< Deuteronomy 28 >
1 “Now if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God and are careful to follow all His commandments I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.
Kuzakuthi-ke, uba ulalela lokulalela ilizwi leNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, ukugcina ukwenza yonke imilayo yayo engikulaya yona lamuhla, iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho izakumisa phezulu phezu kwazo zonke izizwe zomhlaba.
2 And all these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the voice of the LORD your God:
Lalezizibusiso zonke zizakuza phezu kwakho, zikufice, nxa ulalela ilizwi leNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho.
3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
Uzabusiswa emzini, ubusiswe futhi ensimini.
4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, as well as the produce of your land and the offspring of your livestock— the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
Sizabusiswa isithelo sesizalo sakho, lesithelo somhlaba wakho, lenzalo yezifuyo zakho, umqegu wenkomo zakho, lamazinyane ezimvu zakho.
5 Your basket and kneading bowl will be blessed.
Kuzabusiswa isitsha sakho, lomganu wakho wokuxovela izinkwa.
6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
Uzabusiswa ekungeneni kwakho, ubusiswe ekuphumeni kwakho.
7 The LORD will cause the enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you. They will march out against you in one direction but flee from you in seven.
INkosi izakwenza izitha zakho ezikuvukelayo zitshaywe phambi kwakho; zizaphuma ukumelana lawe ngandlelanye, zibaleke phambi kwakho ngezindlela eziyisikhombisa.
8 The LORD will decree a blessing on your barns and on everything to which you put your hand; the LORD your God will bless you in the land He is giving you.
INkosi izalaya isibusiso phezu kwakho, eziphaleni zakho lakukho konke obeka kukho isandla sakho, ikubusise elizweni iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ekunika lona.
9 The LORD will establish you as His holy people, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways.
INkosi izazimisela wena ube yisizwe esingcwele, njengokufunga kwayo kuwe, uba ugcina imilayo yeNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, uhambe endleleni zayo.
10 Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will stand in awe of you.
Labo bonke abantu basemhlabeni bazabona ukuthi ibizo leNkosi libizwa phezu kwakho, bakwesabe.
11 The LORD will make you prosper abundantly—in the fruit of your womb, the offspring of your livestock, and the produce of your land—in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give you.
LeNkosi izakwandisela okuhle, esithelweni sesizalo sakho, lenzalweni yezifuyo zakho, lesithelweni somhlaba wakho, elizweni iNkosi eyafungela oyihlo ukukunika lona.
12 The LORD will open the heavens, His abundant storehouse, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations, but borrow from none.
INkosi izakuvulela okuligugu kwayo okulungileyo, amazulu, ukunika izulu elizweni lakho ngesikhathi salo, lokubusisa umsebenzi wonke wesandla sakho; njalo uzakweboleka izizwe ezinengi, kodwa wena ungeboleki kuzo.
13 The LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you will only move upward and never downward, if you hear and carefully follow the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am giving you today.
INkosi izakwenza ube yinhloko, ungabi ngumsila; uzakuba ngaphezulu kuphela, ungabi ngaphansi, uba ulalela imilayo yeNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho engikulaya yona lamuhla ukuyigcina lokuyenza.
14 Do not turn aside to the right or to the left from any of the words I command you today, and do not go after other gods to serve them.
Ungaphambuki lakwelilodwa lamazwi engililaya wona lamuhla, ukuya ngakwesokunene langakwesokhohlo, ukulandela abanye onkulunkulu ukubakhonza.
15 If, however, you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
Kodwa kuzakuthi, uba ungalaleli ilizwi leNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, ukugcina ukwenza yonke imilayo yayo lezimiso zayo engikulaya zona lamuhla, leziziqalekiso zonke zize phezu kwakho zikufice.
16 You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country.
Uzaqalekiswa emzini, uqalekiswe futhi ensimini.
17 Your basket and kneading bowl will be cursed.
Kuzaqalekiswa isitsha sakho lomganu wakho wokuxovela izinkwa.
18 The fruit of your womb will be cursed, as well as the produce of your land, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks.
Kuzaqalekiswa isithelo sesizalo sakho, lesithelo somhlaba wakho, umqegu wenkomo zakho, lamazinyane ezimvu zakho.
19 You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.
Uzaqalekiswa ekungeneni kwakho, uqalekiswe ekuphumeni kwakho.
20 The LORD will send curses upon you, confusion and reproof in all to which you put your hand, until you are destroyed and quickly perish because of the wickedness you have committed in forsaking Him.
INkosi izathumela phakathi kwakho isiqalekiso, inhlupheko, lokukhuza, kukho konke obeka isandla sakho kukho ukukwenza, uze uchithwe, njalo uze ubhubhe masinyane, ngenxa yobubi bezenzo zakho, ongidele ngazo.
