U-Ezra 10
1 Lapho u-Ezra wayekhuleka njalo evuma izono, ekhala eziwisela phansi phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu, ixuku elikhulu labako-Israyeli kubalisa amadoda labafazi labantwana, babuthana kuye. Labo bakhala kabuhlungu.
Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before God’s house, there was gathered together to him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very bitterly.
2 Yikho uShekhaniya indodana kaJehiyeli, omunye wesizukulwane sika-Elamu, wathi ku-Ezra, “Kasizange sithembeke kuNkulunkulu wethu ngoba sathatha abafazi bezizweni ebantwini esakhelene labo. Kodwa loba kunjalo ithemba lisekhona ngo-Israyeli.
Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land. Yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.
3 Manje kasenzeni isivumelwano phambi kukaNkulunkulu wethu ukubalahla bonke labobafazi labantwababo njengeseluleko senkosi yami lalabo abayesabayo imilayo kaNkulunkulu wethu. Kakwenziwe ngendlela yoMthetho.
Now therefore let’s make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and those who are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God. Let it be done according to the law.
4 Sukuma; indaba le isezandleni zakho. Thina sizakusekela, yikho yiba lesibindi ukwenze.”
Arise, for the matter belongs to you and we are with you. Be courageous, and do it.”
5 Ngakho u-Ezra waphakama wafungisa bonke abakhokheli babaphristi labaLevi lo-Israyeli wonke ukwenza lokho okwakumisiwe. Basenza lesosifungo.
Then Ezra arose, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel to swear that they would do according to this word. So they swore.
6 U-Ezra wasesuka endlini kaNkulunkulu waya endlini kaJehohanani indodana ka-Eliyashibi. Elapho kadlanga lutho njalo kazange anathe manzi, ngoba waqhubeka elilela ukungathembeki kwezithunjwa.
Then Ezra rose up from before God’s house, and went into the room of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. When he came there, he didn’t eat bread or drink water, for he mourned because of the trespass of the exiles.
7 Kwasekukhutshwa isimemezelo kulolonke elakoJuda kanye leJerusalema ukuthi zonke izithunjwa kaziqoqane eJerusalema.
They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem;
8 Ingqe ngubani ongafikanga phakathi kwensuku ezintathu wayezathathelwa yonke impahla alayo, kulandelwa isinqumo sezinduna labadala, kuthi yena ngokwakhe axotshwe emphakathini walabo ababethunjiwe.
and that whoever didn’t come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his possessions should be forfeited, and he himself separated from the assembly of the captivity.
9 Phakathi kwalezonsuku ezintathu wonke amadoda akoJuda lakoBhenjamini ayesebuthene eJerusalema. Kwathi ngelanga lamatshumi amabili lenyanga yesificamunye bonke abantu babehlezi esigcawini phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu, bekhathazekile ngombuthano lowo njalo begxanxwa lizulu elalisina.
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the wide place in front of God’s house, trembling because of this matter, and because of the great rain.
10 Kwathi u-Ezra umphristi wasukuma wathi kubo, “Kalithembekanga; lisuke lathatha abafazi bezizweni, lengeza icala lika-Israyeli.
Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, increasing the guilt of Israel.
11 Manje-ke vumani izono zenu kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho benu, lenze intando yakhe. Zahlukaniseni kulababantu elakhelene labo lasebafazini benu abezizwe.”
Now therefore make confession to Yahweh, the God of your fathers and do his pleasure. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women.”
12 Inkundla yonke yaphendula ngelizwi elikhulu yathi: “Uqondile! Kumele senze njengoba usitsho.
Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “We must do as you have said concerning us.
13 Kodwa kulabantu abanengi lapha futhi lesi yisikhathi sezulu; ngakho ngeke sime lapha phandle. Futhi indaba le ingazake iphethwe ngosuku olulodwa kumbe ezimbili, ngoba sonile kakhulu ngento le.
But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand outside. This is not a work of one day or two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.
14 Akuthi izinduna zethu zisimele thina sonke. Akuthi wonkemuntu emizini yethu othethe umfazi wabezizwe eze ngesikhathi esimisiweyo, eze labadala kanye labehluleli balowomuzi, luze ludede kithi ulaka olwesabekayo lukaNkulunkulu wethu.”
Now let our princes be appointed for all the assembly, and let all those who are in our cities who have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city and its judges, until the fierce wrath of our God is turned from us, until this matter is resolved.”
15 Kwaba nguJonathani kuphela, indodana ka-Asaheli loJahizeya indodana kaThikhiva, besekelwa nguMeshulami loShabhethayi umLevi abakuphikisayo lokhu.
Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.
16 Ngakho izithunjwa zenza njengokwakumisiwe. U-Ezra umphristi wakhetha amadoda ayeyizinhloko zezimuli, oyedwa emulini, bonke baqanjwa ngamabizo. Ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yetshumi bahlala phansi bawahlolisisa lawomacala,
The children of the captivity did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers’ households, after their fathers’ houses, and all of them by their names, were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
17 kwathi ngelanga lokuqala ngenyanga yokuqala baqeda ukuphatha indaba yamadoda ayethethe abafazi bezizweni.
They finished with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month.
18 Phakathi kwezizukulwane zabaphristi, laba abalandelayo yibo ababethethe abafazi bezizweni: Abesizukulwane sikaJeshuwa indodana kaJozadaki labafowabo: uMaseya, u-Eliyezari, uJaribhi loGedaliya.
Among the sons of the priests there were found who had married foreign women: of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
19 (Bonke baphakamisa izandla zabo bafunga ukubalahla abafazi babo, kwathi ngenxa yecala labo ngulowo wakhupha inqama emhlambini ukuba ngumnikelo wesono.)
They gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guilt.
20 Abesizukulwane sika-Imeri: nguHanani loZebhadiya.
Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
21 Abesizukulwane sikaHarimi: nguMaseya, lo-Elija, loShemaya, loJehiyeli lo-Uziya.
Of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 Abesizukulwane sikaPhashuri: ngu-Eliyonayi, loMaseya, lo-Ishumayeli, loNethaneli, loJozabhadi lo-Eleyasa.
Of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 Phakathi kwabaLevi nampa: uJozabhadi, loShimeyi, loKhelaya (kutshiwo uKhelitha), loPhethahiya, loJuda lo-Eliyezari.
Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 Phakathi kwabahlabeleli nampa: u-Eliyashibi. Phakathi kwabalindimasango: nguShalumi, loThelemu lo-Uri.
Of the singers: Eliashib. Of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 Phakathi kwabanye abako-Israyeli: Abesizwe sikaPharoshi: nguRamiya, u-Iziya, uMalikhija, uMijamini, u-Eliyezari, uMalikhija loBhenaya.
Of Israel: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.
26 Abesizukulwane sika-Elamu: nguMathaniya, uZakhariya, uJehiyeli, u-Abhidi, uJeremothi lo-Elija.
Of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27 Abesizukulwane sikaZathu: ngu-Eliyonayi, u-Eliyashibi, uMathaniya, uJeremothi, uZabhadi lo-Aziza.
Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28 Abesizukulwane sikaBhebhayi: nguJehohanani, uHananiya, uZabhayi lo-Athilayi.
Of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29 Abesizukulwane sikaBhani: nguMeshulami, uMaluki, u-Adaya, uJashubi, uSheyali loJeremothi.
Of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
30 Abesizukulwane sikaPhahathi-Mowabi: ngu-Adina, uKhelali, uBhenaya, uMaseya, uMathaniya, uBhezaleli, uBhinuwi loManase.
Of the sons of Pahathmoab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 Abesizukulwane sikaHarimi: ngu-Eliyezari, u-Ishiya, uMalikhija, uShemaya, uSimiyoni,
Of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32 uBhenjamini, uMaluki, loShemariya.
Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 Abesizukulwane sikaHashumi: nguMathenayi, uMathatha, uZabhadi, u-Elifelethi, uJeremayi, uManase loShimeyi.
Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 Abesizukulwane sikaBhani: nguMadayi, u-Amramu, u-Uweli,
Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
35 uBhenaya, uBhedeya, uKheluhi,
Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
36 uVaniya, uMeremothi, u-Eliyashibi,
Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37 uMathaniya, uMathenayi loJasu.
Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu,
38 Abesizukulwane sikaBhinuwi loBhani: nguShimeyi,
Bani, Binnui, Shimei,
39 uShelemiya, uNathani, u-Adaya,
Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
40 uMakhinadebhayi, uShashayi, uSharayi,
Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41 u-Azareli, uShelemiya, uShemariya,
Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42 uShalumi, u-Amariya loJosefa.
Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43 Abesizukulwane sikaNebho: nguJeyiyeli, uMathithiya, uZabhadi, uZebhina, uJadayi, uJoweli loBhenaya.
Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 Bonke laba bathatha abafazi bezizweni, abanye babo bazala abantwana labafazi labo.
All these had taken foreign wives. Some of them had wives by whom they had children.
