1 Bonke abantu babuthana njengomuntu munye esigcawini esasiphambi kweSango Lamanzi; bakhuluma ku-Ezra, umbhali, ukuba alethe incwadi yomthetho kaMose, uJehova ayeyale ngawo u-Israyeli.
2 U-Ezra, umpristi, wawuletha umthetho phambi kwebandla, abesilisa nabesifazane nabo bonke ababe nengqondo yokuzwa, ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yesikhombisa.
3 Wafunda kuwo phambi kwesigcawu esasiphambi kweSango Lamanzi, kusukela ekuseni kuze kube semini, phambi kwabesilisa nabesifazane nababe nengqondo yokuzwa; izindlebe zabantu bonke zalalela incwadi yomthetho.
4 U-Ezra umbhali wayemi ebhesitulu* lamapulangwe ababelenzele lo mgomo; eceleni kwakhe kwakumi oMatithiya, noShema, no-Anaya, no-Uriya, noHilikiya, noMahaseya ngakwesokunene sakhe, nangakwesokhohlo sakhe ngoPhedaya, noMishayeli, noMalikhiya, noHashumi, noHashibadana, noZakariya, noMeshulamu.
5 U-Ezra wayivula incwadi emehlweni abantu bonke, ngokuba wayengaphezulu kwabantu bonke, nalapho eyivula, bonke abantu basukuma.
6 U-Ezra wambonga uJehova uNkulunkulu omkhulu. Bonke abantu baphendula bathi: “Amen, Amen,” bephakamisa izandla zabo; bakhothama, bakhuleka kuJehova, ubuso babo bubheke phansi.
7 NoJeshuwa, noBani, noSherebiya, noJamini, no-Akubi, noShabethayi, noHodiya, noMahaseya, noKelitha, no-Azariya, noJozabadi, noHanani, noPhelaya, namaLevi bafundisa abantu umthetho, abantu besezindaweni zabo.