21 The LORD will make the plague cling to you until He has exterminated you from the land that you are entering to possess.
INkosi izanamathelisa kuwe umatshayabhuqe wesifo, aze akuqede usuke elizweni oya kulo ukudla ilifa lalo.
22 The LORD will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, and with blight and mildew; these will pursue you until you perish.
INkosi izakutshaya ngesifo esicakisayo, langoqhuqho, langokuvuvuka komzimba, langokutshisa okukhulukazi, langenkemba, langokuhanguka, langengumane; njalo kuzakuxotsha uze ubhubhe.
23 The sky over your head will be bronze, and the earth beneath you iron.
Lesibhakabhaka sakho esiphezu kwekhanda lakho sizakuba lithusi, lomhlaba ongaphansi kwakho ube yinsimbi.
24 The LORD will turn the rain of your land into dust and powder; it will descend on you from the sky until you are destroyed.
INkosi izakwenza izulu lelizwe lakho libe lubhuqu lothuli, kwehlele phezu kwakho kuvela emazulwini, uze ubhujiswe.
25 The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will march out against them in one direction but flee from them in seven. You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
INkosi izakwenza utshaywe phambi kwezitha zakho; uzaphuma umelane lazo ngandlelanye, njalo uzabaleka phambi kwazo ngezindlela eziyisikhombisa; uzakuba yinto eyesabekayo kuyo yonke imibuso yomhlaba.
26 Your corpses will be food for all the birds of the air and beasts of the earth, with no one to scare them away.
Lesidumbu sakho sizakuba yikudla kwenyoni zonke zamazulu lokwezinyamazana zomhlaba, njalo kungabi khona ozethusayo.
27 The LORD will afflict you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors and scabs and itch from which you cannot be cured.
INkosi izakutshaya ngamathumba eGibhithe, lamaqhubu, loqweqwe, lenkomo, ongelakwelatshwa kukho.
28 The LORD will afflict you with madness, blindness, and confusion of mind,
INkosi izakutshaya ngobuhlanya langobuphofu langokudideka kwenhliziyo.
29 and at noon you will grope about like a blind man in the darkness. You will not prosper in your ways. Day after day you will be oppressed and plundered, with no one to save you.
Njalo uzaphumputha emini njengesiphofu siphumputha emnyameni, ungenzi indlela zakho ziphumelele; ucindezelwe kuphela, uphangwe insuku zonke, kungabi khona osindisayo.
30 You will be pledged in marriage to a woman, but another man will violate her. You will build a house but will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard but will not enjoy its fruit.
Uzagana umfazi, kodwa enye indoda ilale laye; uzakwakha indlu, kodwa ungahlali kuyo; uhlanyele isivini, kodwa ungakhi izithelo zaso.
31 Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will not eat any of it. Your donkey will be taken away and not returned to you. Your flock will be given to your enemies, and no one will save you.
Inkabi yakho izahlatshwa phambi kwamehlo akho, ungadli okwayo; ubabhemi wakho athathwe ngodlakela phambi kobuso bakho, angabuyiselwa kuwe; izimvu zakho zizanikwa izitha zakho, kungabi khona okusindiselayo.
32 Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation, while your eyes grow weary looking for them day after day, with no power in your hand.
Amadodana akho lamadodakazi akho azanikelwa kwesinye isizwe, lamehlo akho azakhangela abalangathe usuku lonke; kodwa kungabi lamandla esandleni sakho.
33 A people you do not know will eat the produce of your land and of all your toil. All your days you will be oppressed and crushed.
Isithelo somhlaba wakho, lomsebenzi wakho wonke, isizwe ongasaziyo sizakudla. Uzacindezelwa kuphela, uchotshozwe insuku zonke,
34 You will be driven mad by the sights you see.
uze uhlanye ngenxa yokubona kwamehlo akho ozakubona.
35 The LORD will afflict you with painful, incurable boils on your knees and thighs, from the soles of your feet to the top of your head.
INkosi izakutshaya emadolweni lemilenzeni ngamathumba amabi angelakwelatshwa, kusukela kungaphansi yonyawo lwakho kuze kube senkanda yakho.
36 The LORD will bring you and the king you appoint to a nation neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you will worship other gods—gods of wood and stone.
INkosi izakusa wena lenkosi yakho owayibeka phezu kwakho esizweni ongasaziyo wena laboyihlo, ukhonze lapho abanye onkulunkulu, isigodo lelitshe.
