UDutheronomi 9:1-29
9 “Zwana we Israyeli, lamuhla usuchapha uJodani+ ukuze ungene uyethathela izizwe ezinkulu njalo ezilamandla kulawe ilifa lazo.+ Izizwe ezilamadolobho amakhulu alemiduli etshaya khonale emazulwini,*+
2 ezilenkalakatha zabantu abade, amadodana ama-Anakhi,+ abantu obaziyo njalo owezwa kukhulunywa ngabo kuthiwa, ‘Kambe ngubani ongamisana lamadodana ka-Anakhi?’
3 Ngakho-ke kumele ukwazi lamuhla ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho uzachapha phambi kwakho.+ Yena ungumlilo otshabalalisayo+ njalo uzabatshaya ababhuqe. Uzabanqoba phambi kwamehlo akho ukuze ubadudule* masinyane njalo ubatshabalalise njengoba nje uJehova ekuthembisile.+
4 “Nxa uJehova esezidudula izizwe lezi phambi kwakho, ungaziyengi enhliziyweni yakho uthi, ‘Ukulunga kwami yikho okwenze uJehova wangiletha lapha ukuze ngithathe ilizwe leli libe ngelami.’+ Phela ukuxhwala kwezizwe lezi+ yikho okwenza uJehova azidudule phambi kwakho.
5 Ukulunga kwakho kanye lobuqotho benhliziyo yakho ayisikho okuzakwenza uthathe ilizwe lazo. Kodwa uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho uyazidudula izizwe lezi phambi kwakho+ ngenxa yokuxhwala kwazo njalo uJehova wenzela ukuthi agcwalise isifungo asenza kubokhokho bakho u-Abrahama+ lo-Isaka+ loJakhobe.+
6 Ngakho kumele ukwazi ukuthi ukulunga kwakho ayisikho okwenza uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho akunike ilizwe leli elihle ukuthi libe ngelakho ngoba lina livele lingabantu abayiziqholo.*+
7 “Khumbulani njalo lingakhohlwa indlela elamzondisa ngayo uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu enkangala.+ Kusukela ngelanga elaphuma ngalo eGibhithe lize lifike endaweni le belilokhu limhlamukela uJehova.+
8 LaseHorebhi lamzondisa uJehova njalo uJehova walithukuthelela kakhulu okokuthi wayesefuna ukulitshabalalisa.+
9 Ngathi ngiqansa intaba ngisiyathatha izibhebhedu zamatshe,+ izibhebhedu zesivumelwano uJehova ayesenze lani+ ngaqhubeka ngikhonale entabeni okwamalanga angu-40 lobusuku obungu-40,+ angizange ngidle lutho kumbe nginathe amanzi.
10 Ngemva kwalokho uJehova wanginika izibhebhedu zamatshe ezimbili ezazibhalwe ngomunwe kaNkulunkulu njalo kuzo kwakubhalwe wonke amazwi uJehova ayewakhulume lani entabeni, ephakathi komlilo ngelanga lomhlangano.*+
11 Kwathi esephelile amalanga angu-40 lobusuku obungu-40, uJehova wanginika izibhebhedu zamatshe ezimbili, izibhebhedu zesivumelwano,
12 uJehova wasesithi kimi, ‘Yehla ubuyele phansi ngoba abantu bakho owabakhipha eGibhithe sebenze ukuxhwala,+ masinyane nje sebephambukile endleleni engabatshela ukuthi bayilandele, sebezenzele isithombe sethole.’+
13 UJehova wasesithi kimi, ‘Sengibonile ukuthi abantu laba bayiziqholo* sibili.+
14 Ngakho ngiyekela ngibatshabalalise ngicitshe ibizo labo ngaphansi kwamazulu, besengisenza wena ube yisizwe esilamandla njalo esilabantu abanengi kulabo.’+
15 “Ngasengiphenduka ngehla entabeni, intaba ivutha umlilo+ njalo ngangiphethe izibhebhedu ezimbili zamatshe esivumelwano ngezandla zami zombili.+
16 Ngathi ngiyakhangela ngabona ukuthi laselimonele uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, selizenzele isithombe sethole. Masinyane nje laseliphambukile endleleni uJehova ayelilaye ukuthi liyilandele.+
17 Ngakho ngathatha izibhebhedu zamatshe ezimbili ngaziphosela phansi ngezandla zami zombili, ngaziphahlaza likhangele.+
18 Ngemva kwalokho ngaguqa ngakhothamisa ikhanda phambi kukaJehova okwamalanga angu-40 lobusuku obungu-40 njengakuqala, angizange ngidle lutho kumbe nginathe amanzi,+ ngenxa yazo zonke izono elalizenzile ngokwenza okubi phambi kukaJehova kanye lokumcaphula.
19 Ngangisesaba kakhulu ngoba uJehova wayelizondele kakhulu+ esezimisele ukulitshabalalisa. Loba kunjalo uJehova waphinda wangilalela ngalesosikhathi.+
20 “UJehova wayemzondele kakhulu u-Aroni okokuthi wayesefuna ukumbulala+ kodwa ngamthandazela ngimncengela langalesosikhathi.
21 Ngemva kwalokho ngathatha ithole lelo,+ into eyisono elaliyenzile ngalitshisa ngomlilo, ngaliganda njalo ngalichola laze laba yimpuphu, ngasengithatha impuphu leyo ngayiphosela esifuleni esasigeleza sisuka entabeni.+
22 “Kanti njalo laphinda lamzondisa uJehova eThabhera+ laseMasa+ kanye laseKhibrothi-hathava.+
23 UJehova wathi elithuma lisuka eKhadeshi-bhaneya+ esithi, ‘Qansani liyethatha ilizwe engizalinika lona loba sekutheni libe ngelenu,’ laphinda lamhlamukela uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu,+ layekela ukulandela ayelitshele khona, alizange libe lokholo+ kuye futhi alimlalelanga.
24 Selokhu ngaqalisa ukulazi belilokhu limhlamukela uJehova.
25 “Ngakho ngaqhubeka ngiguqa phambi kukaJehova okwamalanga angu-40 lobusuku obungu-40,+ ngangiguqa ngaleyondlela ngoba uJehova wayesethe uzalitshabalalisa.
26 Ngaqalisa ukuthandaza ngincenga uJehova ngisithi, ‘Awu Nkosi Enkulu Jehova ungabatshabalalisi abantu bakho, bayimpahla yakho,*+ abantu owabahlenga ngamandla akho njalo wabakhipha eGibhithe ngesandla esilamandla.+
27 Khumbula izinceku zakho u-Abrahama lo-Isaka loJakhobe,+ ungabi lendaba lobuqholo babantu laba, lokuxhwala kwabo kanye lesono sabo.+
28 Phela nxa ungabatshabalalisa, abantu belizwe owasikhipha kulo bazakuthi: “UJehova wehlulekile ukungenisa abantu laba elizweni ayebathembise lona futhi wabakhipha lapha ngenxa yokuthi wayebazonda, efuna ukuyababulalela enkangala.”+
29 Abantu laba ngabakho, impahla yakho,*+ abantu owabakhipha ngamandla akho amakhulu langengalo yakho eyeluliweyo.’+
Amabala angaphansi
^ Lapha kutshiwo imiduli emide.
^ Kumbe, “ubathathele ilifa labo.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “abalentamo ezilukhuni.”
^ Kumbe, “lombuthano.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “balentamo ezilukhuni.”
^ Kumbe, “balilifa lakho.”
^ Kumbe, “balilifa lakho.”