UNehemiya 4:14-23

Ngakubona lokho, ngaphakama, ngathi kubaholi nezikhulu nakubantu bonke: “Ningazesabi. Khumbulani iNkosi enamandla neyesabekayo, nilwele abafowenu, abantwana benu, omkenu nemizi yenu.” Izitha zethu zezwa ukuthi sesizwile ngozungu lwazo, nokuthi uNkulunkulu uliphunzisile icebo lazo. Sonke sabuyela ogangeni, kwayilowo nalowo emsebenzini wakhe. Kusukela ngalolo lusuku enye ingxenye yezinceku zami yakha, enye yaphatha imikhonto, amahawu, iminsalo nezivikelo zesifuba. Abaholi babeseka abendlu yakwaJuda, ababakha kabusha ugange. Ababethwala imithwalo, bathwala imithwalo yabo ngesandla esisodwa ngesinye bephethe izikhali. Bonke abakhayo babegaxe izinkemba ezinqulwini zabo, beqhubeka bakha. Indoda eyayihlaba umkhosi ngecilongo, yayiseduze kwami. Ngathi kubaholi nezikhulu nakubantu: “Umsebenzi mkhulu, wendlalekile, thina siqhelelene kakhulu ogangeni. Uma nizwa kuhlatshwa umkhosi ngecilongo, anobuthana ngakimi. UNkulunkulu wethu uzosilwela.” Saqhubeka kanjalo nokusebenza, enye ingxenye ihlome ngemikhonto ilungele ukulwa, kusukela entathakusa kuze kuqhakaze izinkanyezi. Ngaleso sikhathi ngabuye ngayala bonke abantu, ngathi: “Yilowo nalowo nenceku yakhe mabahlale phakathi eJerusalema ukuze basiqaphe ebusuku, basebenze emini.” Mina-ke, abafowethu, izinceku zami namadoda ayengabaqaphi ayengilandela, asizange sizikhumule izimpahla zethu; yilowo nalowo wayephethe isikhali ngesandla sakhe.