37 You will become an object of horror, scorn, and ridicule among all the nations to which the LORD will drive you.
Uzakuba yinto eyesabekayo, isaga, lenhlekisa phakathi kwazo zonke izizwe, lapho iNkosi ezakusa khona.
38 You will sow much seed in the field but harvest little, because the locusts will consume it.
Uzaphuma lenhlanyelo enengi uye ensimini, kodwa ubuthelele okulutshwana, ngoba isikhonyane sizakudla.
39 You will plant and cultivate vineyards, but will neither drink the wine nor gather the grapes, because worms will eat them.
Uzahlanyela izivini, uzisebenze, kodwa kawuyikunatha iwayini, kawuyikubutha lutho, ngoba imihogoyi izazidla.
40 You will have olive trees throughout your territory but will never anoint yourself with oil, because the olives will drop off.
Uzakuba lezihlahla zemihlwathi phakathi kwemingcele yakho yonke, kodwa kawuyikugcoba ngamafutha, ngoba imihlwathi izawohloka.
41 You will father sons and daughters, but they will not remain yours, because they will go into captivity.
Uzazala amadodana lamadodakazi, kodwa kawayikuba ngawakho, ngoba azakuya ekuthunjweni.
42 Swarms of locusts will consume all your trees and the produce of your land.
Zonke izihlahla zakho lezithelo zomhlaba wakho zizakuba ngezesikhonyane.
43 The foreigner living among you will rise higher and higher above you, while you sink down lower and lower.
Owemzini ophakathi kwakho uzaphakama phezu kwakho aqonge phezulu, wena-ke uzakwehlela phansi phansi.
44 He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him. He will be the head, and you will be the tail.
Yena uzakweboleka, kodwa wena ungameboleki; yena uzakuba yinhloko, kodwa wena ube ngumsila.
45 All these curses will come upon you. They will pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, since you did not obey the LORD your God and keep the commandments and statutes He gave you.
Lazo zonke leziziqalekiso zizakwehlela, zixotshane lawe, zikufice, uze ubhujiswe, ngoba ungalilalelanga ilizwi leNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, ukugcina imilayo yayo lezimiso zayo eyakulaya zona.
46 These curses will be a sign and a wonder upon you and your descendants forever.
Njalo zizakuba phezu kwakho ukuba yisibonakaliso lokuba yisimangaliso, laphezu kwenzalo yakho kuze kube nininini.
47 Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart in all your abundance,
Njengoba ungayikhonzanga iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ngentokozo langokuhle kwenhliziyo, ngenxa yobunengi bakho konke,
48 you will serve your enemies the LORD will send against you in famine, thirst, nakedness, and destitution. He will place an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you.
ngakho uzakhonza izitha zakho iNkosi ezazithuma ukumelana lawe, endlaleni, lekomeni, lekuhambenize, lekusweleni konke. Njalo izabeka ijogwe lensimbi entanyeni yakho, ize ikubhubhise.
49 The LORD will bring a nation from afar, from the ends of the earth, to swoop down upon you like an eagle—a nation whose language you will not understand,
INkosi izakuvusela isizwe esivela khatshana, emkhawulweni womhlaba, njengokuphapha kokhozi, isizwe olimi lwaso ongayikuluzwa,
50 a ruthless nation with no respect for the old and no pity for the young.
isizwe esilobuso obesabekayo, esingemukeli ubuso bomdala, esingelamusa komutsha.
51 They will eat the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your land until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain or new wine or oil, no calves of your herds or lambs of your flocks, until they have caused you to perish.
Sizakudla isithelo sezifuyo zakho lesithelo somhlaba wakho, uze ubhujiswe; okungayikukutshiyela amabele, iwayini elitsha, lamafutha, umqegu wenkomo zakho, lamazinyane ezimvu zakho, size sikuchithe.
52 They will besiege all the cities throughout your land, until the high and fortified walls in which you trust have fallen. They will besiege all your cities throughout the land that the LORD your God has given you.
Sizakuvimbezela emasangweni akho wonke, ize idilike imiduli yakho ephakemeyo lebiyelwe ngemithangala obuthembela kuyo, elizweni lonke lakho; njalo sizakuvimbezela emasangweni akho wonke elizweni lonke lakho iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ekunike lona.
53 Then you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you.
Njalo uzakudla isithelo sesizalo sakho, inyama yamadodana leyamadodakazi akho, iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ekunike wona, ekuvinjezelweni lekucindezelweni, izitha zakho ezizakucindezela ngakho.
