1 Nali ibali likaNehemiya unyana kaHakaliya. Kunyaka wamashumi amabini kwinyanga uKislevu, ndathi ndikomkhulu eSusa,
2 kwafika uHanani omnye kumawethu, evela kwelakwaJuda namanye amadoda. Ndabancina ngemibuzo, ndifuna ukuqonda ngemeko yamaJuda abhungcileyo ekuthinjweni, nangobume beJerusalem.
3 Bandiphendula bathi: “Abo basindileyo, baza babuya ekuthinjweni, bakho phaya kwiphondo lakwaJuda, kambe bakwinkxwaleko enkulu nasehlazweni. Iindonga zeJerusalem ziwile, namasango ayo atshiswe ngomlilo.”
4 Ndithe ke ndakuziva ezi zinto ndahlala phantsi ndalila. Yaba ziintsuku ndizilile, ndingatyi, koko ndithandaza uThixo wamazulu.
5 Ndasuka ndathi:“Camagu, *Ndikhoyo, Thixo wamazulu, ngangalala yoThixo owoyikekayo owugcinayo umnqophiso wakho wentembeko kwabo bakuthandayo, beyithobela imiyalelo yakho!
6 Khawubek' iindlebe, uvul' amehlo akho, ukuze uwuve umthandazo owenziwa sisicaka sakho phambi kwakho umhla nezolo, ngenxa yezicaka zakho amaSirayeli. Ndiyavuma, mna kunye nendlu kabawo, ndawonye namaSirayeli, sikonile.
7 Inkulu inkohlakalo esiyenzileyo kuwe; asiyithobelanga imiyalelo nemimiselo nemithetho owayinikezela kwisicaka sakho uMosis.
8 “Khawusikhumbule isiyalo owasinika isicaka sakho uMosis, usithi: ‘Xa nithe ananyaniseka ndiya kunichitha-chitha phakathi kwezizwe,
9 kodwa ukuba nithe nabuyela kum, nayithobela imiyalelo yam, bothi noba sebechithakele beseziphelweni zomhlaba abantu bakowenu, ndibaqokelele khona apho, ndibabuyisele kule ndawo ndayinyulayo ukuze lihlale kuyo igama lam.’
10 “Bazizicaka nabantu bakho owabakhulula ngaloo mandla nobo bungangamsha besandla sakho.
11 Khawubek' iindlebe, Nkosi yam, uwuve umthandazo wesicaka sakho esi, ndawonye nowezo zicaka zakho zikulangazelela ngentlonelo. Namhlanje khawusiphumelelise isicaka sakho, usenze samkeleke kulo mfo.”Ngelo thuba ke ndandiyinjoli kakumkani.