1 Kwathi ngenyanga enguNisan, ngomnyaka wamashumi amabini ka-Artashashta ukumkani, yabakho iwayini phambi kwakhe, ndayithabatha iwayini leyo, ndayinika ukumkani. Ke ndibe ndingazanga ndibonakale ndithe khunubembe phambi kwakhe.
2 Wathi ukumkani kum, Kungani na ukuba ubuso bakho bube nje, ukuba bubi, ungafi nje? Le nto bububi bentliziyo, asinto yimbi. Ndoyika ke kakhulu kunene.
3 Ndathi kukumkani, Ukumkani makadle ubomi ngonaphakade. Bebungathini na ukuba ubuso bam bungabi bubi, ulinxuwa nje umzi lowa, indawo yamangcwaba oobawo, amasango awo etshiswe ngomlilo?
4 Wathi ukumkani kum, Ufuna ntoni na ke? Ndathandaza ke kuThixo wamazulu.
5 Ndathi kukumkani, Ukuba kuthe kwalunga kukumkani, ukuba umkhonzi wakho lo uthe walungisa phambi kwakho, ndinga ungandithuma kwaYuda, kuwo umzi wamangcwaba oobawo, ndiwakhe.
6 Wathi ukumkani kum (ukumkanikazi ehleli ngasecaleni lakhe), Uhambo lwakho loba lolwexesha elingakanani na? Wobuya nini na? Kwalunga ke kukumkani ukundithuma, ndakuba ndimmisele ixesha.
7 Ndathi kukumkani, Ukuba kuthe kwalunga kukumkani, mandinikwe incwadi eya kumabamba aphesheya koMlambo, andiyeke ndidlule ndide ndiye kufika kwaYuda;
8 nencwadi eya kuAsafu, umgcini wehlathi lokumkani, ukuba andinike imithi yemiqadi yamasango enqaba elunge kwindlu, neyodonga lomzi, neyendlu endiya kuhlala kuyo. Wandinika ke ukumkani ngokwesandla sikaThixo esilungileyo esiphezu kwam.
9 Ndafika kumabamba anganeno koMlambo, ndawanika iincwadi zokumkani. Ke kaloku ukumkani ubendikhuphele nam abathetheli bempi, nabamahashe.
10 Bathi ke ooSanebhalati waseHoron, noTobhiya umkhonzi, umAmon, bakuyiva loo nto, kwaba kubi kubo ngobubi obukhulu, ukuba kufike ununtu ofuna ukuba kulunge koonyana bakaSirayeli.
11 Ndafika ke eYerusalem, ndaba neentsuku zantathu khona.
12 Ndesuka ebusuku, mna ndinamadoda ambalwa. Andixelelanga mntu into abeyingenise entliziyweni yam uThixo wam, ukuba ndiyenzele iYerusalem. Ndibe ndingenamaqegu, ibilelo lodwa bendikhwele kulo.
13 Ndaphuma ke ebusuku ngesango lomfula, ndasinga emthonjeni wenamba, nasesangweni lezala, ndilolonga iindonga zeYerusalem ezibe ziqhekekile, namasango ayo abetshiswe ngomlilo.
14 Ndagqithela esangweni lomthombo, nasechibini lokumkani; akwabakho ndawo yokuba lithubeleze kuyo iqegu endandikhwele kulo.
15 Ndakhweza ke isihlambo ngobusuku, ndilolonga udonga, ndabuya ndangena ngesango lomfula; ndabuya ke.
16 Ke kaloku abaphathi babengazi apho ndandiye khona, nento endandiye kuyenza; bendingekawaxeleli amaYuda, nababingeleli, nabanumzana, nabaphathi, nabanye abenza umsebenzi.
17 Ndathi kubo, Niyabubona ububi esikubo, ukuba iYerusalem ilinxuwa, namasango ayo atshiswe ngomlilo; yizani, sakhe udonga lweYerusalem, singabi saba lungcikivo.
18 Ndabaxelela ukulunga kwesandla soThixo wam phezu kwam, namazwi okumkani awawathethayo kum. Bathi, Masisuke sakhe. Bazomeleza izandla zabo ukuwenza lo msebenzi ulungileyo.
19 Bathi ke ooSanebhalati waseHoron, noTobhiya umkhonzi, umAmon, noGeshem umArabhi, bakuyiva loo nto, basigculela, basidela, bathi, Yintoni na le nto niyenzayo? Niya kugwilika na kukumkani?
20 Ndabaphendula, ndathi kubo, UThixo wamazulu nguye oya kusiphumelelisa; thina bakhonzi bakhe siya kusuka sakhe; ke nina aninasabelo nalungelo nasikhumbuzo eYerusalem.