UEzra wenza umkhuleko wokuvuma izono zabantu

9Kwathi ekupheleni kwalezizinto, iziphathamandla zasondela kimi zisithi: Abantu bakoIsrayeli labapristi lamaLevi kabazehlukanisanga lezizwe zamazwea ngokwezinengiso zazob, ezamaKhanani, amaHethi, amaPerizi, amaJebusic, amaAmoni, amaMowabi, amaGibhithe, lamaAmorid. 2 Ngoba bazithathele emadodakazini azo bona lamadodana aboe, yaze yaxubana inzalo engcwelef lezizwe zamazweg; yebo, isandla seziphathamandla lababusi sasingesokuqala kulesisiphambekoh.

3 Kwathi ngisizwa loludaba ngadabula isembatho sami lebhatshi lami, ngangcothula okwenwele zekhanda lami lendevu zamii, ngahlala phansi ngathithibalaj. 4 Kwasekubuthana kimi wonke othuthumela ngamazwi kaNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli ngenxa yesiphambeko sabathunjwak; ngasengihlala ngithithibelel kwaze kwaba ngumnikelo wakusihlwam.

5 Kwathi ngomnikelo wakusihlwa ngasukuma ekuthotshisweni kwami, lekudabuleni kwami isembatho sami lebhatshi lami, ngaguqa ngamadolo amin, ngelulela izandla zami eNkosini uNkulunkulu wamio, 6 ngathi: Nkulunkulu wami, ngilenhloni, ngiyangekile ukuphakamisela ubuso bami kuwe, Nkulunkulu wami, ngoba ububi bethu bandile ngaphezu kwekhandap, lecala lethu selikhule kwaze kwaba semazulwiniq. 7 Kusukela ensukwini zabobaba besiphakathi kwecala elikhulu kuze kube lamuhlar, langenxa yobubi bethu thina, amakhosi ethu, abapristi bethu, sinikelwe esandleni samakhosi amazwe, enkembeni, ekuthunjwenis, lekuphangweni, lehlazweni lobuso, njengalamuhlat. 8 Khathesi-ke ngokwesikhatshana umusa wenziwe yiNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu, ukusitshiyela ukuphepha, lokusinika isikhonkwane endaweni yayo engcweleu, ukuze uNkulunkulu wethu akhanyisele amehlo ethu, njalo asinike imvuselelo encinyane ebugqilini bethuv. 9 Ngoba siyizigqili, kanti ebugqilini bethu uNkulunkulu wethu kasitshiyangaw, kodwa uselulele umusa phambi kwamakhosi ePerisiya, ukusinika imvuselelo, ukuphakamisa indlu kaNkulunkulu wethux, lokumisa amanxiwa ayo, lokusinika umduli koJuda laseJerusalemay. 10 Khathesi-ke, Nkulunkulu wethu, sizakuthini emva kwalokhu? Ngoba siyitshiyile imilayo yakho, 11 owasilaya yona ngesandla senceku zakho abaprofethi, usithi: Ilizwe elingena kulo ukudla ilifa lalo liyilizwe elingcolileyo ngokungcola kwezizwe zamazwe, ngokunengekayo kwazo eziligcwalise ngakho kusukela ephethelweni kusiya ephethelweni, ngokungcola kwazoz. 12 Ngakho-ke linganiki amadodana azo amadodakazi enu, futhi lingathatheli amadodana enu amadodakazi azoa, lingadingi ukuthula kwazo lokuhle kwazo kuze kube phakade ukuze liqine lidle okuhle kwelizweb, lilitshiyele abantwana benu libe yilifa kuze kube phakadec. 13 Lemva kwakho konke okusehleleyo ngenxa yezenzo zethu ezimbi langenxa yecala lethu elikhulud, ngoba wena Nkulunkulu wethu uzibambile ekusijeziseni kancane kulezono zethue, wasinika ukuphepha okunjef; 14 sizayephula futhi yini imilayo yakho, sithathane lesizwe salezizinengisog? Kawuyikusithukuthelela yini uze usiqedeh, kuze kungabi lensali kumbe ukuphephai? 15 Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ulungilej; ngoba sitshiyelwe ukuphunyuka njengalamuhlak. Khangela, siphambi kwakho ecaleni lethul, ngoba kakho ongema phambi kwakho ngenxa yalokhum.