Deuteronomy 32
1 “Listen to me, [all you who are in the] heavens, and [all you who are on the] earth, listen to what I say [MTY].
Bekani indlebe, mazulu, ngizakhuluma, njalo zwana, mhlaba, amazwi omlomo wami.
2 I wish/desire that my teaching will fall on you like rain drops or be like dew on the ground, and be like a gentle rain on the young plants, like showers on the grass.
Imfundiso yami izathonta njengezulu, inkulumo yami izathonta njengamazolo, njengomkhizo phezu kohlaza, lanjengemifefezo emibhideni.
3 I will praise Yahweh [MTY]. And [all you people should] tell others that our God is very great.
Ngoba ngizamemezela ibizo leNkosi. Mnikeni ubukhulu uNkulunkulu wethu.
4 He is like a rock [MET] [under which we are protected]; [everything] that he does is perfect and completely just/fair [DOU]. He always does what he says that he will do; he never does anything that is wrong.
UliDwala, umsebenzi wakhe uphelele, ngoba zonke indlela zakhe ziyizahlulelo. UNkulunkulu weqiniso, ongelabubi, ulungile, uqondile.
5 “But [you Israeli people] have been very unfaithful to him; because of your sins, you no longer [deserve to] be his children. You are extremely wicked and deceitful [DOU].
Bonile kuye, kabasibo abantwana bakhe, isici ngesabo, bayisizukulwana esigobileyo lesiphambeneyo.
6 You foolish and senseless [DOU] people, (is this the way that you should repay Yahweh [for all that he has done for you]?/this is certainly not the way that you should repay Yahweh [for all that he has done for you].) [RHQ] He is your father; he created you [RHQ]; he caused you to become a nation.
Lingahlawula lokho eNkosini yini, bantu abayizithutha labangahlakaniphanga? Kayisuye yini uyihlo owakuthengayo, wakwenza, wakumisa?
7 “Think about [what happened] long ago; consider what happened to your ancestors. Ask your parents, and they will inform you; ask the older people, and they will tell you.
Khumbula insuku zendulo, unakane iminyaka yesizukulwana ngesizukulwana. Buza uyihlo, uzakulandisela, abadala bakho, bazakutshela.
8 When God, who is greater than any other god, long ago divided the people into groups, he assigned to the nations their land. He determined where each people-group should live and (assigned to/chose for) each people-group a god/angel.
Lapho oPhezukonke enika izizwe ilifa, lapho esehlukanisa amadodana kaAdamu, wamisa imingcele yezizwe njengenani labantwana bakoIsrayeli.
9 But Yahweh decided that we would be his people; he chose [us, the descendants of] Jacob, to belong to him.
Ngoba isabelo seNkosi ngabantu bayo, uJakobe uyinkatho yelifa layo.
10 “He saw [our ancestors] when they were in a desert, wandering in a land (that was desolate/where no people lived). He protected them and took care of them, as every person takes good care of his own eyes. [SIM, IDM]
Wamfica elizweni eliyinkangala, lenkangala engelalutho ebhongayo. Wamkhokhela wambhodisa, wamfundisa, wamgcina njengenhlamvu yelihlo lakhe.
11 [Yahweh protected his people] just like an eagle encourages its babies [to fly] and flutters over them [MET], spreading its wings and catching them [if they start to fall].
Njengokhozi olunyakazisa isidleke salo, lundiza phezu kwamaphuphu alo, luselula impiko zalo, luwathatha, luwathwale ngezimpaphe zalo,
12 Yahweh was the only one who led them; no other foreign god helped him.
iNkosi yodwa yamkhokhela, njalo kwakungekho layo unkulunkulu wabezizwe.
13 “[After they entered the land that Yahweh promised to give to them], Yahweh enabled them to rule the hilly areas; they ate the crops that grew in the fields. They found honey in the rocks, and their olive trees [MTY] grew [even] in stony ground.
