< Numbers 14 >
1 That night, all the Israeli people cried loudly.
Ngalobobusuku abantu bonke emphakathini baphakamisa amazwi abo bakhala kakhulu.
2 The next day they all complained to Aaron and Moses/me. All the men said, “We wish that we had died in Egypt, or in this desert!
Bonke abako-Israyeli bakhonona besola uMosi lo-Aroni, lonke ibandla lathi kubo, “Ngabe sahle sazifela eGibhithe, kumbe khonapha enkangala!
3 Why is Yahweh bringing us to this land, where we men will be killed with swords? And our wives and children will be taken away [to be slaves]. [Instead of going to Canaan]. It would be better for us to return to Egypt!”
Kungani uThixo esilethe kulelilizwe ukuthi sife sibulawa ngenkemba na? Amakhosikazi ethu kanye labantwabethu bazakuba yimpango. Kambe kakungcono yini ukuthi sibuyele eGibhithe na?”
4 Then [some of] them said to each other, “We should choose a leader who will take us back to Egypt!”
Bakhulumisana besithi, “Asikhetheni omunye umkhokheli asibuyisele eGibhithe.”
5 Then Aaron and Moses/I bowed down [to pray] in front of all the Israeli people who had gathered there.
Ngakho uMosi lo-Aroni bathi mbo ngobuso phansi phambi kwabantu bako-Israyeli bonke ababebuthene lapho.
6 Joshua and Caleb, two of the men who had explored the land, tore their clothes [because they were very dismayed].
Kwathi uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni kanye loKhalebi indodana kaJefune, ababengabanye balabo ababeyehlola ilizwe, badabula izigqoko zabo
7 They said to the Israeli people, “The land that we explored is very good.
bathi kubo bonke abako-Israyeli ababebuthene, “Ilizwe esadabula kulo salihlola lihle kakhulu.
8 If Yahweh is pleased with us, he will lead us into that very fertile [IDM] land, and he will give it to us.
Nxa uThixo ethokoza ngathi, uzasikhokhelela kulo, ilizwe eligeleza uchago loluju, njalo uzakusinika lona.
9 So do not rebel against Yahweh! And do not be afraid of the people in that land! We will (gobble them up/completely destroy them) [MET]! They do not have anyone who will protect them, but Yahweh will be with us [and help us]. So do not be afraid of them!”
Kuphela nje lingamhlamukeli uThixo. Futhi lingabesabi abantu bakulelolizwe, ngoba sizabadla sibaqede. Kabaselaso isivikelo, kodwa uThixo ulathi. Lingabesabi.”
10 Then all the Israeli people talked about [killing Caleb and Joshua by] throwing stones at them. But [suddenly] Yahweh’s glory appeared to them at the Sacred Tent.
Kodwa ibandla wonke wathi kabakhandwe ngamatshe. Inkazimulo kaThixo yasibonakala kubo bonke abako-Israyeli ethenteni lokuhlangana.
11 Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “How long will these people reject me [RHQ]? I am tired of them not believing in what I [can do], in spite of all the miracles I have performed among them [RHQ]!
UThixo wasesithi kuMosi, “Koze kube nini abantu laba bengeyisa na? Kuzaze kube nini bengangikholwa, loba sengenze izinto ezimangalisayo phakathi kwabo na?
12 So I will cause a (plague/widespread sickness) to strike them and get rid of them. But I will cause your [descendants] to become a great nation. They will be a nation that is much greater and stronger than these people are.”
Ngizabatshaya ngomkhuhlane ngibabhubhise, kodwa wena ngizakwenza ube yisizwe esikhulu njalo esilamandla kulabo.”
13 But Moses/I replied to Yahweh, “[Please do not do that, because] the people of Egypt will hear about it! You brought these Israeli people from Egypt by your great power,
UMosi wasesithi kuThixo, “AmaGibhithe azakuzwa lokhu! Abantu laba bakhutshwa nguwe phakathi kwabo ngamandla akho.
14 and the people of Egypt will tell that to the [descendants of Canaan] who live in this land. Yahweh, they have already heard about you. They know that you have (been with/helped) these people and that they have seen you face-to-face. They have heard that your cloud is like a huge pillar that stays over them, and by using that cloud you lead them during the day, and the cloud becomes like a fire at night [to give them light].
Ngakho bazatshela abakhileyo kulelilizwe ngalesisehlakalo. Bavele sebezwile ukuthi wena, Oh Thixo, ulabo lababantu njalo lokuthi wena, Thixo, ubonakale uqondene labo ubuso ngobuso, lokuthi iyezi lakho lihlala liphezu kwabo, njalo lokuthi uhamba phambi kwabo ngensika yeyezi lakho emini kuthi ebusuku ngensika yomlilo.
