Isahluko 5
1
Kwaba khona ukukhala okukhulu kwabantu nawomkabo ngabafowabo abaJuda.
2
Ngokuba babekhona abathi: “Thina namadodana ethu namadodakazi ethu sibaningi; masithole amabele ukuba sidle, siphile.”
3
Babe khona nabathi: “Sibambisile ngamasimu ethu, nangezivini zethu, nangezindlu zethu; masithole amabele ngenxa yendlala.”
4
Babe khona nabathi: “Sitshelekile imali yokuthela enkosini ngamasimu ethu nangezivini zethu.
5
Nokho inyama yethu injengenyama yabafowethu, abantwana bethu banjengabantwana babo; bheka, sithobisa amadodana ethu namadodakazi ethu, abe yizigqila; amanye amadodakazi ethu asethotshisiwe; futhi awakho amandla ezandleni zethu, ngokuba amasimu ethu nezivini zethu sekungokwabanye.”
6
Ngathukuthela kakhulu lapho ngizwa ukukhala kwabo nalawo mazwi.
7
Inhliziyo yami isicabangile, ngathethisana nabakhulu nababusi, ngathi kubo: “Nina nonke nibiza inzalo omunye komunye.” Ngase ngibiza ibandla elikhulu ngabo.
8
Ngathi kubo: “Thina njengamandla esinawo sihlengile abafowethu abaJuda ababethengiselwe abezizwe; seniyakuthengisa ngabafowenu, bathengiselwe kithi, na?” Bathula, abafumananga zwi.
9
Ngathi futhi: “Akukuhle enikwenzayo; beningehambe yini ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu wethu ngenxa yokuthukwa kwethu ngabezizwe, izitha zethu, na?
10
Nami nabafowethu nezinceku zethu sibatsheleke imali namabele. Ake siyeke ukubiza le nzalo.
11
Ake nibuyisele namhlanje amasimu abo, nezivini zabo, neminqumo yabo, nezindlu zabo, nenxenye yekhulu yemali, neyamabele, neyewayini, neyamafutha enikubiza kubo kube yinzalo.”
12
Base bethi: “Sizakubuyisela kubo, singabizi lutho kubo; sizakwenza njengokusho kwakho.” Ngase ngibiza abapristi, ngabafungisa ukuba benze njengalelo zwi.
13
Ngavuthulula ingubo yami, ngathi: “UNkulunkulu makavuthulule kanjalo bonke abantu abangagcini leli zwi ezindlini zabo nasemfuyweni yabo; mabavuthululwe kanjalo, babe yize.” Lonke ibandla lathi: “Amen,” ladumisa uJehova. Abantu base benza njengalelo zwi.
14
Futhi kusukela osukwini engamiswa ngalo ukuba ngibe ngumbusi wabo ezweni lakwaJuda, kwasemnyakeni wamashumi amabili kuze kube semnyakeni wamashumi amathathu nambili ka-Aritahishashita inkosi, iminyaka eyishumi nabili, mina nabafowethu asidlanga isinkwa sombusi.
15
Kepha ababusi bokuqala ababe phambi kwami babebathwesile abantu, bathatha kubo isinkwa newayini kanye namashekeli angamashumi amane esiliva; nezinceku zachachaza phezu kwabantu; kepha mina angenzanga kanjalo ngenxa yokumesaba uNkulunkulu.
16
Phezu kwalokho ngabambelela emsebenzini wogange, asithenganga zwe; zonke izinceku zami zabuthana khona emsebenzini.
17
AbaJuda nababusi, abantu abayikhulu namashumi ayisihlanu, badla etafuleni lami, kanye nabafika kithi bevela kwabezizwe abasizungezayo.
18
Okwalungiselwa usuku lwaba lunye nje kwakuyinkabi nezimvu eziyisithupha ezikhethekileyo; ngalungiselwa nezinyoni newayini eliningi lezinhlobo zonke kanye ngezinsuku eziyishumi; nokho angicelanga isinkwa sombusi, ngokuba ubugqila babusinda phezu kwalaba bantu.
19
Ngikhumbulele, Nkulunkulu wami, ngenxa yakho konke engikwenzele laba bantu, kube kuhle kimi.