Yamgadisa endaweni eziphakemeyo zomhlaba, ukuze adle izithelo zensimu. Yamondla ngoluju oluvela edwaleni, lamafutha aphuma elitsheni elilukhuni ledwala,
14 The cows gave them plenty of curds/yogurt, the goats gave them plenty of milk, they had well-fed sheep and cattle, they had very good wheat, and they made delicious wine from their grapes.
izankefu zenkomo, lochago lwembuzi, kanye lamafutha amawundlu, lezinqama zohlobo lweBashani, lezimpongo, kanye lamahwahwa ezinso zengqoloyi; wena wasunatha igazi lezithelo zesivini, iwayini.
15 “The Israeli people became rich and prosperous, but then they rebelled against God; they abandoned him, the one who created them, the one who powerfully saves them.
Kodwa uJeshuruni wazimuka wakhaba. Usuzimukile, wakhuluphala, wembeswa ngamahwahwa. Yena wadela uNkulunkulu owamenzayo, wadelela iDwala losindiso lwakhe.
16 So he abandoned them because they started to worship other/strange gods. Because of their worshiping disgusting idols, he became angry.
Bambangela ubukhwele ngokwezizwe, bamthukuthelisa ngezinengiso.
17 They offered sacrifices to gods who were [really] demons, gods that their ancestors had never known; they offered sacrifices to gods that they had recently found out about, gods whom your ancestors had never revered.
Bahlabela amadimoni, hatshi uNkulunkulu, onkulunkulu ababengabazi, abatsha abavela eduze, oyihlo abangabesabanga.
18 They forgot [the true] God, the one who protects them [MET], the one who created them and caused them to live.
IDwala elakuzalayo ulikhohliwe, wamkhohlwa uNkulunkulu owakuzalayo.
19 “When Yahweh saw that [they had abandoned him], he became angry, so he rejected [the Israeli people, who are like] his sons and daughters.
Kwathi iNkosi ikubona, yanengwa yibo, ngenxa yentukuthelo yamadodana ayo lamadodakazi ayo.
20 He said, ‘They are very wicked/stubborn people, very unfaithful; so I will no longer help them, and then I will watch and see what happens to them.
Yasisithi: Ngizabafihlela ubuso bami, ngibone ukuthi ukuphela kwabo kuzakuba yini; ngoba bayisizukulwana esiphambeneyo, abantwana okungelakuthembeka kibo.
21 They made me very angry because of their worshiping idols, which are not really gods; they have caused me to be [jealous [MET] because I want them to worship only me]. So now, in order to cause them to become jealous, I will send [to attack them an army of] a nation of worthless and foolish people.
Bona bangenze ngaba lobukhwele ngokungesuye uNkulunkulu; bangithukuthelisile ngezinto zabo eziyize. Ngakho ngizabenza babe lobukhwele ngabangeyisibo abantu; ngibathukuthelise ngesizwe esiyisithutha.
22 I will be very angry, and I will destroy them like a fire that will burn on the earth and all the way down to the place where dead people are [MET]; that fire will destroy the earth and everything that grows on it, and it will even burn what is down under the mountains. (Sheol h7585)
Ngoba umlilo usubasiwe entukuthelweni yami, uyavutha kuze kube sesihogweni esingaphansi kakhulu; uzaqeda umhlaba lezithelo zawo, ulumathise izisekelo zezintaba. (Sheol h7585)
23 I will cause them to experience many disasters; [they will feel as though] [MET] I am shooting all my arrows at them.
Ngizabuthelela ububi phezu kwabo, ngiqedele imitshoko yami kubo.
24 They will die because of being hungry and because of having hot fevers and because of terrible diseases; I will send wild animals to attack [MTY] them, and poisonous snakes to bite [MTY] them.
Bazamunywa yindlala, baqedwe yikutshisa lencithakalo ebabayo; njalo ngizathumela phakathi kwabo amazinyo ezilo, lobuhlungu bezihuquzelayo zothuli.
25 Outside [their houses, their enemies] will kill them [MTY] with swords, and in their homes, [their enemies will cause] them to be terrified. Their enemies will kill young men and young women, and they will kill infants and old people with gray hair.
Ngaphandle inkemba izabenza bafelwe, ngokunjalo uvalo ezindlini ezingaphakathi, ijaha lalo lentombi emsulwa, omunyayo kanye lendoda eyimpunga.
