3 Lapho ngizwa leyo ndaba, ngaklebhula ingubo yami nejazi lami, ngahluthula izinwele zekhanda lami nesilevu sami, ngahlala phansi ngimangele.
4 Kwase kubuthana kimi bonke abathuthumela ngamazwi kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ngenxa yesiphambeko sabathunjwa; ngahlala ngimangele kwaze kwaba sesikhathini somnikelo wakusihlwa.
5 Ngesikhathi somnikelo wakusihlwa ngavuka ekuzileni kwami, ingubo yami nejazi lami kuklebhukile, ngaguqa ngamadolo, ngelulela izandla zami kuJehova uNkulunkulu wami,
6 ngathi: “Nkulunkulu wami, nginamahloni, ngiyakhophoza ukuba ngiphakamisele ubuso bami kuwe Nkulunkulu wami, ngokuba izono zethu zandile ngaphezu kwamakhanda ethu, namacala ethu akhulile kuze kube sezulwini.
7 Kusukela ezinsukwini zawobaba kuze kube namuhla sinecala elikhulu; ngenxa yezono zethu sanikelwa thina namakhosi ethu nabapristi bethu ezandleni zamakhosi abezizwe enkembeni, nasekuthunjweni, nasekuphangweni, nasemahlonini obuso njenganamuhla.
8 “Kepha manje senzelwe isikhashana umusa ovela kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu ukusishiyela insali yabasindileyo nokusinika isikhonkwane endaweni yakhe engcwele ukuba uNkulunkulu wethu akhanyise amehlo ethu, asinike ikhefu elincane ebugqileni bethu.
9 Ngokuba siyizigqila; nokho uNkulunkulu wethu akasishiyanga ebugqileni bethu, kepha usenzele isihawu emehlweni amakhosi asePheresiya ukuba asinike ikhefu, simise indlu kaNkulunkulu wethu, sivuse incithakalo yayo, asinike ugange kwaJuda naseJerusalema.