Emva kwalokho esabusa u-Aritahishashita, inkosi yasePheresiya, u-Ezra kaSeraya ka-Azariya kaHilikiya,2 kaShalumi kaSadoki ka-Ahithubi3 ka-Amariya ka-Azariya kaMerayoti4 kaZeraya ka-Uzi kaBuki5 ka-Abishuwa kaFinehasi ka-Eleyazare ka-Aroni umpristi omkhulu,6 u-Ezra lo wakhuphuka eBabele; wayengumbhali echwepheshile emthethweni kaMose awunikiweyo nguJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli; inkosi yamnika konke akucelayo ngokwesandla sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe esasiphezu kwakhe.7 Kwakhuphuka nabanye abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, nabapristi, namaLevi, nabahlabeleli, nabalindisango, namaNethini, baya eJerusalema ngomnyaka wesikhombisa ka-Aritahishashita inkosi.8 Wafika eJerusalema ngenyanga yesihlanu ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wenkosi.9 Ngokuba ngolokuqala lwenyanga yokuqala waqala ukukhuphuka eBabele; ngolokuqala lwenyanga yesihlanu wafika eJerusalema ngokwesandla esihle sikaNkulunkulu wakhe esasiphezu kwakhe,10 ngokuba u-Ezra wayebhekise inhliziyo yakhe ukufuna umthetho kaJehova, nokwenza nokufundisa izimiso nezahlulelo kwa-Israyeli.11 Lokhu kuyimpinda yencwadi inkosi u-Aritahishashita eyamnika yona u-Ezra umpristi nombhali, umbhali wamazwi emiyalo kaJehova nawezimiso zakhe ku-Israyeli, yokuthi:12 “U-Aritahishashita, inkosi yamakhosi ku-Ezra, umpristi nombhali womthetho kaNkulunkulu wezulu; ukuthula, nokuthi nokuthi.13 “Ngikhipha isimemezelo sokuthi bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli, nabapristi babo, namaLevi embusweni wami, abafuna ukuya eJerusalema, bangahamba nawe,14 njengokuba uthunyiwe yinkosi nabeluleki bayo abayisikhombisa ukubuza ngelakwaJuda neJerusalema njengokomthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho osesandleni sakho,15 nokuyisa isiliva negolide inkosi nabeluleki bayo abalinikele ngesihle kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ondlu yakhe iseJerusalema,16 kanye nalo lonke isiliva negolide oyakukufumana ezweni lonke laseBabele, neminikelo yesihle yabantu neyabapristi, benikelela ngesihle indlu kaNkulunkulu wabo eseJerusalema.17 Ngalokho uyakuthenga ngesineke sonke ngale mali izinkunzi, nezinqama, namawundlu kanye neminikelo yakho yempuphu neminikelo yakho yokuphuzwa, unikele ngakho e-altare lendlu kaNkulunkulu wenu eseJerusalema.18 “Okuhle kuwe nakubafowenu ukuba nikwenze ngesiliva negolide eliseleyo, kwenzeni ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu wenu.19 Izitsha onikwe zona ukuba zibe ngezenkonzo yendlu kaNkulunkulu wakho, zibuyisele phambi kukaNkulunkulu waseJerusalema.20 Okunye okudingekayo endlini kaNkulunkulu wakho, ofanele ukukunika, kukhiphe endlini yengcebo yenkosi.21 “Kimina, yebo, mina Aritahishashita inkosi, kukhishwa isimemezelo kubo bonke abaphathizikhwama abangaphesheya koMfula ukuthi konke u-Ezra umpristi nombhali womthetho kaNkulunkulu wezulu ayakukubiza kini, makwenziwe ngesineke sonke,22 kuze kube ngamatalenta ayikhulu esiliva, namakhora ayikhulu kakolweni, namabhati ayikhulu ewayini, namabhati ayikhulu amafutha, nosawoti ongabaliwe.23 Konke okusesimemezelweni sikaNkulunkulu wezulu makwenzelwe ngesineke indlu kaNkulunkulu wezulu, ngokuba kungase kube khona intukuthelo phezu kombuso wenkosi namadodana ayo na?24 Futhi siyanazisa ukuthi akakho onegunya lokuthelisa abapristi namaLevi, nabahlabeleli, nabalindisango, namaNethini, nezinceku zale ndlu kaNkulunkulu intela, nenkokhiso, nemali yendlela.25 “Wena-ke, Ezra, ngokuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu wakho okusesandleni sakho, misa abahluleli nabaholi abayakwahlulela bonke abantu abangaphesheya koMfula, bonke abazi imithetho kaNkulunkulu wakho; nongayaziyo nimfundise.26 Bonke abangayikwenza umthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho nomthetho wenkosi mabahlulelwe ngaso sonke isineke, noma kube ngokokufa noma okokuxoshwa, noma impahla yabo ibe yisizi, noma kube ngukuboshwa.”27 Makabongwe uJehova uNkulunkulu wawobaba obeke enhliziyweni yenkosi ukuhlobisa indlu kaJehova eseJerusalema,28 wehlisela phezu kwami umusa phambi kwenkosi, nabeluleki bayo, naphambi kwezikhulu zonke zenkosi ezingamaqhawe. Mina ngaqiniswa ngokwesandla seNkosi uNkulunkulu wami esasiphezu kwami, ngabutha ku-Israyeli abayizinhloko ukuba bakhuphuke nami.