26 I wanted to scatter the Israeli people to distant countries in order that no one would ever remember them.
Ngathi: Ngizabahlakaza, ngenze ukukhunjulwa kwabo kuphele phakathi kwabantu;
27 But [if I did that], their enemies would wrongly boast that they were the ones who had [gotten rid of my people]; they would say, “We [SYN] are the ones who defeated them; it was not Yahweh who has done all these things.”’
uba bengingesabi intukuthelo yesitha, hlezi abazondi babo bahlanekele, hlezi bathi: Isandla sethu siphakeme; leNkosi kakusiyo eyenze konke lokhu.
28 You Israelis are a nation of people who do not have any sense. None of you is wise.
Ngoba bayisizwe esingelakwelulekwa, njalo kakukho ukuqedisisa kubo.
29 If you were wise, you would understand [why you would be punished]; you would have realized what was going to happen to you.
Kwangathi ngabe bebehlakaniphile, bebengaqedisisa lokhu, bazwisise isiphetho sabo!
30 [You would have realized] why 1,000 [of your soldiers] would be defeated by only one [of the enemy soldiers], and why two of your enemies would chase away 10,000 [Israeli soldiers]. [You would realize that this would happen] only if God, the one who always defended you [MET], had allowed your enemies to defeat you, because he had abandoned you.
Oyedwa angaxotsha njani abayinkulungwane, lababili babalekise abayizinkulungwane ezilitshumi, ngaphandle kokuthi iDwala labo libathengisile, leNkosi ibanikele?
31 Your enemies know that their gods are not powerful like Yahweh, our God, [so their gods could not have defeated us Israelis].
Ngoba idwala labo kalinjengeDwala lethu; njengoba izitha zethu zingabahluleli.
32 Your enemies are like [MET] grapevines planted near [the ruins of] Sodom and Gomorrah [cities]; the grapes from those vines are bitter and poisonous;
Ngoba ivini labo livela evinini leSodoma, lemasimini eGomora; izithelo zabo zesivini ziyizithelo zesivini zenyongo; zilamahlukuzo ababayo.
33 the wine [from those grapes] is like the poison of snakes [DOU].
Iwayini labo liyibuhlungu bemigobho, lobuhlungu obulesihluku bamabululu.
34 [“Yahweh says], ‘I know [RHQ] [what I have planned to do to the Israeli people and to their enemies], and those plans are so secure [that it as though he locked them up] [MET].
Lokho kakubekiwe kimi yini, kunanyekiwe emagugwini ami?
35 I am the one who will get revenge and pay those enemies back for what they have done [to my people], at the right time for them to be punished [IDM]; they will soon experience disasters, and I will punish/destroy them quickly.’
Ngeyami impindiselo lokubuyisela, ngesikhathi sokutshelela konyawo lwabo; ngoba usuku lwengozi yabo selusondele, lezinto abazilungiselweyo ziyaphangisa.
36 “But Yahweh will see that you who are truly his people, who (are innocent/have not done things that are wrong), and he will be merciful to you. And he will see that you are helpless, and that there are very few of you, slaves or free people, who are still alive.
Ngoba iNkosi izabahlulela abantu bayo, izisole ngenceku zayo, lapho ibona ukuthi amandla asehambile, lokuthi kakho ovalelweyo lokhululekileyo.
37 Then Yahweh will ask his people, ‘Where are the gods that you thought would protect you [MET]?
Khona izakuthi: Bangaphi onkulunkulu babo, idwala ababephephela kulo,
38 You gave to those gods the best parts of the animals that you sacrificed, and you poured out wine for them to drink. So, they should begin to help you; they should be the ones who will protect you!
abadla amafutha emihlatshelo yabo, banatha iwayini lomnikelo wabo wokuthululwa? Kabavuke, balisize, babe yisivikelo senu.
39 “But now you will realize that I, only I, am God; there is no other god who is [a real] god. I am the one who can kill people and who can cause people to live; I can wound people, and I can heal people, and there is no one who can prevent me from doing those things.
