UNehemiya 9:1-25

Kwathi ngosuku lwama-24, lwaleyo nyanga, abakwa-Israyeli bahlangana ngosuku lokuzila ukudla, bembatha indwangu eyisaka, bazithela ngenhlabathi. Abozalo luka-Israyeli bazehlukanisa kubo bonke abezizwe, bama, bavuma izono zabo nobubi obenziwa ngokhokho babo. Bama ezindaweni zabo, kwase kufundwa umthetho kaSimakade uNkulunkulu wabo, kwathatha ingxenye yosuku; ngenye ingxenye yosuku bavuma izono zabo, badumisa uSimakade uNkulunkulu wabo. Kwase kuma endaweni ephakeme yabaLevi; uJeshuwa, uBhani, uKadimiyeli, uShabhaniya, uBhuni, uSherebhiya, uBhani noKhenani. Bamemeza ngezwi elikhulu kuSimakade uNkulunkulu wabo. AbaLevi: uJeshuwa, uKadimiyeli, uBhani, uHashabhineya, uSherebhiya, uHodiya, uShebhaniya noPhethahiya, bama kwenye indawo ephakeme, bamemeza bathi: “Sukumani nidumise uSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu, kusukela phakade, kuze kube phakade.” “Malibongwe iGama lakho elidumisekayo neliphakeme phezu kwakho konke ukubonga nokudumisa.” “Nguwe wedwa onguSimakade, nguwe owenza izulu, izulu lamazulu, nayo yonke imikhosi ekulo, umhlaba nakho konke okukuwo, nezilwandle nakho konke okukuzo, konke ukuphe ukuphila, imikhosi yasezulwini iyakukhothamela.” “Wena unguSimakade, uNkulunkulu owakhetha u-Abhrama, wamsusa e-Uri lamaKhaledi, waguqula igama lakhe, waba ngu-Abhrahama. Wayithola inhliziyo yakhe yethembekile kuwe, wenza isivumelwano naye, wethembisa ukwabela abozalo lwakhe izwe lamaKhanani, amaHithi, ama-Amori, amaPherizi, amaJebusi namaGirigashi, wakufeza owawukwethembisile ngokuba ulungile.” “Wakubona ukuhlupheka kokhokho bethu eGibhithe nasoLwandle Lomhlanga, wakuzwa ukunxusa kwabo. Wenza izibonakaliso nezimangaliso ezinkulu phambi kukaFaro nezinceku zakhe, nabo bonke abantu baseGibhithe, ngoba wawazi ukuthi babaphathe ngonya olunjani abantu bakho. Wazakhela igama elisamile kuze kube namuhla. Ulwandle waludabula kabili ukuze bawele behamba emhlabathini owomileyo, kodwa ababehubha u-Israyeli wabaphonsa ekujuleni, bazika njengetshe emanzini anamandla. Emini wawubahola ngensika yefu, ebusuku ngensika yomlilo eyayibakhanyisela endleleni ababehamba kuyo.” “Wehlela entabeni iSinayi, wakhuluma nabo usezulwini. Wabanika izehlulelo ezilungileyo, imithetho eliqiniso, izimiso nemiyalelo emihle. Wabazisa ngeSabatha lakho elingcwele, wabashayela imithetho, izimiso nemiyalelo ngenceku yakho uMose. Lapho belambile, wabanika isinkwa esivela ezulwini, waqhumisa isiphethu edwaleni, ukuze baqede ukoma. Wabatshela ukuba bangene ezweni owawubethembise lona ngesifungo, ukuthi uyobanika lona.” “Kepha bona nokhokho bethu benza ububi, baziphakamisa, baba nenkani, bayephula imiyalelo yakho. Benqaba ukukulalela, abaze bazikhumbula izimangaliso owazenza phakathi kwabo, kepha baqinisa amakhanda, bazimisela ukubuyela ebugqileni. Kodwa Wena unguNkulunkulu othethelelayo; onomusa nesihe, uyephuza ukuthukuthela, ugcwele isihawu, ngakho-ke awuzange ubalahle, ngisho lapho sebezibumbele umfanekiso wethole, bethi: ‘Lona nguNkulunkulu wethu, owasikhipha eGibhithe,’ nalapho benza amahlazo esabekayo. “Nokho awubalahlanga ehlane, ngenxa yobubele bakho obukhulu. Emini insika yefu ayiyekanga ukubahola endleleni yabo, nasebusuku insika yomlilo yaqhubeka yabakhanyisela endleleni yabo. Wabanika uMoya wakho omuhle, ukubafundisa. Awuzange ubancishe imana yakho, wabuye wabanika amanzi okucima ukoma. Iminyaka engamashumi amane, wabanakekela ehlane; abantulanga lutho, izingubo zabo aziguganga, nezinyawo zabo azivuvukalanga. “Wanikela kubo imibuso nezizwe, wandisa imingcele yabo. Badla izwe likaSihoni, inkosi yaseHeshibhoni nelika-Ogi, inkosi yaseBhashani. Izizukulwane zabo wazandisa njengezinkanyezi esibhakabhakeni, waziletha ezweni owawulethembise okhokho bazo ukuthi ziyongena kulo, zilidle. Izizukulwane zabo zangena kulo, zahlala. Labo ababehlala kulelo lizwe, wabenza bakhonza kuzo. AmaKhanani namakhosi awo nabanye abantu ababehlala ezweni, wabanikela kuzo ukuba zibaphathe ngokuthanda kwazo. Banqoba imizi ebiyelweyo nezwe elivundileyo; badla izindlu ezigcwele yonke into enhle, imithombo embiweyo, izivini, amasimu emikhiwane nezithelo eziningi ezidliwayo. Badla, basutha, banonophala, bawuthokozela umusa wakho omkhulu.