1 U-Ezra esakhuleka, evuma izono ngokukhala, eziwise phansi phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu, kwabuthana kuye kuvela ku-Israyeli ibandla elikhulu kakhulu labesilisa nabesifazane nabantwana, ngokuba abantu bakhala ngokukhala okukhulu.
2 UShekaniya, indodana kaJehiyeli, enye yamadodana ka-Elamu, wathatha wathi ku-Ezra: “Siphambukile kuNkulunkulu wethu, sithathe abesifazane babezizwe kubantu bezwe. Nokho lisekhona ithemba ku-Israyeli ngale nto.
3 Ngalokho masenze isivumelwano noNkulunkulu wethu ukuba silahle bonke abesifazane nabazelwe yibo ngesiluleko senkosi nesabathuthumela ngomyalo kaNkulunkulu wethu; akwenziwe ngomthetho.
4 Vuka, ngokuba iphezu kwakho le ndaba; thina sinawe; yiba nesibindi, ukwenze.”
5 Wayesevuka u-Ezra, wafungisa izikhulu zabapristi, namaLevi, naye wonke u-Israyeli ukuba benze ngokwaleli zwi. Bafunga-ke.
6 Wayesevuka u-Ezra phambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu, wangena ekamelweni likaJehohanani indodana ka-Eliyashibi, kepha esefike khona akadlanga sinkwa, kaphuzanga manzi, ngokuba walila ngenxa yesiphambeko sabathunjwa.
7 Bathumela izwi kwaJuda naseJerusalema kubo bonke abathunjwa ukuba babuthane eJerusalema
8 ngokuthi bonke abangafiki ngezinsuku ezintathu ngokwesiluleko sezikhulu namalunga kuyakudliwa yonke impahla yabo, bona bahlukaniswe nebandla labathunjwa.
9 Bonke abantu bakwaJuda nabakwaBenjamini babuthana eJerusalema ngezinsuku ezintathu; kwakuyinyanga yesishiyagalolunye, ngolwamashumi amabili lwenyanga; bonke abantu bahlala esigcawini ngaphambi kwendlu kaNkulunkulu bethuthumela ngale ndaba nangemvula enkulu.
10 U-Ezra, umpristi, wasukuma, wathi kubo: “Niphambukile nithathe abesifazane babezizwe ukwandisa icala lakwa-Israyeli.
11 Ngalokho vumani izono kuJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyihlo, nenze intando yakhe, nizahlukanise nabantu bezwe nabesifazane babezizwe.”
12 Lase liphendula lonke ibandla, lathi ngezwi elikhulu: “Njengokusho kwakho kithina nga sikwenza.
13 Kepha abantu baningi, futhi kuyisikhathi semvula enkulu, asinakuma phandle, futhi lo msebenzi awusiwo walusuku lunye nowezimbili, ngokuba siphambukile kakhulu ngale ndaba.
14 Izinduna zethu mazime phambi kwebandla lonke; bonke abasemizini yethu abathathe abesifazane babezizwe mabeze ngesikhathi esinqunyiweyo, benamalunga emizi ngemizi nabahluleli bayo, ize ibuye kithi intukuthelo evuthayo kaNkulunkulu wethu kule ndaba.”
15 UJonathani, indodana ka-Asaheli, noJahazeya indodana kaThikiva kuphela bamelana nalokho; oMeshulamu noShabethayi umLevi babasiza.
16 Kepha abathunjwa benze njalo. Kwakhethwa u-Ezra, umpristi, namadoda ayizinhloko zawoyise njengezindlu zawoyise, bonke ngamagama; bahlala ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yeshumi ukuyiphenya le ndaba.
17 Baqeda namadoda ayethathe abesifazane babezizwe ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yokuqala.
18 Abafunyaniswa phakathi kwamadodana abapristi ukuthi bathathe abesifazane babezizwe nampa: kumadodana kaJeshuwa indodana kaJosadaki nakubafowabo: ngoMahaseya, no-Eliyezeri, noJaribi, noGedaliya.
19 Banika izandla zabo zokuthi bayakulahla abafazi babo; lokhu benecala, banikela ngenqama yomhlambi ngecala labo.
20 Kumadodana ka-Imeri: ngoHanani noZebadiya.
21 Kumadodana kaHarimi: ngoMahaseya, no-Eliya, noShemaya, noJehiyeli, no-Uziya.
22 Kumadodana kaPhashuri: ngo-Eliyohenayi, noMahaseya, no-Ishmayeli, noNethaneli, noJozabadi, no-Eleyasa.
23 KumaLevi: ngoJozabadi, noShimeyi, noKhelaya onguKelitha, noPhethahiya, noJuda, no-Eliyezeri.
24 Kubahlabeleli: ngu-Eliyashibi; kubalindisango: ngoShalumi, noTeleme, no-Uri.
25 Ku-Israyeli: Kumadodana kaPharoshi: ngoRamiya, no-Iziya, noMalikhiya, noMijamini, no-Eleyazare, noMalikhiya, noBenaya.
26 Kumadodana ka-Elamu: ngoMathaniya, noZakariya, noJehiyeli, no-Abidi, noJeremoti, no-Eliya.
27 Kumadodana kaZathu: ngo-Eliyohenayi, no-Eliyashibi, noMathaniya, noJeremoti, noZabadi, no-Aziza.
28 Kumadodana kaBebayi: ngoJehohanani, noHananiya, noZabayi, no-Atilayi.
29 Kumadodana kaBani: ngoMeshulamu, noMaluki, no-Adaya, noJashubi, noSheyali, noJeremoti.
30 Kumadodana kaPhahati Mowabi: ngo-Adina, noKhelali, noBenaya, noMahaseya, noMathaniya, noBesaleli, noBinuwi, noManase.
31 Amadodana kaHarimi: o-Eliyezeri, noJishiya, noMalikhiya, noShemaya, noShimeyoni,
32 noBenjamini, noMaluki, noShemariya.
33 Kumadodana kaHashumi: ngoMathenayi, noMathatha, noZabadi, no-Elifeleti, noJeremayi, noManase, noShimeyi.
34 Kumadodana kaBani: ngoMahadayi, no-Amramu, no-Uweli,
35 noBenaya, noBedeya, noKeluhi,
36 noVaniya, noMeremoti, no-Eliyashibi,
37 noMathaniya, noMathenayi, noJahasu,
38 noBani, noBinuwi, noShimeyi,
39 noShelemiya, noNathani, no-Adaya,
40 noMakenadebayi, noShashayi, noSharayi,
41 no-Azareli, noShelemiya, noShemariya,
42 noShalumi, no-Amariya, noJosefa.
43 Kumadodana kaNebo: ngoJehiyeli, noMatithiya, noZabadi, noSebina, no-Ido, noJoweli, noBenaya.
44 Bonke labo babethathe abesifazane babezizwe; kwakukhona phakathi kwabo abesifazane ababezele abantwana.