1 Ke kaloku umshumayeli uHagayi *nomshumayeli uZakariya umzukulwana kaIdo babeshumayela kwaJuda naseJerusalem egameni likaThixo kaSirayeli ophezu kwabo.
2 Ke uZerubhabheli unyana kaShelatiyeli noYeshuwa unyana kaJozadaki baphinda bawuqhubela phambili umsebenzi wokwakha indlu kaThixo eJerusalem. Babekunye nabashumayeli bakaThixo bebancedisa.
3 Ngelo thuba ke uTatenayi umlawuli kwelentshona ye-Efrati, kunye noSheta-bhozenayi namahlakani abo, baya kubo, babuza bathi: “Nigunyaziswe ngubani ukuba niyakhe le ndlu, nisivuse esi sakhiwo?”
4 Baqhuba bathi: “Khona ngoobani amagama abakhi bale ndlu?”
5 Kambe ke iliso likaThixo wawo lawalusa loo madoda makhulu akwaJuda, awade amiswe, kwada kwakhutshwa ingxelo yasiwa kuDariyo, waza ke waphendula.
6 Nantsi ikopi yeleta kaDariyo awayibhalelwa nguTatenayi umlawuli welentshona ye-Efrati, noSheta-bhozenayi namahlakani abo namagosa elentshona ye-Efrati.
7 Ingxelo leyo bayikhuphayo yayisithi:“Kumkani uDariyo,“Makube hele kube chosi kuwe!
8 “Siyakwazisa, kumkani, ukuba sikhe satyelela isithili sakwaJuda nendlu yoThixo omkhulu. Phaya ke sifike abantu beyakha ngamatye amakhulu, bemisa namaplanga ezindongeni zayo. Umsebenzi lowo ke wenziwa ngengqiqo, waye uhambela phambili phantsi kwesikhokelo sabo.
9 “Sikhe sawancwina ngemibuzo amadoda amakhulu, sisithi: ‘Nigunyaziswe ngubani ukuba niyakhe le ndlu, nisivuse esi sakhiwo?’
10 Kananjalo siwabuzile namagama awo, khon' ukuze siwabhale aweenkokheli zawo, sikwazise ngawo.
11 “Aphendula ngolu hlobo ke, athi:“ ‘Thina sizizicaka zikaThixo wezulu nehlabathi. Ngoku ke sivusa indlu eyayakhiwe kwiminyaka yamandulo – yayakhiwe yagqitywa yingangalala yokumkani wakwaSirayeli.
12 Kambe ke oobawo bamcaphukisa uThixo wezulu, waza wabanikela kuNebhukadenezare umKaledi, ukumkani waseBhabheli. Nguye ke owayidilizayo le ndlu, waza wabathimba abantu, wabasa eBhabheli.
13 “ ‘Kwathi ke kunyaka wokuqala kaKoreshi ukumkani waseBhabheli, ukumkani uKoreshi lowo wawisa umyalelo wokuba mayakhiwe le ndlu kaThixo.
14 Kwindlu yothixo waseBhabheli wazikhupha izitya ezenziwe ngegolide nezesiliva eyayizezendlu kaThixo, zaza zathathwa nguNebhukadenezare endlwini kaThixo eJerusalem, waya nazo kwindlu yothixo wakhe eBhabheli.“ ‘Ke ukumkani uKoreshi lowo wazinikezela kumfo ogama linguSheshbhazare, awayemmisele ukuba abe ngumlawuli,
15 waza wamyalela wathi: “Thatha ezi zitya, uzise endlwini kaThixo eJerusalem, uze uyakhe indlu kaThixo leyo esizeni sayo.”
16 Ngokunjalo ke uSheshbhazare lowo waza wafika wasimisa isiseko sendlu kaThixo apho eJerusalem. Ukusukela kuloo mini ke, kude kube namhlanje, yakhiwa okokoko, kodwa ayikagqitywa.
17 “ ‘Ngoko ke, ukuba kukholekile kukumkani, makhe kwenziwe uphando kumaxwebhu eembali zekomkhulu laseBhabheli, ukuze kucace ukuba ukumkani uKoreshi ngenene wayewise umyalelo na wokuba mayivuswe indlu kaThixo eJerusalem. Kamva ke, mhlekazi, wosithumelela isigqibo sakho ngalo mbandela.’ ”