UNehemiya 8:1-18
8 Bonke abantu babuthana egcekeni elaliphambi kwegedi lamanzi,+ belenhloso eyodwa. Basebetshela u-Ezra+ umbhali* ukuthi alethe ibhuku loMthetho kaMosi,+ uJehova ayewunike abako-Israyeli.+
2 Ngakho u-Ezra umphristi wabuya lalo ibhuku loMthetho phambi kwabantu+ ukuze alibalele amadoda labesifazana labo bonke ababesenelisa ukulalela bazwisise. Konke lokhu kwenzakala mhlaka 1 ngenyanga yesikhombisa.+
3 Wabalela+ abantu ibhuku loMthetho egcekeni elaliphambi kwegedi lamanzi kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba semini enkulu. Kwakulamadoda labesifazana labo bonke ababesenelisa ukulalela bazwisise okukhulunywayo. Bonke abantu balalelisisa+ ngesikhathi ibhuku loMthetho libalwa.
4 U-Ezra umbhali* wayemi endaweni ephakemeyo eyayenziwe ngamapulanka yenzelwe umbuthano lo. Eceleni kwakhe esandleni sokudla kwakuloMathithiya, loShema, lo-Anaya, lo-Uriya, loHilikhiya loMahaseya. Ngakwesenxele kwakuloPhedaya, loMishayeli, loMalikhija,+ loHashumi, loHashibhadana, loZakhariya loMeshulami.
5 U-Ezra wavula ibhuku loMthetho bonke abantu bemkhangele ngoba wayemi endaweni ephakemeyo. Wathi elivula abantu bonke basukuma.
6 U-Ezra wadumisa uJehova uNkulunkulu weqiniso, uNkulunkulu omkhulu, abantu bonke bathi, “Ameni!* Ameni!”+ baphakamisa izandla. Ngemva kwalokho baguqa bathi mbo phansi ngobuso phambi kukaJehova.
7 UJeshuwa, loBhani, loSherebhiya,+ loJamini, lo-Akhubi, loShabhethayi, loHodiya, loMahaseya, loKhelitha, lo-Azariya, loJozabhadi,+ loHanana, loPhelaya ababengamaLevi babechasisa uMthetho+ abantu bemi khonapho.
8 Baqhubeka bebalela abantu ibhuku loMthetho kaNkulunkulu weqiniso. Bawuchasisa wacaca ebantwini futhi baveza egcekeni ukuthi wawusitshoni, bebancedisa ukuthi bazwisise lokho ababebabalela khona.+
9 Abantu bonke bathi besizwa amazwi oMthetho bakhala. Ngakho uNehemiya owayengumbusi* wesabelo* ngalesosikhathi lo-Ezra+ umphristi owayengumbhali* kanye lamaLevi ayefundisa abantu bathi: “Ilanga leli lingcwele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.+ Yekelani ukukhala lokulila.”
10 UNehemiya wasesithi kubo: “Hambani liyekudla ukudla okumnandi, lizikholisele lokunathwayo okumnandi, linike lalabo abangelakudla+ ngoba ilanga leli lingcwele eNkosini yethu. Lingadani ngoba intokozo eliyiphiwa nguJehova ilenza libe lamandla.”*
11 AmaLevi ayethulisa bonke abantu esithi: “Lingakhali futhi lingadani ngoba ilanga leli lingcwele.”
12 Ngakho abantu basuka bayakudla banatha njalo banika labanye ukudla. Bathokoza kakhulu+ ngoba babewazwisisile amazwi ababewatsheliwe.+
13 Ngelanga lesibili abakhokheli bezimuli zonke, labaphristi, lamaLevi babuthana ku-Ezra umbhali* ukuze bawazwisise ngcono amazwi abhalwe eMthethweni.
14 Ebhukwini loMthetho bathola kubhalwe ukuthi uJehova wayetshele uMosi ukuthi abako-Israyeli kumele bahlale ezihonqweni ngesikhathi somkhosi wenyanga yesikhombisa,+
15 lokuthi kwakumele bamemezele+ kuwo wonke amadolobho abo lakulo lonke idolobho laseJerusalema bathi: “Hambani ezintabeni liyegamula ingatsha zezihlahla zama-oliva, lezezihlahla zephayini, lezommethile, lezelala kanye lezinye nje ezilamahlamvu, beselizokwakha izihonqo njengoba nje kubhaliwe eMthwethweni.”
16 Abantu bathi sebekutsheliwe lokhu, basuka bayagamula ingatsha zokwenza izihonqo babuya lazo. Benza izihonqo ephahleni lwezindlu lasemagumeni emizi yabo, lasemagumeni endlu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso,+ lasegcekeni legedi lamanzi+ kanye lasegcekeni legedi lako-Efrayimi.+
17 Bonke ababebuye bevela ekuthunjweni bakha izihonqo bahlala kuzo. Abako-Israyeli babengakaze bawenze ngalindlela umkhosi lo kusukela ngensuku zikaJoshuwa+ indodana kaNuni kuze kube ngalelolanga. Abantu bathokoza kakhulu.+
18 Ibhuku loMthetho kaNkulunkulu weqiniso lalibalwa nsuku zonke,+ kusukela ngelanga lokuqala kwaze kwaba lilanga lokucina. Umkhosi lo bawenza okwamalanga ayisikhombisa, kwasekusiba lomhlangano ongcwele ngelanga lesi-8 belandela okutshiwo nguMthetho.+
Amabala angaphansi
^ Ibala lesiHebheru elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “umbhali” litsho labo ababekopa uMthetho leminye imibhalo engcwele.
^ Ibala lesiHebheru elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “umbhali” litsho labo ababekopa uMthetho leminye imibhalo engcwele.
^ Kumbe, “Akube njalo!”
^ Ibala lesiHebheru elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “umbhali” litsho labo ababekopa uMthetho leminye imibhalo engcwele.
^ Kumbe, “owayenguThirishatha.” Leli kwakulibizo lokuhlonipha elombusi wesabelo samaPhesiya.
^ Kumbe, “owayengugavena.”
^ Kumbe, “intokozo kaJehova iyisiphephelo senu.”
^ Ibala lesiHebheru elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “umbhali” litsho labo ababekopa uMthetho leminye imibhalo engcwele.
