1. Ke kaloku ngoku athandazayo uEzra evuma izono, elila egqusha phantsi phambi kwendlu kaThixo, kwabakho isihlwele samaSirayeli esaqokelelana kuye – amadoda, abafazi, nabantwana. Babelila ngokubindeka okukhulu.
2. Ke uShekaniya unyana kaYehiyeli oyinzala kaElam wathetha noEzra, wathi: “Ngokuthatha abafazi kwiintlanga esimelene nazo sonile kuThixo wethu. Kodwa nakuba kunjalo lisekho ithemba ngoSirayeli.
3. Ngoku ke masenze umnqophiso noThixo wethu wokuba siza kubagxotha aba bafazi ndawonye nabantwana babo, ngokwesigqibo senkosi yam, nabo bonke abayoyikayo imithetho kaThixo wethu. Ewe, makwenzeke ngokomthetho.
4. Ngoko ke phakama; lo mcimbi usezandleni zakho. Thina siza kukuxhasa. Yomelela wenze.”
5. Ke kaloku waphakama uEzra, waqokelela bonke ababingeleli abaphambili nabaLevi noSirayeli ephela, wathi mabafunge ukuba baza kwenza njengoko sekuthethiwe. Basenza ke isifungo.
6. Waza uEzra waphuma endlwini kaThixo, waya endlwini kaYohanan unyana kaEliyashibhi. Ngoko alapho ke wayengatyi engaseli manzi, kuba esazilele ukunganyaniseki kwabathinjwa.
7. Ke kaloku kwenziwa isihlokomiso kuye wonke uJuda neJerusalem, kusithiwa abathinjwa mabahlangane eJerusalem.
8. Nabani na ongezanga kwithuba leentsuku ezintathu, kwathiwa uza kuthathelwa izinto anazo. Eso ke isisigqibo samaphakathi namadoda amakhulu; umntu onjalo ke wayeza kusikwa kwibandla labathinjwa.
9. Ngezo ntsuku zintathu ke onke amadoda akwaJuda nawakwaBhenjamin aqokelelana eJerusalem. Ngomhla wamashumi amabini kwinyanga yethoba bonke abantu babesebehleli kwibala eliphambi kwendlu kaThixo, bengcangcazela ngenxa yalo mbandela nangenxa yemvula.
10. Umbingeleli uEzra ke waphakama wathi: “Nenze ukunganyaniseki; ityala likaSirayeli nilongezelele ngokuthatha abafazi abaziintlanga.
11. Ngoko ke, sivumeni isono senu phambi *koNdikhoyo uThixo wooyihlo, nenze ukuthanda kwakhe. Zahluleni kwezi ntlanga ziningqongileyo, ngokunjalo nakwaba bafazi benu baziintlanga.”
12. Ke lonke ibandla laphendula likhwaza lisithi: “Unyanisile! Siza kuyenza le nto uyithethayo.