1 Ngoku ke amadoda nabafazi bawo benza isimbonono bekhalazela amawabo angamaJuda.
2 Abanye babesithi: “Thina noonyana neentombi zethu sibaninzi; ngoko ke ukuze sibe nokutya siphile kufuneka sikufumane ukudla.”
3 Abanye ke babesithi: “Sibambise ngamasimi ethu, nezidiliya, namakhaya, ukuze sizuze ukudla ngethuba lendlala.”
4 Kwakukho nabathi: “Siboleke imali ukuze sibe nokuhlawula irhafu yakomkhulu ngenxa yamasimi nezidiliya zethu,
5 kodwa nangona sibanye ngegazi namawethu la, futhi oonyana bethu befana nababo, kodwa thina oonyana neentombi zethu bazizisulu zobukhoboka. Ezinye kwiintombi zethu sezingene ebukhobokeni; ke thina asinakwenza nto, kuba amasimi nezidiliya zethu zathathwa zanikwa bantu bambi.”
6 Ndithe ke ndakusiva esi simbonono sabo, ndawonye nezityholo zabo, ndasuka ndacaphuka kakhulu.
7 Ndawetyisa engqondweni lo mcimbi, ndaza ke ndazikhalazela izikhulu namagosa, ndathi: “Nicinezela amawenu ngokutsala ingeniso kwakuwo!” Ngoko ke ndabiza imbizo ukuze ichophele lo mbandela wabo,
8 ndathi: “Senze unako-nako sawakhulula ngokuwathenga amawethu angamaJuda awayethengiswe kwiintlanga. Ngoku ke nina nithengisa ngabo abantakwenu, nisenzela ukuba baphinde bathengiswe kwakuthi.” Kwathi cwaka ke, kuba babengenayo indlela yokuziphendulela.
9 Ndaqhuba ndathi: “Le nto niyenzayo ayilunganga. Ngani ukuba ningamhloneli uThixo, khon' ukuze niziphephe izinyeliso zeentlanga eziziintshaba zethu?
10 Mna nabantakwethu namadoda akwam siyababoleka abantu imali nokudla. Ngoko ke masiyeke ukubaxhaphaza sizuze ingeniso.
11 Khanibabuyisele kwanamhlanje amasimi, izidiliya, izinquma, nezindlu zabo, ngokunjalo nala matyala banibamba wona: isahlulo sekhulu semali, ingqolowa, iwayini, kunye namafutha omnquma.”
12 Ke bona bathi: “Siza kubabuyisela; futhi asisayi kubuya sibahlawulise nto ngaphezulu. Siza kwenza ngokokuthetha kwakho.”Ndaza ke ndabiza ababingeleli, zona izikhulu, namagosa, ndathi mabafunge ukuba baza kusifezekisa isithembiso sabo.
13 Ndawuvuthulula umnweba wam ndisithi: “Ngamana wenjenje uThixo ukuyivuthulula indlu yakhe, kunye naye nabani na onezinto, ongavumiyo ukusifezekisa esi sithembiso. Umntu onjalo makavuthululwe ashiywe eyimpula kalujaca!”Ndithe ke ndakutsho, ibandla lonke lathelela lathi: “*Amen,” lamdumisa uNdikhoyo. Ngenene ke abantu benza ngokwesithembiso sabo.
14 Ngaphezu koko ke, ukusukela kunyaka wamashumi amabini kakumkani uAtashasta, ekumiselweni kwam ukuba ndibe ngumlawuli welakwaJuda, yada yangunyaka wakhe wamashumi mathathu anambini – ishumi elinambini leminyaka emva koko – mna ndawonye namawethu asizange sikutye ukutya okwakusisabelo somlawuli.
15 Kambe ke bona abalawuli abandandulelayo, babemisela abantu uxanduva lomthwalo oyisiliva ebunzima busisahlulo sesihlanu sekhilogram ukongeza ukutya newayini ababeyikhupha. Nabancedisi babo babebaxhaphaza abantu. Kodwa ke mna ngenxa yokuhlonela uThixo andiyenzanga loo nto.
16 Ndaweni yaloo nto mna ndazinikela ekwakheni udonga. Onke amadoda am ayehlanganela ukusebenza; asizange sizifunele mhlaba.
17 Kananjalo ke mna ndandisitya namaJuda alikhulu elinamashumi amahlanu, kunye nabaphathiswa ndawonye nâbo babeze kuthi besuka kwizizwe ezisingqongileyo.
18 Ngemini nganye ndandilungiselelwa inkabi yenkomo, iigusha ezintandathu ezikhethiweyo, neenkuku; kuze ke njalo ngeshumi leentsuku ndinikwe iindidi zonke zewayini ibe ninzi. Nakuba kunjalo ke, mna andizange ndikubize ukutya okusisabelo somlawuli, kuba ezi ndleko zaziluxanduva phezu kwabantu.
19 Ndikhumbule undazelele, Thixo wam, kuzo zonke izinto endizenzele aba bantu.