Isimemezelo sikaKoresi

1 Kwathi ngomnyaka wokuqala kaKoresi inkosi yePerisiya, ekugcwalisekeni1 kwelizwi leNkosi ngomlomo kaJeremiyaa, iNkosi yavusa umoya kaKoresi inkosi yePerisiya ukuthi edlulise isimemezelo embusweni wakhe wonke, njalo langombhalob, esithi:

2 Utsho njalo uKoresi inkosi yePerisiya: INkosi, uNkulunkulu wamazulu, inginikile yonke imibuso yomhlaba; layo ingilayile ukuyakhela indlu eJerusalema ekoJudac. 3 Ngubani ophakathi kwenu kubo bonke abantu bayo? UNkulunkulu wakhe kabe laye, enyukele eJerusalema ekoJuda, akhe indlu yeNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli (unguNkulunkulu) oseJerusalemad. 4 Laloba ngubani oseleyo lakuyiphi yezindawo lapho ahlala njengowezizwe khona, kakuthi abantu bendawo yakibo bamsekele ngesiliva, langegolide, langempahla, langezifuyo, kanye lomnikelo wesihle wendlu kaNkulunkulu eseJerusalema.

Ukubuyela kwamaJuda eJerusalema

5 Kwasekusukuma inhloko zaboyise bakoJuda loBhenjamini, labapristi lamaLevi, laye wonke uNkulunkulue ayevuse umoya wakhe, ukuthi benyukele ukwakha indlu yeNkosi eseJerusalemaf. 6 Labo bonke ababebaphahlile baqinisa izandla zabo ngezitsha zesiliva, ngegolide, ngempahla, langezifuyo, langezinto eziligugu, ngaphandle kwakho konke okwakunikelwe ngesihleg.

7 UKoresi inkosi laye wakhupha izitsha zendlu yeNkosih, uNebhukadinezari ayezikhuphe eJerusalema wazifaka endlini yabonkulunkulu bakhei. 8 UKoresi inkosi yePerisiya wasezikhupha ngesandlaj sikaMithiredathik umphathisikhwama owazibalela uSheshibazari isiphathamandla sakoJudal. 9 Leli-ke linani lazo: Imiganu yegolide engamatshumi amathathum, imiganu yesiliva eyinkulungwane, izingqamu ezingamatshumi amabili lesificamunwemunye, 10 inkezo zegolide ezingamatshumi amathathu, ezinye inkezo zesiliva ezingamakhulu amane letshumi, ezinye izitsha eziyinkulungwane. 11 Zonke izitsha zegolide lezesiliva zazizinkulungwane ezinhlanu lamakhulu amane. Zonke lezi uSheshibazari wazenyusa lalabo ababenyuswe ekuthunjweni bevela eBhabhiloni besiya eJerusalema.