Bonani khathesi ukuthi mina, nginguye, njalo kakho unkulunkulu olami; mina ngiyabulala, njalo ngiphilise; ngiyatshaya, njalo mina ngelaphe; njalo kakho ongahluthuna esandleni sami.
40 I raise my hand toward heaven and solemnly declare that just as sure as I live forever,
Ngoba ngiphakamisela isandla sami emazulwini, ngithi: Ngiyaphila kuze kube phakade,
41 that when I sharpen my sword, as I [SYN] prepare to punish people, I will get revenge on my enemies; I will pay back those who hate me.
nxa ngilola inkemba yami ephazimayo, lesandla sami sibambelela ekwahluleleni, ngizabuyisela impindiselo ezitheni zami, ngibavuze abangizondayo.
42 I will kill all [of my enemies] with a sword; it will be as though I had arrows that will be covered with their blood. I will kill [MTY] all those whom I capture and cut off their leaders’ heads.’
Ngizadakisa imitshoko yami ngegazi, lenkemba yami izakudla inyama, ngegazi labagwaziweyo labathunjiweyo, ekuqaliseni kwezimpindiselo ngimelene lesitha.
43 “You people of all nations, you as well as his people should praise Yahweh, because Yahweh gets revenge on those who kill the people who serve him; and he cleanses his people’s land which has become defiled because of their sins.”
Thokozani zizwe, bantu bayo; ngoba izaphindisela igazi lenceku zayo, ibuyisele impindiselo kuzitha zayo, yenzele ilizwe layo, abantu bayo, inhlawulo yokuthula.
44 Joshua and Moses/I recited the words of that song while the Israeli people were listening.
UMozisi wasesiza, wakhuluma wonke amazwi alingoma endlebeni zabantu, yena loHoseya indodana kaNuni.
45 When they/we finished reciting to the Israeli people the words of this song,
UMozisi eseqedile ukukhuluma wonke lamazwi kuIsrayeli wonke,
46 Moses/I said, “Never forget all these commands that I have been giving you today. Teach these laws to your children, in order that they will faithfully obey all of them.
wathi kubo: Bekani inhliziyo yenu kuwo wonke amazwi engiwafakaza phakathi kwenu lamuhla, ukuthi libalaye abantwana benu bagcine ukuwenza wonke amazwi alumlayo.
47 These instructions are very important [LIT]. If [you obey] them, you will live a long time in the land that you are about to cross the Jordan [River] to occupy.”
Ngoba kakusiyo into eyize kini, ngoba kuyimpilo yenu; ngalinto lizakwelula izinsuku elizweni elichapha iJordani ukuya kulo ukudla ilifa lalo.
48 On that same day, Yahweh said to Moses/me,
INkosi yasikhuluma kuMozisi ngalona lolosuku isithi:
49 “Go to the Abarim Mountain range [here] in the Moab region, across from Jericho. Climb Nebo Mountain, and look [toward the west] to see Canaan land, the land that I am about to give to the Israeli people.
Yenyukela kule intaba yeAbarimi, intaba yeNebo, eselizweni lakoMowabi emaqondana leJeriko, ubone ilizwe leKhanani engilinika abantwana bakoIsrayeli ukuba yilifa,
50 You will die on that mountain [EUP, DOU], like your [older] brother Aaron died on Hor Mountain.
ufele entabeni owenyukela kuyo, ubuthelwe ebantwini bakini, njengoAroni umnewenu efela entabeni yeHori, wabuthelwa ebantwini bakibo.
51 You will die because both of you disobeyed me in the presence of the Israeli people, when you all were at Meribah Springs near Kadesh [town] in the Zin Desert. You did not honor and respect me in the presence of the Israeli people in the way that I deserve because I am God.
Ngenxa yokuthi laphambana lami phakathi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli emanzini eMeriba-Kadeshi enkangala yeZini; ngoba kalingingcwelisanga phakathi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli.
52 [When you are on that mountain where I told you to go], you will see in the distance in front of you the land that I am about to give to the Israeli people, but you will not enter it.”
Ngoba unganeno uzalibona ilizwe, kodwa kawuyikungena khona, elizweni engilinika abantwana bakoIsrayeli.
