Ezra 7
1 After all this, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra arrived from Babylon. He was the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,
Ngemva kwalezizinto, ngesikhathi sokubusa kuka-Athazekisisi inkosi yasePhezhiya, u-Ezra indodana kaSeraya, indodana ka-Azariya, indodana kaHilikhiya,
2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,
indodana kaShalumi, indodana kaZadokhi indodana ka-Ahithubi,
3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,
indodana ka-Amariya, indodana ka-Azariya, indodana kaMerayothi,
4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,
indodana kaZerahiya, indodana ka-Uzi, indodana kaBhukhi,
5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the high priest.
indodana ka-Abhishuwa, indodana kaFinehasi, indodana ka-Eliyazari, indodana ka-Aroni umphristi omkhulu,
6 This Ezra arrived from Babylon, and was a scribe who was an expert in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given to Israel. The king had granted Ezra everything he'd asked for, because the Lord his God was with him.
u-Ezra lo weza evela eBhabhiloni. Wayeyisifundiswa esazi kakhulu ngoMthetho kaMosi, owawuphiwe nguThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Inkosi yayimuphe konke ayekucelile, ngoba isandla sikaThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe sasiphezu kwakhe.
7 In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes left for Jerusalem, accompanied by some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests and Levites, singers and gatekeepers, and Temple servants.
Abanye abako-Israyeli, labaphristi, lamaLevi, labahlabeleli, labalindi bamasango lezinceku zethempelini labo babuya eJerusalema ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kwenkosi u-Athazekisisi.
8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of King Artaxerxes' reign.
U-Ezra wafika eJerusalema ngenyanga yesihlanu ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wenkosi.
9 He had started the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, his gracious God going with him.
Wayeqalise uhambo lwakhe esuka eBhabhiloni ngelanga lakuqala lenyanga yokuqala, wafika eJerusalema ngelanga lakuqala lenyanga yesihlanu, ngoba isandla somusa sikaNkulunkulu sasiphezu kwakhe.
10 For Ezra had committed himself to gaining insights from the Law of the Lord, wanting to practice it and to teach in Israel its rules and how to live.
Ngoba u-Ezra wayezinikele ekufundeni lokugcina uMthetho kaThixo lokufundisa izimiso zawo ko-Israyeli.
11 This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, who had studied the Lord's commandments and regulations given to Israel:
Nansi incwadi iNkosi u-Athazekisisi ayeyiphe u-Ezra umphristi lomabhalane, indoda eyayifundile ezindabeni zemithetho lezimiso zikaThixo ku-Israyeli:
12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.
Athazekisisi, nkosi yamakhosi, Ku-Ezra umphristi, umfundisi womthetho kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini: Ngiyabingelela.
13 I hereby issue this decree: Any of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom who voluntarily decide to go to Jerusalem with you may do so.
Manje-ke ngimisa umthetho wokuthi ingqe ngubani wako-Israyeli osembusweni wami, kugoqela abaphristi labaLevi, ofisa ukuhamba lawe eJerusalema, kahambe.
14 You are being sent by the king and his seven counselors to investigate the situation in Judah and Jerusalem as it relates to the Law of your God, which you carry with you.
Uthunywa yinkosi labacebisi bayo abayisikhombisa ukuba uyofunisisa ngoJuda langeJerusalema mayelana loMthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho, owuphetheyo.
15 We also instruct you to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have voluntarily donated to the God of Israel, whose lives in Jerusalem,
Njalo ubothatha isiliva legolide elinikwe ngesihle yinkosi labacebisi bayo kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ohlala eJerusalema,
16 together with all the silver and gold you may receive from the province of Babylon, as well as the voluntary donations of the people and priests to the Temple of their God in Jerusalem.
kanye lesiliva legolide lonke ongalizuza elizweni laseBhabhiloni kanye leminikelo yokuzizwela eyabantu labaphristi benikelela ithempeli likaNkulunkulu wabo eJerusalema.
17 You are to use this money first to buy as many bulls, rams, and lambs as necessary, along with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and present them on the altar at the Temple of your God in Jerusalem.
Ngaleyomali umele uthenge inkunzi, lenqama, lamazinyane ezimvu amaduna, ndawonye leminikelo yabo yamabele leyokunathwayo, konke kunikelwe e-alithareni lethempeli likaNkulunkulu wenu eJerusalema.
