Deuteronomy 32
1 Give ear, you heavens, and I will speak. Let the earth hear the words of my mouth.
“Lalelani, we mazulu, ngizakhuluma, zwana, we mhlaba, amazwi omlomo wami.
2 My doctrine will drop as the rain. My speech will condense as the dew, as the misty rain on the tender grass, as the showers on the herb.
Akuthi imfundiso yami inethe njengezulu kuthi amazwi ami ehle njengamazolo, njengemifefezo etshanini obutsha, njengezulu elinengi phezu kwamahlumela.
3 For I will proclaim the LORD’s name. Ascribe greatness to our God!
Ngizaliphakamisa ibizo likaThixo. Yebo dumisani ubukhulu bukaNkulunkulu wethu!
4 The Rock: his work is perfect, for all his ways are just. A God of faithfulness who does no wrong, just and right is he.
UliDwala, imisebenzi yakhe iphelele, njalo zonke izindlela zakhe zilungile. UNkulunkulu othembekileyo ongenzi okubi, uqotho njalo ulungile yena.
5 They have dealt corruptly with him. They are not his children, because of their defect. They are a perverse and crooked generation.
Sebenze okubi phambi kwakhe; balihlazo kabase bantwabakhe, kodwa isizukulwane esixhwalileyo lesingaqondanga.
6 Is this the way you repay the LORD, foolish and unwise people? Isn’t he your father who has bought you? He has made you and established you.
Yiyonale na indlela yokubonga kwenu uThixo, lina ziwula zabantu abangelakuhlakanipha? KasuYihlo, uMdali wenu, owalenzayo njalo owalibumbayo na?
7 Remember the days of old. Consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you.
Khumbulani insuku zakudala; likhumbule izizukulwane zasendulo. Buza uyihlo yena uzakutshela, abadala benu, njalo bazakuchasisela.
8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the children of men, he set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel.
Kwathi oPhezukonke esephe izizwe ilifa lazo, eselwahlukanisile uluntu, walufakela imingcele, kusiya ngenani lamadodana ka-Israyeli.
9 For the LORD’s portion is his people. Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
Ngoba isabelo sikaThixo ngabantu bakhe, uJakhobe yisabelo sakhe esikhethiweyo.
10 He found him in a desert land, in the waste howling wilderness. He surrounded him. He cared for him. He kept him as the apple of his eye.
Wamfica elizweni eliyinkangala, indawo engatheli lutho njalo elodlame. Wamvikela, wamonga; wamsingatha njengegugu lakhe,
11 As an eagle that stirs up her nest, that flutters over her young, he spread abroad his wings, he took them, he bore them on his feathers.
njengokhozi lunyakazisa isidleke salo, beselundiza phezu kwamachwane alo, lwelule amaphiko alo ukuwagola, luwathwale ngamaphiko alo.
12 The LORD alone led him. There was no foreign god with him.
Nguye yedwa uThixo owamkhokhelayo; kungekho unkulunkulu wezizweni owayelaye.
13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth. He ate the increase of the field. He caused him to suck honey out of the rock, oil out of the flinty rock;
Wamkhweza engqongeni yelizwe wamondla ngezithelo zeganga. Wamondla ngoluju olwaluvela edwaleni, langamafutha aphuma ezingoxweni zeliwa,
14 butter from the herd, and milk from the flock, with fat of lambs, rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the finest of the wheat. From the blood of the grape, you drank wine.
lezankefu langochago oluvela emihlambini yenkomo leyezimvu; lamazinyane anonisiweyo ezimvu lembuzi, lenqama zekhethelo zaseBhashani, kanye lengqoloyi elezinhlamvu ezinhle. Wanatha igazi eliphuphumayo lesithelo samavini.
15 But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked. You have grown fat. You have grown thick. You have become sleek. Then he abandoned God who made him, and rejected the Rock of his salvation.
UJeshuruni wazimuka watshakala; esesuthi ukudla, wakhuluphala waba butshelezi. Wamlahla uNkulunkulu owamdalayo waliphika iDwala uMsindisi wakhe.
16 They moved him to jealousy with strange gods. They provoked him to anger with abominations.
Bambangela ubukhwele ngabonkulunkulu babo bezizweni bamthukuthelisa ngezithombe zabo ezinengekayo.
17 They sacrificed to demons, not God, to gods that they didn’t know, to new gods that came up recently, which your fathers didn’t dread.
Benza imihlatshelo kuwo amadimoni, wona angasiNkulunkulu, onkulunkulu ababengazange babazi, onkulunkulu ababesanda kuvela, onkulunkulu ababengakhonzwa ngoyihlo.
