1. Ke kaloku akuthandaza uEzra, akukuxela oku, elila, eziwisile phambi kwendlu kaThixo, kwabuthelana kuye kumaSirayeli ibandla elikhulu kakhulu lamadoda, nabafazi, nabantwana, ngokuba abantu batsho ngesililo esikhulu.
2. Waphendula uShekaniya unyana kaYehiyeli, owoonyana bakaElam, wathi kuEzra, Senzé ubumenemene kuThixo wethu, sazeka abafazi bezinye iintlanga ezizweni zelizwe eli; kodwa kusekho ithemba kumaSirayeli ngale nto.
3. Masimenzele ngoku umnqophiso uThixo wethu, wokuba sibakhuphe bonke abafazi nabazelwe ngabo, ngokwecebo lenkosi yam, nelabagubhela imithetho yoThixo wethu; makwenziwe ngokomyalelo.
4. Vuka, ngokuba le nto iphezu kwakho; singakuwe; yomelela, wenze.
5. Wavuka uEzra, wabafungisa abathetheli bababingeleli, nababaLevi, nabamaSirayeli onke, ukuba benze ngokwelo lizwi; bafunga ke.
6. Wesuka uEzra phambi kwendlu kaThixo, wangena egumbini likaYohanan unyana kaEliyashibhi. Wathi akufika khona, akadla sonka, akasela manzi; ngokuba ubesenza isijwili ngenxa yobumenemene babo bafuduswáyo.
7. Bahambisa ilizwi kwaYuda naseYerusalem, kubo bonke oonyana basemfudusweni, lokuba babuthelane eYerusalem;
8. bathi; bonke abathe àbeza ngesithuba semihla emithathu, ngokwecebo labathetheli nelamadoda amakhulu, mayisingelwe phantsi yonke impahla yabo; ke bona ngokwabo bahlulwe nebandla lasemfudusweni.
9. Abuthelana eYerusalem onke amadoda akwaYuda nawakwaBhenjamin ngeentsuku ezintathu; yaye iyinyanga yesithoba, ngowamashumi amabini umhla wenyanga leyo. Bahlala bonke abantu ebaleni lendlu kaThixo, bengcangcazela yile nto, naziimvula.
10. Wesuka wema uEzra umbingeleli, wathi kubo, Nenzé ubumenemene; nizeké abafazi bezinye iintlanga, ukuze nongeze etyaleni lamaSirayeli.