18 Then you and those with you may decide to use the rest of the silver and gold in whatever way you think best, in accordance with the will of your God.
Wena labazalwane bakho abangamaJuda selingenza lokho okuyabe kufanele ngesiliva legolide eliseleyo, mayelana lentando kaNkulunkulu wenu.
19 But the items you have been given for the service of the Temple of your God must be all delivered to the God of Jerusalem.
Hambisani kuNkulunkulu weJerusalema zonke impahla eliziphathisiweyo ezokukhonza ethempelini likaNkulunkulu wenu.
20 If there is anything else required for the Temple of your God that you have to provide, you may charge it to the royal treasury.
Akuthi loba yini efunekayo ethempelini likaNkulunkulu wenu elifuna ukuthi izuzakale, kayidingwe ngendleko ephuma esikhwameni senkosi.
21 I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers west of the Euphrates should provide whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require from you, and it must be provided in full,
Mina, iNkosi Athazekisisi ngimisa umthetho wokuthi bonke abaphathi bezikhwama abangaphetsheya kweYufrathe baphe u-Ezra umphristi, umfundisi woMthetho kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini ngokuphangisa loba yini ayicelayo kini,
22 up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred cors of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of olive oil, and unrestricted amounts of salt.
kuze kube ngamathalenta esiliva alikhulu, lamasaka alikhulu engqoloyi, imigqomo elikhulu yewayini, imigqomo elikhulu yamafutha e-oliva, letswayi elingelakulinganiswa.
23 Make sure you provide in full whatever the God of heaven requires for his Temple, for why should his anger be brought down on the king and his sons?
Ingqe yini emiswe nguNkulunkulu wasezulwini, kakwenziwe ngokukhuthala kusenzelwa ithempeli likaNkulunkulu wasezulwini. Kakudingeki ukuthi ulaka luze lwehliselwe phezu kwenkosi lamadodana ayo.
24 Also be aware that all of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Temple servants, or other workers of this Temple are exempt from paying any tax, tribute, or fees, and you are not authorized to charge them.
Yazini njalo ukuthi kalilamvumo yokubiza imithelo loba inkongozelo yenkosi kumbe imbadalo yokungenisa impahla elizweni kubaphristi, labaLevi, labahlabeleli, labalindimasango, lezinceku zethempelini loba kwezinye izisebenzi zale indlu kaNkulunkulu.
25 You, Ezra, are to follow the wisdom of your God which you possess, shall appoint magistrates and judges to provide justice to all the people west of the Euphrates—all those who follow the laws of your God. You are to teach these laws to those who do not.
Yikho wena Ezra, ngokuhlakanipha olakho okukaNkulunkulu wakho, beka abathonisi labehluleli ukwahlulela kuhle bonke abantu abangaphetsheya kweYufrathe, bonke abayaziyo imithetho kaNkulunkulu wenu. Kumele ufundise labo abangayaziyo.
26 Anyone who does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, will be severely punished, either by death, banishment, seizure of property, or imprisonment.”
Lowo ongawulaleliyo umthetho kaNkulunkulu wenu lomthetho wenkosi ngeqiniso umele ajeziswe ngokufa, loba ngokuxotshwa, loba ngokuhluthunelwa impahla loba ngokufakwa entolongweni.
27 Praise the Lord, the God of our forefathers, who put into the king's mind to honor the Lord's Temple in Jerusalem in this way,
Udumo kalube kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho bethu, okufakileyo enhliziyweni yenkosi ukuletha inhlonipho endlini kaThixo eJerusalema ngale indlela
28 and who has shown me such kindness by honoring me before the king, his counselors, and all his high officials. Because the Lord my God was with me, I was encouraged and called together the leaders of Israel to return to Jerusalem with me.
njalo otshengise umusa wakhe kini phambi kwenkosi labeluleki bakhe lazozonke izinduna zakhe ezilamandla. Ngenxa yokuthi isandla sikaThixo uNkulunkulu wami besiphezu kwami, ngaba lesibindi ngaqoqa amadoda angabakhokheli ko-Israyeli ukuthi bahambe lami.