15 If you kill these people all at one time, the people-groups who have heard about your [power] will say,
Pho ungababhubhisa abantu bonke laba ngasikhathi sinye, izizwe esezizwile ngalezizindaba ngawe zizakuthi,
16 ‘Yahweh was not able to bring them into the land that he promised to give to them, so he killed them in the desert.’
‘UThixo wehlulekile ukungenisa abantu laba elizweni abathembisa lona ngesifungo; ngakho usebabhubhisele enkangala.’
17 “So Yahweh, now show that you are very powerful. You said,
Amandla kaThixo kabonakaliswe khathesi, njengokutsho kwakho ukuthi:
18 ‘I do not quickly become angry; instead, I love people very much, and I forgive people for having sinned and having disobeyed my laws. But I will always punish [LIT] people who are guilty of doing what is wrong. When parents sin, I will punish them, but I will also punish their children and their grandchildren and their great-grandchildren and their great-great-grandchildren.’
‘UThixo uyaphuza ukuthukuthela, ugcwele ngothando njalo uyathethelela isono lokuhlamuka. Kodwa kayikubayekela abalecala bengajeziswanga; ujezisa abantwana ngenxa yezono zaboyise kuze kube kusizukulwane sesithathu lesesine.’
19 So, because you love people like that, forgive these people for the sins that they have committed, just like you have continued to forgive them ever since they left Egypt.”
Thethelela isono salababantu, ngenxa yothando lwakho olukhulu, ubaxolele njengokubaxolela kwakho kusukela ngesikhathi abasuka ngaso eGibhithe kuze kube khathesi.”
20 Then Yahweh replied, “I have forgiven them, as you requested me to.
UThixo waphendula wathi, “Sengibathethelele njengesicelo sakho.
21 But, just as certainly as I live and that people all over the world [can see] my (glory/glorious power), [I solemnly declare this: ]
Impela njengoba ngiphila, lanjengoba inkazimulo kaThixo igcwalise umhlaba wonke,
22 All these people saw my glory and all the miracles that I performed in Egypt and in the desert, but they disobeyed me, and many times they tested [whether they could continue to do evil things without my punishing them].
akulamuntu loyedwa owabona inkazimulo yami kanye lezibonakaliso zezimanga engazenza eGibhithe lasenkangala kodwa kaze angilalela njalo wangilinga okungaba ngamahlandla alitshumi,
23 Because of that, not one of them will see the land that I promised their ancestors [that I would give to them]. No one who rejected me will see that land.
akukho loyedwa wabo ozalibona ilizwe engalithembisa okhokho babo ngesifungo. Futhi kakho loyedwa ongidelelayo ozalibona.
24 But Caleb, who serves me [well], is different from the others. He obeys me completely. So I will bring him into that land that he has already seen, and his descendants will inherit/possess some of it.
Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi inceku yami uKhalebi ulomoya owehlukileyo njalo ungilandela ngenhliziyo yakhe yonke, ngizamngenisa elizweni afika kulo, lizakuba yilifa lezizukulwane zakhe.
25 So, since the descendants of Amalek and Canaan who are living in the valleys [in Canaan are very strong], when you leave here tomorrow, [instead of traveling toward Canaan], go back along the road through the desert towards the Red Sea.”
Njengoba ama-Amaleki lamaKhenani ehlala ezigodini, lina phendukani kusasa liqonde enkangala ngendlela yasoLwandle oLubomvu.”
26 Then Yahweh said to Aaron and Moses/me,
UThixo wathi kuMosi lo-Aroni:
27 “How long will the wicked people of this nation keep complaining about me [RHQ]? I have heard everything that they have grumbled/complained against me.
“Koze kube nini lababantu abangalunganga bekhonona bengisola na? Sengizwile ukusola lokukhonona kwabako-Israyeli.
28 So now tell them this: ‘Just as certainly as I, Yahweh, live, I will do exactly what you said would happen.
Ngakho batshele uthi, ‘Njengoba ngiphila impela, kutsho uThixo, ngizakwenza kini zona lezozinto engilizwe lizikhuluma.
29 [I will cause] all of you to die here in this desert! Because you grumbled about me, none of you who are more than 20 years old and who were counted when Moses counted everyone
Izidumbu zenu zizagcwala enkangala yonale, lina lonke elabalwayo ngesikhathi sokubalwa kwabantu elileminyaka yokuzalwa engamatshumi amabili kusiya phezulu labo bonke abakade bekhonona bengisola.
30 will enter the land that I solemnly promised to give to you. Only Caleb and Joshua will enter that land.
