< Joshua 3 >

1 Joshua rose up early in the morning; and they moved from Shittim, and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel. They lodged there before they passed over.
UJoshuwa wasevuka ekuseni kakhulu, basuka eShithimi, bafika eJordani, yena labo bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli; basebelala khona bengakachaphi.
2 It happened after three days, that the officers went through the midst of the camp;
Kwasekusithi ekupheleni kwensuku ezintathu induna zadabula phakathi kwenkamba;
3 and they commanded the people, saying, "When you see the ark of the covenant of YHWH your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then you shall move from your place, and follow it.
zalaya abantu zisithi: Nxa libona umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu, labapristi, amaLevi, bewuthwele, lina-ke lisuke endaweni yenu liwulandele.
4 However, keep a distance of about two thousand nine hundred fifty-three feet between yourselves and the ark. Do not come near to it, that you may know the way by which you must go; for you have not passed this way before."
Kodwa kuzakuba khona ibanga phakathi kwenu lawo, phose ingalo eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili ngesilinganiso; lingasondeli kuwo; ukuze lazi indlela elizahamba ngayo, ngoba kalidlulanga ngalindlela mandulo.
5 Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow YHWH will do wonders among you."
UJoshuwa wasesithi ebantwini: Zingcweliseni, ngoba kusasa iNkosi izakwenza izimangaliso phakathi kwenu.
6 Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people." They took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
UJoshuwa wasekhuluma kubapristi esithi: Phakamisani umtshokotsho wesivumelwano, ledlule phambi kwabantu. Basebewuphakamisa umtshokotsho wesivumelwano, bahamba phambi kwabantu.
7 YHWH said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to magnify you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
INkosi yasisithi kuJoshuwa: Lamuhla ngizaqala ukukukhulisa emehlweni kaIsrayeli wonke ukuze bazi ukuthi njengalokho ngangiloMozisi, ngizakuba lawe.
8 You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, 'When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'"
Wena-ke uzalaya abapristi abathwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano uthi: Nxa selifikile ekhunjini lwamanzi eJordani, lizakuma eJordani.
9 Joshua said to the children of Israel, "Come here, and hear the words of YHWH your God."
UJoshuwa wasesithi ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli: Sondelani lapha, lizwe amazwi eNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu.
10 Joshua said, "Hereby you shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive the Canaanite, and the Hethite, and the Hivite, and the Perizzite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Jebusite out from before you.
UJoshuwa wasesithi: Ngalokhu lizakwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu ophilayo uphakathi kwenu, lokuthi uzawaxotsha lokuwaxotsha elifeni amaKhanani lamaHethi lamaHivi lamaPerizi lamaGirigashi lamaAmori lamaJebusi asuke ngaphambi kwenu.
11 Look, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passes over before you into the Jordan.
Khangelani, umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi yomhlaba wonke uzachapha phambi kwenu eJordani.
12 Now therefore take twelve men from the children of Israel, one man for each tribe.
Ngakho-ke zithatheleni amadoda alitshumi lambili ezizweni zakoIsrayeli, indoda ibenye kuleso lalesosizwe.
13 It shall come to pass, when the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of YHWH, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, even the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand in one heap."
Kuzakuthi-ke lapho ingaphansi yenyawo zabapristi abathwele umtshokotsho weNkosi, iNkosi yomhlaba wonke, zizakuma emanzini eJordani, amanzi eJordani azaqunywa, amanzi ehlayo evela phezulu; azakuma abe yinqwaba eyodwa.
14 It happened, when the people moved from their tents to pass over the Jordan, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant being before the people,
Kwasekusithi abantu besuka emathenteni abo ukuchapha iJordani, abapristi bathwala umtshokotsho wesivumelwano phambi kwabantu.
15 and when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark had dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the time of harvest),
Lalapho abathwele umtshokotsho befika eJordani, lenyawo zabapristi abathwele umtshokotsho zigxanyuzwa ephethelweni lamanzi (ngoba iJordani liyagcwala enkunjini zonke zalo zonke izinsuku zokuvuna),
16 that the waters which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap, a great way off, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those that went down toward the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people passed over right against Jericho.
amanzi ehlayo evela phezulu ema, aphakama aba yinqwaba eyodwa, khatshana kakhulu lomuzi iAdamu, oseceleni kweZarethani; lalawo ehlela elwandle lwamagceke, ulwandle lweTshwayi, aphela aqunywa. Labantu bachapha maqondana leJeriko.
17 The priests who bore the ark of the covenant of YHWH stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan; and all Israel passed over on dry ground, until all the nation had passed completely over the Jordan.
Labapristi abathwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi bema emhlabathini owomileyo phakathi kweJordani beqinile, loIsrayeli wonke wachapha emhlabathini owomileyo, isizwe sonke saze saqeda ukuchapha iJordani.

< Joshua 3 >