunkulu othethelelayo, onomusa nesihe; wephuza ukuthukuthela, ugcwele isihawu; kawubashiyanga. Yebo, lapho bezenzele ithole elibunjiweyo bethi: ‘Leli linguNkulunkulu wakho owakukhuphula eGibithe,’ benza izithuko ezinkulu, nokho wena ngomusa wakho omkhulu awubashiyanga ehlane; insika yefu ayisukanga phezu kwabo emini ukubahola endleleni, nensika yomlilo ebusuku ukubakhanyisela endleleni ababeyakuhamba ngayo. Wabanika nomoya wakho omuhle ukubafundisa; awugodlanga imana* lakho emilonyeni yabo, wabanika amanzi ngokoma kwabo. Wabondla iminyaka engamashumi amane ehlane, kabaswelanga lutho; izingubo zabo aziguganga, nezinyawo azivuvukalanga. “Wabanika imibuso nezizwe owababela khona izindawo ngezindawo; badla izwe likaSihoni, izwe lenkosi yaseHeshiboni, nezwe lika-Ogi inkosi yaseBashani. Nabantwana babo wabandisa ngangezinkanyezi zezulu, wabangenisa ezweni owasho ngalo koyise ukuthi bayakungena ukulidla. Abantwana bangena-ke, balidla izwe, wahlula phambi kwabo abakhe ezweni, amaKhanani, wabanikela ezandleni zabo, kanye namakhosi abo, nabantu bezwe, ukuba benze kubo njengokuthanda kwabo. Bathatha imizi ebiyelweyo nezwe elivundileyo, badla izindlu ezigcwele okuhle konke: imithombo embiweyo, nezivini, neminqumo, nemithi eminingi yokudliwa; badla-ke, basutha, bakhuluphala, benama ngobuhle bakho obukhulu.