54 The most gentle and refined man among you will begrudge his brother, the wife he embraces, and the rest of his children who have survived,
Indoda ebuthakathaka phakathi kwakho letotoziweyo kakhulu, ilihlo layo lizakuba libi kumfowabo, lakumkayo wesifuba sayo, lakunsali yabantwana bayo ezabatshiya;
55 refusing to share with any of them the flesh of his children he will eat because he has nothing left in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within all your gates.
ukuze inganiki lamunye wabo okwenyama yabantwana bayo ebadlayo, ngoba ingasalelwanga lutho ekuvinjezelweni lekucindezelweni, izitha zakho ezizakucindezela ngakho emasangweni akho wonke.
56 The most gentle and refined woman among you, so gentle and refined she would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground, will begrudge the husband she embraces and her son and daughter
Owesifazana obuthakathaka lototoziweyo phakathi kwakho ongazamanga ukubeka ingaphansi yonyawo lwakhe emhlabathini ngenxa yokutotozwa lobuthakathaka, ilihlo lakhe lizakuba libi endodeni yesifuba sakhe, lasendodaneni yakhe, lasendodakazini yakhe,
57 the afterbirth that comes from between her legs and the children she bears, because she will secretly eat them for lack of anything else in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within your gates.
lakumnakwabo ophuma phakathi kwenyawo zakhe, lebantwaneni azabazala; ngoba uzabadla ensitha ngenxa yokuswela konke, ekuvinjezelweni lekucindezelweni, isitha sakho esizakucindezela ngakho emasangweni akho.
58 If you are not careful to observe all the words of this law which are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name—the LORD your God—
Uba ungayikugcina ukwenza wonke amazwi alumlayo abhaliweyo egwalweni lolu, ukwesaba lelibizo elilodumo lelesabekayo, iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho,
59 He will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary disasters, severe and lasting plagues, and terrible and chronic sicknesses.
iNkosi izakwenza-ke inhlupheko zakho zimangalise, lenhlupheko zenzalo yakho, inhlupheko ezinkulu leziqhubekayo, lemikhuhlane emibi leqhubekayo.
60 He will afflict you again with all the diseases you dreaded in Egypt, and they will cling to you.
Njalo izabuyisela kuwe zonke izifo zeGibhithe owawuzesaba, zizanamathela kuwe,
61 The LORD will also bring upon you every sickness and plague not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed.
lawo wonke umkhuhlane layo yonke inhlupheko engabhalwanga egwalweni lwalumlayo, iNkosi izakwehlisela zona uze ubhujiswe.
62 You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left few in number, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God.
Njalo lizasala lilabantu abalutshwana, endaweni yokuthi lalinjengenkanyezi zamazulu ngobunengi, ngoba kawulalelanga ilizwi leNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho.
63 Just as it pleased the LORD to make you prosper and multiply, so also it will please Him to annihilate you and destroy you. And you will be uprooted from the land you are entering to possess.
Kuzakuthi-ke, njengalokhu iNkosi yathokoza ngani ukulenzela okuhle lokulandisa, ngokunjalo iNkosi izajabula ngani ukulichitha lokuliqeda, lihluthunwe elizweni ongena kulo ukudla ilifa lalo.
64 Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.
INkosi izakuhlakazela-ke phakathi kwezizwe zonke, kusukela komunye umkhawulo womhlaba kuze kube komunye umkhawulo womhlaba, ukhonze lapho abanye onkulunkulu, wena laboyihlo elingabazanga, isigodo lelitshe.
65 Among those nations you will find no repose, not even a resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a despairing soul.
Laphakathi kwalezozizwe kawuyikuphumula, lengaphansi yonyawo lwakho kayiyikuba lendawo yokuphumula; kodwa lapho iNkosi izakupha inhliziyo ethuthumelayo, lokufiphala kwamehlo, lokudangala komphefumulo.
66 So your life will hang in doubt before you, and you will be afraid night and day, never certain of survival.
Lempilo yakho izahlala isevalweni phambi kwakho; uzatshaywa luvalo ebusuku lemini, ungabi lethemba lempilo yakho.
67 In the morning you will say, ‘If only it were evening!’ and in the evening you will say, ‘If only it were morning!’—because of the dread in your hearts of the terrifying sights you will see.
Ekuseni uzakuthi: Kungathi kungahlwa! Lakusihlwa uzakuthi: Kungathi kungasa! ngenxa yokwesaba kwenhliziyo ozakwesaba ngakho, langenxa yokubona kwamehlo akho ozakubona.
68 The LORD will return you to Egypt in ships by a route that I said you should never see again. There you will sell yourselves to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.”
LeNkosi izakubuyisela eGibhithe ngemikhumbi, ngendlela engatsho ngayo kuwe ukuthi: Kawusayikuyibona futhi. Lapho lizazithengisa ezitheni zakho libe yizigqili lezigqilikazi, kodwa kakuyikuba lomthengi.