1 Ke iintshaba zikaJuda noBhenjamin zithe zakuva ukuba abo babuyileyo ekuthinjweni nâbo besakha indlu *kaNdikhoyo uThixo kaSirayeli,
2 zasuka zeza kuZerubhabheli neenkulu zezindlu, zathi kubo: “Nathi sifuna ukunincedisa ekwakheni, kuba nathi kwanjengani siyamlangazelela lo Thixo wenu. Nangoku sasoloko simenzela amadini, kusukela kwixesha likakumkani waseAsiriya uEsaradon, lo wasizisa apha.”
3 Ke uZerubhabheli noYeshuwa neenkulu zezindlu zikaSirayeli baphendula bathi: “Aninalo ilungelo lokwakhela uThixo wethu indlu. Sithi sodwa abaza kuyakha le ndlu kaNdikhoyo uThixo kaSirayeli, ngokomyalelo kakumkani uKoreshi wasePeshiya.”
4 Zasuka ke ezo ntlanga zazibangqongile zabatyhafisa abantu bakwaJuda, zabenza boyika ukuwuqhuba umsebenzi wokwakha.
5 Zathenga amagosa awazidodobalisayo izicwangciso ngalo lonke ithuba lolawulo lukaKoreshi ukumkani wasePeshiya yada yalulawulo lukaDariyo ukumkani wasePeshiya.
6 Ke kaloku ekuqaleni kolawulo luka-Asuwerosi bababeka isityholo esibhaliweyo abantu bakwaJuda nabaseJerusalem.
7 Ke ngemihla ka-Atashasta ukumkani wasePeshiya uBhish-lam, uMitredati, noTabheli, namahlakani abo, babhala ileta, bayithumela kuAtashasta. Le leta ke yayibhalwe ngesiAram ngokwendlela isiAram esibhalwa ngayo.
8 URehum igosa eliphetheyo noShimshayi unobhala babhala ileta echasene neJerusalem, bayithumela kuAtashasta ukumkani. Bayibhala ngolu hlobo,
9 yaye iphuma kuRehum igosa eliphetheyo, noShimshayi unobhala, nawo onke amahlakani abo, abagwebi, abalawuli abongamele abantu, amagosa asePeshiya, e-Ereki naseBhabheli, ama-Alam aseSusa,
10 nabo bonke abantu abeziswa apho ngohloniphekileyo umhlekazi uOsnapare, abo wabafudusa wabamisa kwisixeko saseSamariya nakwezinye iindawo kwelentshona ye-Efrati.
11 Le ke yikopi yeleta abamthumelela yona:“Kumkani uAtashasta,“Le leta ivela kwizicaka zakho ezikwelentshona ye-Efrati.
12 “Ukumkani simazisa ukuba laa maJuda awawathumela apha kuthi, nango eJerusalem ehlaziya esiya sixeko sidume ngovukelo nenkohlakalo. Ayazivusa iindonga zaso, nesiseko saso ayasilungisa.
13 Makaqonde kakuhle ke ukumkani: ukuba esi sixeko sithe savuswa kwakhona neendonga zaso zalungiswa, ziya kunqumka iirhafu, kungekho namrhumo naluphi na uhlobo lomnikelo oluya kuhlawulwa – nto leyo ke iya kuyiqhwalelisa ingxowa yasebhotwe.
14 Ngoko ke thina njengabantu abaxhomekeke kwikomkhulu elo, futhi singakunqweneli ukubona ukumkani edelekile, sithe masikuthumele le leta sikwazise, mhlekazi,
15 khon' ukuze kwenziwe uphando kumaxwebhu ashiywa ngabo bakwandulelayo. Apho kwezo ngcombolo ke uya kufumanisa ukuba esi sisixeko sabavukeli, abaphembeleli-dushe kookumkani nakumaphondo; kakade yayiyindawo yodushe kwamandulo. Kwakungenxa yaloo nto ukuze sitshatyalaliswe esi sixeko.
16 Ewe, siyakulumkisa, mhlekazi: ukuba sikhe sakhiwa esi sixeko, zavuswa neendonga zaso, wena uya kusala ungenanto apha kwelentshona ye-Efrati.”
17 Ukumkani ke waphendula wenjenje:“URehum igosa eliphetheyo, uShimshayi unobhala, nawo onke amahlakani abo ahlala eSamariya naphi na kwelentshona ye-Efrati: Bhotani!“Ke
18 ileta eniyibhalileyo nasithumelela yona ifundiwe yaguqulwa nam ndisiva.
19 Ndilugunyazisile uphando, kwaza kwaphengululwa kwafumaniseka ukuba esi sixeko kwakudala sinembali yabavukeli-zikumkani – yindawo yovukelo nesiphithi-phithi.
20 EJerusalem kwakukho ookumkani abanamandla, belawula kwelentshona ye-Efrati, irhafu neminikelo nemirhumo ihlawulwa kubo.
21 Ngoko ke wisani umyalelo abo bantu bawuyeke loo msebenzi, ukuze eso sixeko singakhiwa de mna ndikuyalele oko.
22 Nize nincede ke ningawuyekeleli lo mcimbi. Ningathini ukuyiyeka ihambele phambili into eza kubeka ikomkhulu emngciphekweni?”
23 Ithe ke, isakufundwa loo leta yayivela kukumkani uAtashasta, uRehum noShimshayi unobhala namahlakani abo basuka ngoko nangoko baya kumaJuda eJerusalem, bafika bawanyanzela ngenkani ukuba awumise umsebenzi.
24 Ngoko ke umsebenzi wokwakhiwa kwendlu kaThixo eJerusalem wema ngxi, yada yangunyaka wesibini wolawulo lukaDariyo ukumkani wasePeshiya.