U-Ezra 6:1-12

Inkosi uDariyu yashaya umthetho wokuthi akuphenywe emiqulwini esendlini yemilando egcinwe eBhabhele. Kwatholakala umqulu e-Ekhibhathana, inhlokomuzi yesifundazwe eMediya, okwakulotshwe kuwo: Isikhumbuzo. “Ngonyaka wokuqala wokubusa kwenkosi uKhoresi, yashaya umthetho othi: maqondana nendlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema mayakhiwe kabusha, indawo lapho imihlatshelo yayinikelelwa khona neminikelo yokushiswa eyayilethwa khona, ubude bayo kumele bube ngamakhubhithi angama-60, nobubanzi bayo bube ngamakhubhithi angama-60. Izindonga zibe imigqa emithathu yamatshe, omunye phezu komunye, bese zilandelwa ngowodwa wezingodo ezintsha. Izindleko mazikhishwe esikhwameni sengcebo yendlu yenkosi. Izitsha zegolide nezesiliva zasendlini kaNkulunkulu ezazithathwe nguNebukhadinezari ethempelini eJerusalema wazisa eBhabhele, nazo kumele zibuyiselwe eJerusalema, yileso naleso endaweni yaso endlini kaNkulunkulu.” “Manje kuwe Thathenayi, mbusi wasentshonalanga yeYufrathe, nakuwe Shethari Bhozenayi, nabangani benu abasesifundazweni esisentshonalanga yeYufrathe, qhelani lapho; hlukanani nomsebenzi wendlu kaNkulunkulu; yekelani umbusi wabaJuda nezikhulu bayakhe kabusha indlu kaNkulunkulu esizeni sayo. “Ngishaya umthetho maqondana nalezo zikhulu zabaJuda ezizokwakha kabusha le ndlu kaNkulunkulu, ngithi: izindleko zokukhokhela laba bantu mazikhokhwe ngokuphelele nsuku zonke, ziphume emalini yasebukhosini, etholakala ngentela evela esifundazweni entshonalanga yeYufrathe, ukuze lowo msebenzi ungami. Noma yini abayidingayo: amaduna, izinqama, amawundlu abazokwenza ngakho iminikelo yokushiswa kuNkulunkulu wasezulwini, nokolo, usawoti, iwayini, namafutha, njengokusho kwabaphristi abaseJerusalema, mabanikwe lokho nsuku zonke, kungaphuthi, ukuze banikele iminikelo emthokozisayo uNkulunkulu wasezulwini, bakhulekele ukuphila kwenkosi namadodana ayo. “Ngiyaniyala ngithi: uma kukhona oyoguqula lo mthetho engiwushayile, kuyokhishwa ibhanuko emshayweni wendlu yakhe, ajojwe ngalo, umuzi wakhe ube ngumquba. UNkulunkulu owenza ukuba igama lakhe lihlale lapho, sengathi angasusa esikhundleni noma yiyiphi inkosi nesizwe okuzama ukuguqula lokhu, noma ukubhubhisa le ndlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema. Mina Dariyu, ngishaye lo mthetho; mawuhlonishwe ngokucophelela.”