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1 Ke kaloku, bakuva ababandezeli bamaYuda nabamaBhenjamin, ukuba oonyana basemfudusweni bamakhela itempile uYehova uThixo wakwaSirayeli,2 beza kuZerubhabheli, nakwiintloko zezindlu zooyise, bathi kubo, Masakhe nani, ngokuba siquqela uThixo wenu njengani; sibingelela kuye kususela kwimihla kaEsar-hadon, ukumkani waseAsiriya, owasinyusela apha.3 Wathi uZerubhabheli, noYeshuwa, nabanye abaziintloko zezindlu zooyise bakwaSirayeli kubo, Anithe ni nathi ekumakheleni uThixo wethu indlu; somakhela sedwa uYehova, uThixo wakwaSirayeli, njengoko wasiwisela umthetho ngako ukumkani onguKoreshi, ukumkani wasePersi.4 Abantu belo zwe bamana ukubaphelisa amandla abantu bakwaYuda, beboyikisa ekwakheni;5 bebaqeshela amagqwetha, ukuba alishitshise iqhinga labo, yonke imihla kaKoreshi ukumkani wasePersi, kwada kwezisa ebukumkanini bukaDariyo ukumkani wasePersi.

6 Nasebukumkanini buka-Ahaswerose, ekuqalekeni kobukumkani bakhe, babhala, bebancetheza abemi bakwaYuda nabaseYerusalem.7 Nangemihla ka-Artashashta kwabhala uBhish-lam, noMitredati, noTabheli, nabanye abalingane babo, kuArtashashta ukumkani wasePersi; incwadi yabhalwa ngentetho yesiAram, yakhunyushwa ngesiAram.8 OoRehum umkhumbuzi wezinto zakomkhulu, noShimshayi umbhali, babhala incwadi ngeYerusalem kuArtashashta ukumkani, ngolu hlobo.9 Bathumela ke ooRehum umkhumbuzi wezinto zakomkhulu, noShimshayi umbhali, nabanye abalingane babo bamaDina, nabama-Afarsateki, nabamaTarpela, nabama-Afarsi, nabama-Arki, nabamaBhabheli, nabamaShushanki, nabamaDehavi, nabamaElam,10 nezinye izizwe, awazithimbayo uOsnapare omkhulu obekekileyo, wazibeka emzini wakwaSamari, nakweminye nganeno koMlambo, nakwezinye iindawo.11 Yiyo le incwadi abayithumela kuArtashashta ukumkani, ithi: Abakhonzi bakho, amadoda anganeno koMlambo, njalonjalo.12 Makwazeke kukumkani, ukuba amaYuda anyukileyo evela kuwe, afikile kuthi eYerusalem; ayawakha umzi ogwilikayo, ongendawo; ayazimisa iindonga zawo, ayazimbela iziseko.13 Makwazeke ngoku kukumkani, ukuba othi, xa uthe wakhiwa lo mzi, zafezwa neendonga zawo, angarholi rhafu nasithabathaba, nalunikelo, kude kuye kuxhwaleka ookumkani.14 Kaloku, ngenxa enokuba sisidla ityuwa yasebhotwe, kwaye kungafanelekile kuthi ukubona ukumkani encitshiswa. Ngako oko siyathumela, simazisa ukumkani,15 ukuze kuphicothwe encwadini yezikhumbuzo ezo zooyihlo, wazi ukuba lo mzi waba ngumzi ogwilikayo, owaxhwalekisa ookumkani namazwe, kwenziwa, isiphendu phakathi kwawo kwakudala, waba linxuwa lo mzi ngenxa yoko.16 Siyamazisa ukumkani ukuba, xa uthe wakhiwa lo mzi, zafezwa neendonga zawo, wothi ngenxa yelo thuba ungabi nasabelo wena nganeno koMlambo.

17 Waza ukumkani wabathumela impendulo ooRehum umkhumbuzi wezinto zakomkhulu, noShimshayi umbhali, nabanye abalingane babo abahleli kwaSamari, nabanye abanganeno koMlambo, wathi: Uxolo, njalonjalo.18 Loo ncwadi nayithumelayo kuthi ilesiwe ngokucacileyo phambi kwam.19 Ndiwise umthetho, kwaphicothwa, kwafunyanwa ukuba lo mzi kwakudala uziphakamisile kookumkani, kwenziwa ugwiliko nesiphendu phakathi kwawo.20 Kwabe kukho ookumkani abanamandla eYerusalem, nabanegunya kwilizwe lonke eliphesheya koMlambo apho; kunikelwa kubo irhafu, nesithabathaba, nonikelo.21 Wisani ngoko umthetho wokuba abanjezelwe loo madoda, loo mzi ungakhiwa, kude kuwiswe umthetho ndim.22 Lumkani, ningakhe le nto niyiyeke; kungani na ukuba kukhule ukonakala, baxhwaleke ookumkani?23 Ithe yakuleswa incwadi ka-Artashashta ukumkani phambi koRehum, noShimshayi umbhali, nabalingane babo, basuka, beza ngobungxamo eYerusalem kumaYuda, bawanyanzela ngegunya nangamandla.24 Waza wema umsebenzi wendlu kaThixo eseYerusalem; wema kwada kwaba ngumnyaka wesibini wobukumkani bukaDariyo, ukumkani wasePersi.