Ezra 6:1-12

Khona-ke inkosi uDariyu yakhipha umyalo, kwaphenywa endlini yezincwadi, lapho okwakugcinwa khona ingcebo eBhabhiloni. Kwatholakala e-Akimetha esigodlweni esisesifundeni samaMede umqulu, nombhalo wemilando owawulotshwe kanje: Ngomnyaka wokuqala wenkosi uKoresi, inkosi uKoresi yakhipha umyalo ngendlu kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema, yathi: “Makwakhiwe indlu, indawo lapho bekuhlatshelwa khona imihlatshelo, zimiswe izisekelo zayo, ziqine; ukuphakama kwawo kube yizingalo ezingamashumi ayisithupha, nobubanzi bawo buyizingalo ezingamashumi ayisithupha; nezinhla ezintathu zamatshe amakhulu nohla lwamapulangwe amasha; nezindleko mazikhishwe endlini yenkosi. Futhi izitsha zegolide nezesiliva zendlu kaNkulunkulu uNebukadinesari azikhipha ethempelini eliseJerusalema waziyisa eBhabhiloni, mazibuyiswe, zibuyiselwe ethempelini eliseJerusalema, kube yileso naleso endaweni yaso nendawo yaso endlini kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho-ke, Thathenayi, mbusi ongaphetsheya komfula, leSetharibhozenayi, labangane benu, amaAfarzagi aphetsheya komfula, makube khatshana lalapho. Yekani umsebenzi wale ndlu kaNkulunkulu; umbusi wamaJuda namalunga abaJuda mabakhe le ndlu kaNkulunkulu endaweni yayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngiyaleza ukuba nenze kumalunga alaba baJuda ekwakheni le ndlu kaNkulunkulu: empahleni yenkosi, yebo, kusukela enteleni ngaphesheya koMfula, kumelwe kukhishwe ngokushesha izindleko kulawa madoda, ukuze bangavimbeli. Futhi abakudingayo, amaduna, nezinqama, namawundlu, okomnikelo wokushiswa kaNkulunkulu wezulu, ukolweni, nosawoti, newayini, namafutha, njengokumisa kwabapristi abaseJerusalema, kube usuku lwabo. Ngosuku olunikezwe ngaphandle kokulibala: ukuze banikele iminikelo enephunga elimnandi kuNkulunkulu wasezulwini, bathandazele ukuphila kwenkosi namadodana ayo. Futhi ngakhipha umyalo wokuthi noma ubani oguqula leli zwi kumelwe adilize izinkuni zendlu yakhe azimise, kumelwe alengiswe kuzo; futhi indlu yakhe mayenziwe iduli ngenxa yalokhu. UNkulunkulu obeke igama lakhe lapho uchitha wonke amakhosi nabantu abayoshaya esandleni sabo ukushintsha nokuchitha le ndlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema. Mina, Dariyu, ngakhipha umyalo; makwenziwe ngesivinini.