U-Ezra 7:11-28

Leli yifuzela lencwadi inkosi u-Arithahishasitha alinika u-Ezra, umphristi, umbhali, owayengumbhali wemithetho nezimiso zikaSimakade ku-Israyeli, ethi: “U-Arithahishasitha, inkosi yamakhosi ku-Ezra, umphristi nombhali womthetho kaNkulunkulu wezulu: ukuthula. “Ngishaya umthetho othi: noma yimuphi umuntu wakwa-Israyeli, noma abaphristi bakhona, noma abaLevi abasembusweni wami abathanda ukuya eJerusalema, bangahamba nawe. Ngokuba uthunywa yinkosi nabeluleki bayo abayisikhombisa, ukuba niyobheka ukuthi kuhamba kanjani kwaJuda naseJerusalema ngokomthetho kaNkulunkulu wenu osesandleni sakho, nokuhambisa isiliva negolide inkosi nabeluleki bayo abalinikele ngesihle kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ondlu yakhe iseJerusalema; nithathe nalo lonke isiliva negolide eniyokufumana esifundazweni sonke eBhabhele, neminikelo yesihle yabantu neyabaphristi, abayinikela ngesihle endlini kaNkulunkulu wabo eJerusalema. Niyisebenzise ngokucophelela leyo mali, nithenge izinkunzi, izinqama, amawundlu, iminikelo yokusanhlamvu neminikelo yokuphuzwayo, nikunikele e-althare endlini kaNkulunkulu wenu eJerusalema. “Wena nabafowenu, lokho enikubona kufanele ukuba nikwenze ngesiliva nangegolide elisalileyo, kwenzeni ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu wenu. Izitsha ozinikiwe ukuba zisetshenziselwe inkonzo yendlu kaNkulunkulu wakho, uyakuzibuyisela kuNkulunkulu wakho eJerusalema. Noma yini enye edingekayo endlini kaNkulunkulu wakho okufanele niyihlinzeke ngokwenu, ithatheni engcebeni yenkosi. “Mina Arithashashitha, inkosi, ngiyala bonke abagcinimafa abasesifundanzweni entshonalanga yeYufrathe ukuba noma yini ayoyifuna kini u-Ezra, umphristi nombhali womthetho kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini, yenziwe ngokucophelela okukhulu, kuze kufike ekhulwini lamathalenta esiliva, nekhulu lamakhora kakolo, amabhathi ayikhulu ewayini, amabhathi alikhulu amafutha, nosawoti ongenakubalwa. Konke okuyalwe nguNkulunkulu wasezulwini makwenziwe ngesineke, kwenzelwa indlu kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini, funa intukuthelo kaNkulunkulu yehlele inkosi namadodana ayo. Futhi siyanazisa ukuthi anivunyelwe ukukhokhisa intela abaphristi, abaLevi, abaculi, abalindisango, izisebenzi zasethempelini nezinye izisebenzi ezisebenza kule ndlu kaNkulunkulu. “Wena-ke Ezra, makuthi ngokuhlakanipha uNkulunkulu akuphe khona, uqoke abehluleli nezimantshi abayokwehlulela bonke abantu bakini abasesifundazweni esisentshonalanga yeYufrathe; makube ngabantu abawaziyo umthetho kaNkulunkulu wenu, abangawaziyo kufanele bawufundiswe. Bonke abangawulaleli umthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho nomthetho wenkosi, kumele bajeziswe ngokubafaneleyo, kungaba ngokufa noma ngokudingiswa, noma ngokudlelwa impahla noma ngokuboshwa.” Makadunyiswe uSimakade, uNkulunkulu wokhokho bethu, obeke into enje enhliziyweni yenkosi, ukuba ihlobise indlu kaSimakade eJerusalema ngale ndlela, ongenzele umusa phambi kwenkosi nabeluleki bayo, naphambi kwazo zonke izikhulu zenkosi ezingamaqhawe. Ngaba nesibindi ngoba isandla seNkosi uSimakade sasinami, ngaqoqa abaholi kwa-Israyeli ukuba benyuke nami.