18 Of the Rock who became your father, you are unmindful, and have forgotten God who gave you birth.
Walihlamukela iDwala, elinguyihlo; wakhohlwa uNkulunkulu owakuzalayo.
19 The LORD saw and abhorred, because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters.
UThixo wakubona lokhu wabafulathela ngoba wathukutheliswa ngamadodana lamadodakazi akhe.
20 He said, “I will hide my face from them. I will see what their end will be; for they are a very perverse generation, children in whom is no faithfulness.
‘Ngizabufihla ubuso bami kubo,’ watsho uThixo, ‘ngize ngibone ukuthi bazaphetha ngani; ngoba bayisizukulwana esixhwalileyo abantwana abangathembekanga.
21 They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God. They have provoked me to anger with their vanities. I will move them to jealousy with those who are not a people. I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
Bangenza ngaba lobukhwele ngalokho okwakungasinkulunkulu njalo bangithukuthelisa ngezithombe zabo ezingasizi lutho. Ngizabavusela umhawu ngesizwe esingesibantu balutho; ngibazondise ngesizwe esingazwisisiyo.
22 For a fire is kindled in my anger, that burns to the lowest Sheol, devours the earth with its increase, and sets the foundations of the mountains on fire. (Sheol h7585)
Ngoba umlilo usulunyathiswe yikuthukuthela kwami, wona otshisa ujule uze uyethinta ukufa ngaphansi. Uzahangula udle umhlaba kanye lesivuno sawo uthungele lezinsika zezintaba. (Sheol h7585)
23 “I will heap evils on them. I will spend my arrows on them.
Ngizabehlisela izigigaba, imitshoko yami iphelele phezu kwabo.
24 They shall be wasted with hunger, and devoured with burning heat and bitter destruction. I will send the teeth of animals on them, with the venom of vipers that glide in the dust.
Ngizabathumela inkengane eqeda amandla, izifo ezibhubhisayo lomkhuhlane otshabalalisayo; ngizabathumela amazinyo abukhali ezinyamazana zeganga, ubuthi bezinhlangwana ezihuquzelayo emhlabathini.
25 Outside the sword will bereave, and in the rooms, terror on both young man and virgin, the nursing infant with the grey-haired man.
Ezindleleni inkemba izabaswelisa abantwana, emizini kuzabusa uchuku. Amadodana lamadodakazi azabhujiswa aphele, abantwana abancinyane kanye lamadoda alenwele ezimhlophe.
26 I said that I would scatter them afar. I would make their memory to cease from amongst men;
Ngithe ngizabachitha ngisuse imbali yabo bakhohlakale emhlabeni,
27 were it not that I feared the provocation of the enemy, lest their adversaries should judge wrongly, lest they should say, ‘Our hand is exalted; the LORD has not done all this.’”
kodwa ngesaba ukweyisa kwesitha, funa isitha singezwisisi besesisithi, “Isandla sethu sinqobile, njalo uThixo kakwenzanga konke lokhu.”’
28 For they are a nation void of counsel. There is no understanding in them.
Bayisizwe esingelangqondo, akukho ukuqedisisa kubo.
29 Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
Ngabe kodwa bahlakaniphile njalo bezwisise lokhu, babe lokuqedisisa ukuthi sizakuba yini isiphetho sabo!
30 How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had delivered them up?
Kungenzeka njani ukuthi umuntu oyedwa axotshane lenkulungwane, loba ababili basukele izinkulungwane ezilitshumi zibaleke na, ngaphandle kokuthi iDwala labo nxa labathengisa; langaphandle kokuthi uThixo wabo esebahlanekele?
31 For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves concede.
Ngoba elabo idwala alinjengelethu iDwala, njengoba lezitha zethu zivuma.
32 For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, of the fields of Gomorrah. Their grapes are poison grapes. Their clusters are bitter.
Iwayini labo livela esivinini saseSodoma lasemasimini aseGomora. Amagrebisi abo agcwele itshefu, lamaxha awo amunyu.
33 Their wine is the poison of serpents, the cruel venom of asps.
Iwayini labo liyibuthi bezinyoka, ubuhlungu obubulalayo bezinhlangwana.
34 “Isn’t this laid up in store with me, sealed up amongst my treasures?
‘Kambe lokhu angikugodlanga na ngakugcikela eziphaleni zami na?
35 Vengeance is mine, and recompense, at the time when their foot slides, for the day of their calamity is at hand. Their doom rushes at them.”
Ukuphindisela ngokwami; ngizabuyisela. Ngesikhathi esifaneleyo unyawo lwabo luzatshelela; usuku lwabo lokubhujiswa luseduze, ukuchitheka kwabo kubalanda ngesiqubu.’
