Exodus 19
1 In the third month, when the children of Israel had gone forth from the land of Egypt, the same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.
Ngosuku olufanayo, emva kwezinyanga ezintathu abantu bako-Israyeli besuke eGibhithe bafika enkangala yeSinayi.
2 For they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mount.
Sebesukile eRefidimu bangena enkangala yeSinayi bamisa amathente abo phansi kwentaba.
3 And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
Lapho-ke uMosi wakhuphukela kuNkulunkulu entabeni, uThixo esentabeni wabiza uMosi wathi kuye, “Tshela abantu bendlu kaJakhobe labantu bako-Israyeli, uthi
4 Ye have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself.
‘Lina ngokwenu lizibonele engikwenze eGibhithe lokuthi ngilithwele ngamaphiko okhozi ngaliletha lapha kimi.
5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a special treasure to me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Ngakho-ke lingangilalela ligcine isivumelwano sami lani lizakuba ligugu kimi phakathi kwezizwe zonke. Lanxa umhlaba wonke ungowami,
6 And ye shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak to the children of Israel.
lina kimi lizakuba ngumbuso wabaphristi lesizwe esingcwele.’ Yiwo amazwi okumele uwakhulume kwabako-Israyeli.”
7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.
UMosi wabuyela ebantwini, wafika wabuthanisa abakhokheli babantu wabatshela okwakutshiwo nguThixo.
8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people to the LORD.
Bonke bavuma ngalizwi linye bathi, “Sizakwenza konke uThixo athe sikwenze.” UMosi wambikela uThixo okwakukhulunywe ngabantu.
9 And the LORD said to Moses, Lo, I come to thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.
UThixo wasesithi kuMosi, “Ngizakuza kini nginjengeyezi elimnyama ukuze abantu bangizwe ngikhuluma lawe. Ngakho ngezikhathi zonke bazakholwa kuwe.” UMosi watshela uThixo okwakutshiwo ngabantu.
10 And the LORD said to Moses, Go to the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
Ngakho uThixo wathi kuMosi, “Buyela ebantwini ubangcwelise lamhla lakusasa. Batshele bagezise izigqoko zabo
11 And be ready for the third day: for on the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
kuthi ngelanga lesithathu libe selilungiselele ngoba ngalelolanga uThixo uzakwehlela entabeni yeSinayi abantu bonke bekhangele.
12 And thou shalt set bounds to the people all around, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up upon the mount, or touch the border of it: whoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:
Yenzela abantu imingcele malungana lentaba, ubatshele uthi, ‘Limukani! Lingakhweli entabeni, kumbe ukufika phansi kwayo. Lowo ozasondela entabeni uzabulawa.’
13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
Ngempela uzatshaywa ngamatshe kumbe acitshwe ngemitshoko kodwa angathintwa ngesandla. Akukhathalekile ukuthi ngumuntu loba yinyamazana akusoze kuvunyelwe ukuphila. Bazakhwela entabeni kuphela nxa uphondo lwenqama selukhale isikhathi eside.”
14 And Moses went down from the mount to the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
Ngemva kokuba uMosi esehlile entabeni waya ebantwini wabangcwelisa basebegezisa lezigqoko zabo.
15 And he said to the people, Be ready for the third day: come not at your wives.
Wathi ebantwini, “Lungiselelani ilanga lesithathu. Zilani omkenu.”
16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that were in the camp trembled.
Ekuseni ngelanga lesithathu kwaba lomdumo lombane othuthumelisayo, leyezi elikhulukazi lehlela phezu kwentaba, kwezwakala lomsindo omkhulu wecilongo. Abantu bonke ezihonqweni besaba, baqhaqhazela.
17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the lower part of the mount.
UMosi wasebakhokhela ebasusa emathenteni ebasa kuNkulunkulu. Bafika bema ngaphansi kwentaba.
18 And mount Sinai was altogether in a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke of it ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount trembled greatly.
Intaba yonke iSinayi yembeswa yintuthu ngoba uThixo wehlela phezu kwayo ngesimo somlilo. Intuthu yathunqa ngamandla isiya phezulu kungathi iphuma emphongolweni.
19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.
Njalo umsindo wecilongo waya ulokhu ukhula. UMosi wakhuluma, kwathi ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lamphendula.
20 And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
UThixo wehlela phezu kwentaba iSinayi, wabizela uMosi khona. Ngakho uMosi wakhwela,
21 And the LORD said to Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
UThixo wasesithi kuye, “Buyela phansi uyexwayisa abantu ukuba bangaqali ukweqa imingcele ukuba babone uThixo ngoba bangafa ngobunengi.
22 And let the priests also, who come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.
Labaphristi abaya kuThixo kumele bazenze babengcwele, funa uThixo ababhubhise.”
23 And Moses said to the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou didst charge us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.
UMosi wathi kuThixo, “Akulamuntu ongakhwela entabeni yeSinayi ngoba wena ngokwakho wathi bangakwenzi lokho. Uthe ngenze imingcele egombolozela intaba ngitshele abantu bangasondeli kuyo ngoba ingcwele.”
24 And the LORD said to him, Away, go down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, lest he break forth upon them.
Kodwa uThixo wathi, “Yehla uyebuya lo-Aroni. Kodwa abaphristi labantu akumelanga ukuba beqe imingcele besiza lapho ngoba ngingabaphendukela.”
25 So Moses went down to the people, and spoke to them.
Ngakho uMosi wehla waya ebantwini wabatshela.
