UNehemiya 4:6-14

Saqhubeka nokwakha, saphumelela ukulwakha kabusha ugange lwaze lwaphakathi nendawo ubude, ngoba abantu babenomdlandla wokusebenza. Lapho uSanibhalathi, uThobiya, ama-Arabhu, ama-Amoni nama-Ashidodi, bezwa ukuthi ugange eJerusalema luyakhuphuka nokuthi izimfa ziyavalwa, bathukuthela kakhulu, base bakha uzungu lokuza kanyekanye bazolwa nalo iJerusalema, badale inxushunxushu. Sakhuleka kuNkulunkulu wethu, sabeka abaqaphi ukulinda ubusuku nemini. UJuda wathi: “Amandla abathwala imithwalo aphelile, maningi amabibi, asisakwazi ukuqhubeka sakhe kabusha ugange.” Izitha zethu zathi: “Sizobazuma, sibathelekele bengazelele, sibabulale, ungabe usaqhubeka umsebenzi.” AbaJuda ababakhelene nazo, bafika basixwayisa kaninginingi, bethi: “Zizofika zivela ezindaweni zonke ezihlala kuzo zizomelana nathi.” Ngase ngimisa abantu ngokwemindeni yabo, ngezansi ezindaweni ezisemuva kogange nakwezisobala, benezinkemba, imikhonto neminsalo yabo. Ngakubona lokho, ngaphakama, ngathi kubaholi nezikhulu nakubantu bonke: “Ningazesabi. Khumbulani iNkosi enamandla neyesabekayo, nilwele abafowenu, abantwana benu, omkenu nemizi yenu.”