36 For the LORD will judge his people, and have compassion on his servants, when he sees that their power is gone, that there is no one remaining, shut up or left at large.
UThixo uzakwahlulela abantu bakhe, abe lozwelo ezincekwini zakhe lapho esebona amandla abo ephela njalo kakho ozasala, isigqili loba okhululekileyo.
37 He will say, “Where are their gods, the rock in which they took refuge,
Uzakuthi: ‘Kanti bangaphi onkulunkulu babo, lelodwala ababephephela kulo,
38 which ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise up and help you! Let them be your protection.
onkulunkulu abadla amafutha emihlatshelo yabo njalo banatha iwayini elingumnikelo wokunathwayo kwabo? Kabaphakame balincedise! Kabaliphe umthunzi wokuphephela!
39 “See now that I myself am he. There is no god with me. I kill and I make alive. I wound and I heal. There is no one who can deliver out of my hand.
Angithi liyazibonela ukuthi Mina ngiNguye! Kakho omunye unkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami. Ngiyabhubhisa njalo ngiyaphilisa. Ngilimazile njalo ngizelapha, kakho ongaphunyuka esandleni sami.
40 For I lift up my hand to heaven and declare, as I live forever,
Ngiphakamisela isandla sami ezulwini ngithi: Njengoba ngeqiniso ngiphila nini lanini,
41 if I sharpen my glittering sword, my hand grasps it in judgement; I will take vengeance on my adversaries, and will repay those who hate me.
nxa ngilola inkemba yami ephazimayo lesandla sami siyibamba ekwehluleleni, ngizaphindisela kuzozonke izitha zami, ngiphindisele kulabo abangizondayo.
42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood. My sword shall devour flesh with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the head of the leaders of the enemy.”
Imitshoko yami izagava igazi, kanti inkemba izakudla enyameni: igazi lalabo ababulawayo labathunjwayo, amakhanda alabo abangabakhokheli bezitha.’
43 Rejoice, you nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants. He will take vengeance on his adversaries, and will make atonement for his land and for his people.
Jabulani, lina zizwe, kanye labantu bakhe, ngoba uzaphindisela igazi lezinceku zakhe, uzaphindisela ezitheni zakhe, njalo enzele ilizwe lakhe labantu bakhe indlela yokubuyisana.”
44 Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he and Joshua the son of Nun.
UMosi weza loJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wethula wonke amazwi engoma le abantu bonke besizwa.
45 Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel.
UMosi wathi eqeda ukuwethula lamazwi phambi kwabo bonke abako-Israyeli,
46 He said to them, “Set your heart to all the words which I testify to you today, which you shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.
wathi kubo, “Alondolozeni ezinhliziyweni zenu wonke lamazwi engiwethule phambi kwenu ngesifungo lamuhla, ukuze libe lakho ukubalaya abantwabenu ukuba bawalalele ngonanzelelo amazwi alo umthetho.
47 For it is no vain thing for you, because it is your life, and through this thing you shall prolong your days in the land, where you go over the Jordan to possess it.”
Akusimazwi alula nje kini, ayikuphila kwenu. Ngala amazwi lizaphila isikhathi eside elizweni eselingena kulo lichapha uJodani ukuba lilithathe libe ngelenu.”
48 The LORD spoke to Moses that same day, saying,
Ngalolosuku uThixo watshela uMosi wathi,
49 “Go up into this mountain of Abarim, to Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is across from Jericho; and see the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel for a possession.
“Khwela uye okhahlamba lwezintaba zase-Abharimi eNtabeni yaseNebho kwelamaMowabi, ngaphetsheya kweJerikho, ukuze ubone iKhenani, ilizwe engilinika abako-Israyeli ukuba balithathe libe ngelabo.
50 Die on the mountain where you go up, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor, and was gathered to his people;
Phezu kwaleyontaba okhwele phezu kwayo uzakufa umbelwe uye kubokhokho bakho njengoba u-Aroni laye wafela entabeni yaseHori wembelwa kwabakibo.
51 because you trespassed against me amongst the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah of Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because you didn’t uphold my holiness amongst the children of Israel.
Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi lina lobabili lalahla ithemba lenu kimi phambi kwabako-Israyeli emachibini aseMeribha Khadeshi, eNkangala yaseZini langenxa yokuthi alizange lime ngobungcwele bami phambi kwabako-Israyeli.
52 For you shall see the land from a distance; but you shall not go there into the land which I give the children of Israel.”
Ngenxa yalokho, ilizwe uzalibonela kude, awusoze ungene elizweni esengilinika abako-Israyeli ukuba bangene kulo.”