Kakho loyedwa wenu ozangena elizweni engafunga ngokuphakamisa isandla ukuthi libe likhaya lenu, ngaphandle kukaKhalebi indodana kaJefune loJoshuwa indodana kaNuni.
31 You said that your children would be taken from you [to become slaves], but I will take them into the land, and they will enjoy living in the land that you (rejected/said that you could not conquer).
Mayelana labantwana benu labo elathi bazakuba yimpango, ngizabangenisa elizweni lelo elilalileyo ukuze bathokoze kulo.
32 But as for you [adults], you will die here in this desert.
Kodwa lina, izidumbu zenu zizawohlokela kule inkangala.
33 And like shepherds [wander around in the desert as they take care of their sheep], your children will wander around in this desert for 40 years. Because you adults were not loyal/faithful to me, your children will suffer until you all die in the desert.
Abantwabenu bazakuba ngabelusi lapha okweminyaka engamatshumi amane, behlupheka ngenxa yokungathembeki kwenu, kuze kungcwatshwe isidumbu sokucina enkangala.
34 You will suffer for your sins for 40 years. That will be one year for each of the 40 days that the twelve men explored Canaan land. And I will be like an enemy to you.’
Okweminyaka engamatshumi amane, umnyaka munye umele usuku lunye elahlola ngalo ilizwe, lizahlupheka ngenxa yezono zenu lize lazi ukuthi kuyinto enjani nxa mina ngimelana lani.’
35 [This will certainly happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it! I will do these things to every one in this group who conspired against me. They (conspired against/decided together to reject) me here in the desert, and they will all die right here in this desert!”
Mina Thixo, sengikhulumile, njalo ngempela ngizazenza lezizinto ebantwini laba bonke, abamanyeneyo bemelana lami. Bazabhubha kuyonale inkangala; bazafela khonapha.”
36 Then the ten men [who had explored Canaan and] who had urged the people to rebel against Yahweh by giving reports that discouraged the people
Ngakho amadoda ayethunywe nguMosi ukuthi ayehlola ilizwe, lawo athi ekuphendukeni kwawo amemethekisa umbiko omubi owabangela ukuthi abantu bakhonone besola uMosi,
37 were immediately struck with a plague/disease that Yahweh sent, and they died.
lawomadoda amemethekisa umbiko ongalunganga mayelana lelizwe atshaywa ngomkhuhlane afa phambi kukaThixo.
38 Of the twelve men who had explored Canaan, only Joshua and Caleb remained alive.
Emadodeni ayeyehlola ilizwe, kwasila kuphela uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni kanye loKhalebi indodana kaJefune.
39 When Moses/I reported to the Israeli people what Yahweh had said, many of them were very sad.
Kwathi lapho uMosi esebikele bonke abako-Israyeli, bakhala kabuhlungu.
40 So the people got up early the next morning and started to go toward the hilly area in Canaan. They said, “[We know that] we have sinned, but now we [are ready to] enter the land that Yahweh promised to give to us.”
Ngosuku olulandelayo ekuseni kakhulu baqonda elizweni lamaqaqa. Bathi, “Sonile, sizakuya kuleyondawo esayithenjiswa nguThixo.”
41 But Moses/I said, “Yahweh commanded you [to return to the desert, so] why are you now disobeying him [RHQ]? It will not (succeed/be possible).
Kodwa uMosi wathi kubo, “Kungani lingalaleli umlayo kaThixo na? Lokhu elikwenzayo akusoze kuphumelele!
42 Do not try to enter the land now! [If you try], your enemies will defeat you, because Yahweh will not (be with/help) you.
Lingakhuphuki, ngoba uThixo kalisekeli. Lizakwehlulwa yizitha zenu,
43 When you begin to fight the descendants of Amalek and Canaan, they will slaughter you! Yahweh will abandon you, because you have abandoned him.”
ngoba lizaqondana lama-Amaleki kanye lamaKhenani khonale. Ngenxa yokuthi limhlamukele uThixo, yena kayikuba lani ngakho lizabhujiswa ngenkemba.”
44 But even though Moses/I did not leave the camp, and the sacred chest that contained the Ten Commandments was not taken from the camp, the people began to go towards the hilly area in Canaan.
Loba kunjalo, baqhubeka beqonde elizweni lamaqaqa benganakile, loba uMosi kumbe umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo kungasukanga ezihonqweni.
45 Then the descendants of Amalek and Canaan who lived in that hilly area came down and attacked them and chased them as far [south] as [the town of] Hormah.
Ngakho ama-Amaleki lamaKhenani ayehlala kulelolizwe lamaqaqa ehla abahlasela, ababhuqa ebaxotsha baze bayafika eHoma.