Ezra 7:11-28

Nansi ikhophi yencwadi inkosi u-Aritahishashita eyayinika u-Ezra, umpristi, umbhali, umbhali wamazwi emiyalo kaJehova nezimiso zakhe ku-Israyeli. U-Aritahishashita, inkosi yamakhosi, ku-Ezra umpristi, isazi somthetho kaNkulunkulu wezulu, ukuthula okupheleleyo nangaleso sikhathi. Ngikhipha umyalo wokuthi bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli nabapristi babo namaLevi embusweni wami, abayothanda ukukhuphukela eJerusalema ngokuzithandela kwabo, kumelwe bahambe nawe. Ngokuba uthunywe yinkosi nabeluleki bayo abayisikhombisa ukuba uhlole uJuda neJerusalema ngokomthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho osesandleni sakho; nokuthwala isiliva negolide inkosi nabeluleki bayo abanikela ngayo ngokuzithandela kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ondlu yakhe iseJerusalema; nalo lonke isiliva negolide ongalifumana kuso sonke isifunda saseBabele, kanye nomnikelo wesihle wabantu nowabapristi abavuma ukuhlabela indlu kaNkulunkulu wabo eseJerusalema; ukuze usheshe uthenge ngale mali izinkunzi, nezinqama, namawundlu, neminikelo yako yokudla, neminikelo yako yokuphuzwa, unikele ngakho e-altare lendlu kaNkulunkulu wenu eseJerusalema. Noma yini okuhle ngawe nabafowenu ukuba niyenze ngalo lonke elinye isiliva negolide, niyenze ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu wenu. Futhi izitsha onikelwe zona zenkonzo yendlu kaNkulunkulu wakho, lezi uzigcine phambi kukaNkulunkulu waseJerusalema. Konke okunye okudingwa endlini kaNkulunkulu wakho oyakuba nethuba lokukunika kona, kukhiphe endlini yengcebo yenkosi. Futhi nami, nkosi u-Aritahishashita, ngiyaleza bonke abaphathi-zimali abangaphesheya komfula ukuthi konke u-Ezra umpristi, isazi somthetho kaNkulunkulu wezulu, ayakukubuza kini, makwenziwe masinyane; kuze kube ngamathalenta esiliva ayikhulu, amakhora kakolweni ayikhulu, nezindebe zewayini ezifika eziyikhulu, nezimbiza zamafutha nosawoti eziyikhulu ngaphandle kokusho ukuthi yimalini. Konke okuyalezwa nguNkulunkulu wezulu makwenzelwe ngenhliziyo yonke indlu kaNkulunkulu wezulu; ngoba kungani kufanele kube nolaka embusweni wenkosi namadodana ayo? Futhi siyanitshela ukuthi ngeke kube ngokomthetho ukubakhokhisa intela, intela noma intela, uma bethinta noma yimuphi wabapristi namaLevi, nabahlabeleli, nabalindisango, namaNethini, nezinceku zale ndlu kaNkulunkulu. Wena-ke, Ezra, ngokuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu wakho okusesandleni sakho, misa abahluleli nabahluleli abangahlulela bonke abantu abangaphesheya komfula, bonke abayaziyo imithetho kaNkulunkulu wakho; futhi bafundise abangaziyo. Noma ngubani ongawenzi umthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho nomthetho wenkosi, makugwetshwe masinyane kuye, noma elokufa, noma elokuxoshwa, noma elokudliwa kwempahla, noma elokuboshwa. Makabongwe uJehova uNkulunkulu wawobaba owafaka into enjalo enhliziyweni yenkosi ukuhlobisa indlu kaJehova eseJerusalema. Wangenzela umusa phambi kwenkosi nabeluleki bayo naphambi kwazo zonke izikhulu zenkosi ezinamandla. Ngaba namandla njengoba isandla sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wami sasiphezu kwami, futhi ngabutha izikhulu kwa-Israyeli ukuba zikhuphuke nami.