Duteronomi 9:1-29
9 “O Israyeli, yizwa, namuhla uwela iJordani+ ukuze ungene futhi uphuce izizwe ezinkulu nezinamandla kunawe ifa lazo,+ imizi emikhulu nenezivikelo eziqinile ezifinyelela emazulwini,+
2 isizwe esinabantu abakhulu nabade, abantwana bama-Anaki,+ wena ngokwakho owaziyo ngawo futhi wena ngokwakho oye wezwa kuthiwa, ‘Ubani ongema aqine phambi kwabantwana bama-Anaki?’
3 Wazi kahle namuhla ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho uwela phambi kwakho.+ Ungumlilo oqothulayo.+ Uzozibhuqa,+ futhi yena ngokwakhe uzozinqoba phambi kwakho; kumelwe uziphuce ifa lazo futhi uzibhubhise ngokushesha, njengoba nje uJehova ekhulumile kuwe.+
4 “Ungasho enhliziyweni yakho lapho uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ezidudula zisuke phambi kwakho ukuthi, ‘Kwakungenxa yokulunga kwami ukuthi uJehova ungingenisile ukuba ngilidle leli zwe,’+ kuyilapho uJehova exosha lezi zizwe phambi kwakho ngenxa yobubi bazo.+
5 Akungenxa yokulunga kwakho+ noma ubuqotho benhliziyo yakho+ ukuthi uyangena ulidle izwe lazo; eqinisweni, kungenxa yobubi balezi zizwe ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho uyazixosha phambi kwakho,+ nokuba afeze izwi uJehova alifungela okhokho bakho, u-Abrahama,+ u-Isaka+ noJakobe.+
6 Futhi kumelwe wazi ukuthi akungenxa yokulunga kwakho ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ukunika leli zwe elihle ukuba udle ifa lalo; ngoba uyisizwe esintamo-lukhuni.+
7 “Khumbula: Ungayikhohlwa indlela omcasule ngayo uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ehlane.+ Kusukela osukwini owaphuma ngalo ezweni laseGibhithe kuze kube sekufikeni kwenu kule ndawo niye nadlubulunda kuJehova ngokuziphatha kwenu.+
8 Ngisho naseHorebe navusela uJehova intukuthelo kangangokuba uJehova wanivuthela ngolaka kwaze kwaba seqophelweni lokufuna ukunibhuqa.+
9 Lapho ngenyukela entabeni ukuba ngamukele izibhebhe zamatshe,+ izibhebhe zesivumelwano uJehova ayesenze nani,+ futhi ngiqhubeka ngihlezi entabeni izinsuku ezingamashumi amane nobusuku obungamashumi amane,+ (angidlanga sinkwa futhi angiphuzanga manzi,)
10 khona-ke uJehova wanginika izibhebhe ezimbili zamatshe zilotshwe ngomunwe kaNkulunkulu;+ kukhona kuzo wonke amazwi uJehova ayewakhulume nani entabeni phakathi komlilo ngosuku lombuthano.+
11 Kwathi ekupheleni kwezinsuku ezingamashumi amane nobusuku obungamashumi amane uJehova wanginika izibhebhe ezimbili zamatshe, izibhebhe zesivumelwano;+
12 uJehova wathi kimi, ‘Sukuma, yehla masinyane lapha, ngoba abantu bakho obakhiphe eGibhithe benzé ngendlela eyonakele.+ Baphambuké ngokushesha endleleni engibayale ngayo. Bazenzelé umfanekiso obunjiwe.’+
13 UJehova waqhubeka washo lokhu kimi, ‘Ngisibonile lesi sizwe, bheka! siyisizwe esintamo-lukhuni.+
14 Ngiyeke ngisibhuqe+ ngisule igama laso phansi kwamazulu,+ futhi ngenze wena ube yisizwe esinamandla nesinabantu abaningi kunaso.’+
15 “Ngemva kwalokho ngaphenduka ngehla entabeni, ngesikhathi intaba ivutha umlilo;+ izibhebhe ezimbili zesivumelwano zazisezandleni zami zombili.+
16 Khona-ke ngabheka, bheka, nanonile kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu! Nanizenzele ithole elibunjiwe.+ Naniphambuke ngokushesha endleleni uJehova ayeniyale ngayo.+
17 Ngakho ngazithatha izibhebhe ezimbili ngazijikijela phansi ngazo zombili izandla zami ngaziphihliza phambi kwamehlo enu.+
18 Ngawa ngobuso phambi kukaJehova, njengasekuqaleni, izinsuku ezingamashumi amane nobusuku obungamashumi amane. Angidlanga sinkwa futhi angiphuzanga manzi,+ ngenxa yaso sonke isono senu enanisenzile ngokwenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova nimcasula.+
19 Ngoba ngangesaba ngenxa yentukuthelo evuthayo uJehova ayenithukuthelele ngayo kwaze kwaba seqophelweni lokufuna ukunibhuqa.+ Nokho, uJehova wangilalela nangaleso sikhathi.+
20 “UJehova wamvuthela ngolaka no-Aroni futhi, kwaze kwaba seqophelweni lokufuna ukumbhuqa;+ kodwa ngamnxusela+ no-Aroni ngaleso sikhathi.
21 Isono senu enanisenzile, ithole,+ ngalithatha, ngalishisa ngomlilo ngalichoboza, ngaligayisisa kwaze kwaba yilapho selicoleke njengothuli; okwathi ngemva kwalokho ngaphonsa uthuli lwalo esifufuleni esasehla entabeni.+
22 “Ngaphezu kwalokho, eThabehera+ naseMasa+ naseKibiroti-hathawa+ navusela uJehova intukuthelo.+
23 Futhi lapho uJehova enithuma niseKadeshi-barineya,+ ethi, ‘Hambani nilidle izwe engizoninika lona nakanjani!’ khona-ke nadlubulunda emyalweni kaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu,+ anilubonisanga ukholo+ kuye futhi anililalelanga izwi lakhe.+
24 Niye nadlubulunda kuJehova ngokuziphatha kwenu+ kusukela osukwini enganazi ngalo.
25 “Ngakho ngawa ngobuso phambi kukaJehova izinsuku ezingamashumi amane nobusuku obungamashumi amane,+ ngawa ngobuso kanjalo ngoba uJehova wayekhulume ukuthi uzonibhuqa.+
26 Nganxusa+ uJehova ngathi, ‘O Nkosi EnguMbusi Jehova, ungasichithi isizwe sakho, yebo impahla yakho wedwa,+ owasikhulula ngobukhulu bakho, owasikhipha eGibhithe+ ngesandla esinamandla.+
27 Khumbula izinceku zakho o-Abrahama, no-Isaka noJakobe.+ Ungabuphenduleli ubuso bakho ebulukhunini balesi sizwe nasebubini baso nasesonweni saso,+
28 funa izwe+ osikhiphe kulo lithi: “Ngenxa yokuba uJehova engakwazi ukusingenisa ezweni asithembise lona, nangenxa yokuba esizonda, wasikhipha ukuze asibulale ehlane.”+
29 Futhi, siyisizwe sakho, nempahla yakho wedwa+ owayikhipha ngamandla akho amakhulu nangengalo yakho eyeluliwe.’+
