UDutheronomi 18
1 “Abaphristi abangabaLevi ngempela, isizwana sonke sabaLevi kabangabi lesabelo loba ilifa ndawonye labako-Israyeli. Bazaphila ngemihlatshelo yokudla enikelwa kuThixo, ngoba leli yilo ilifa labo.
The priests and Levites, and all that are of the same tribe, shall have no part nor inheritance with the rest of Israel, because they shall eat the sacrifices of the Lord, and his oblations,
2 Abayikuba lelifa phakathi kwabafowabo; uThixo uyilifa labo, njengokuthembisa kwakhe.
And they shall receive nothing else. of the possession of their brethren: for the Lord himself is their inheritance, as he hath said to them.
3 Le yiyo ingxenye yabaphristi ezavela emihlatshelweni yabantu eyenkunzi loba eyemvu: umkhono, inhloko kanye lezangaphakathi.
This shall be the priest’s due from the people, and from them that offer victims: whether they sacrifice an ox, or a sheep, they shall give to the priest the shoulder and the breast:
4 Kufanele libaphe izithelo zakuqala zamabele enu, iwayini elitsha lamafutha, uboya bakuqala ekugundweni kwezimvu zenu,
The firstfruits also of corn, of wine, and of oil, and a part of the wool from the shearing of their sheep.
5 ngoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu ubakhethile bona kanye lezizukulwane zabo phakathi kwazo zonke izizwana zenu ukuze kube yibo abazakwenza umsebenzi wokukhonza ebizweni likaThixo ngezikhathi zonke.
For the Lord thy God hath chosen him of all thy tribes, to stand and to minister to the name of the Lord, him and his sons for ever.
6 Nxa umLevi angasuka kwelinye lamadolobho enu loba kungaphi kwelabako-Israyeli lapho abehlala khona, abeseziletha ngokuzimisela endaweni ezakhethwa nguThixo,
If a Levite go out of any one of the cities throughout all Israel, in which he dwelleth, and have a longing mind to come to the place which the Lord shall choose,
7 angenza umsebenzi wokukhonza ebizweni likaThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe njengabo bonke abafowabo abangabaLevi abasebenzela khonapho phambi kukaThixo.
He shall minister in the name of the Lord his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, that shall stand at that time before the Lord.
8 Uzakwabelana labanye bakhe ngokulinganayo kulokho abakuzuzayo, lanxa yena esezuze imali ekuthengisweni kwempahla yakwabo.”
He shall receive the same portion of food that the rest do: besides that which is due to him in his own city, by succession from his fathers.
9 “Lapho selingena elizweni uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinika lona, lingabozifundisa ukulingisa izenzo ezinengekayo zezinye izizwe khonale.
When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee, beware lest thou have a mind to imitate the abominations of those nations.
10 Akungabi lamuntu phakathi kwenu ozakwenza umhlatshelo ngendodana yakhe loba indodakazi yakhe ngomlilo, kangabi ovumisayo loba ochasisa ngemibono, ochasisa imilingo njalo oyenza okuphathelane lobuthakathi,
Neither let there be found among you any one that shall expiate his son or daughter, making them to pass through the fire: or that consulteth soothsayers, or observeth dreams and omens, neither let there be any wizard,
11 ophosayo, loba isanuse loba isangoma loba obuza kwabafileyo.
Nor charmer, nor any one that consulteth pythonic spirits, or fortune tellers, or that seeketh the truth from the dead.
12 Loba ngubani owenza lezizinto uyisinengiso kuThixo, kanti njalo ngenxa yezenzo lezi ezinengekayo uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu azazixotsha phambi kwenu lezizizwe.
For the Lord abhorreth all these things, and for these abominations he will destroy them at thy coming.
13 Kumele libemsulwa phambi kukaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.”
Thou shalt be perfect, and without spot before the Lord thy God.
14 “Izizwe elizazithathela ilizwe zilalela okwalabo abathakathayo labavumisayo. Kodwa lina, uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu kalivumeli ukukwenza lokho.
These nations, whose land thou shalt possess, hearken to soothsayers and diviners: but thou art otherwise instructed by the Lord thy God.
15 UThixo uNkulunkulu wenu uzalivusela umphrofethi phakathi kwabafowenu njengami. Libomlalela.
The Lord thy God will raise up to thee a PROPHET of thy nation and of thy brethren like unto me: him thou shalt hear:
16 Lokhu yikho elakucela kuThixo uNkulunkulu wenu eHorebhi mhla wosuku lokuhlangana lapho elathi, ‘Asingalizwa ilizwi likaThixo uNkulunkulu wethu njalo singaboni umlilo omkhulu futhi, ngoba singafa.’
As thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the assembly was gathered together, and saidst: Let me not hear any more the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see any more this exceeding great fire, lest I die.
17 UThixo wathi kimi: ‘Lokho abakutshoyo kuhle.
And the Lord said to me: They have spoken all things well.
18 Ngizabavezela umphrofethi onjengawe phakathi kwabafowabo; ngizamfunza amazwi ami, yena nguye ozabatshela konke engizamlaya ngakho.
I will raise them up a prophet out of the midst of their brethren like to thee: and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him.
19 Nxa loba ngubani ongayikulalela amazwi ami azakhulunywa ngumphrofethi ngebizo lami, mina ngokwami yimi engizamelana laye.
And he that will not hear his words, which he shall speak in my name, I will be the revenger.
20 Kodwa-ke umphrofethi ozenza okhuluma amazwi ami wona kungesiwo engimlaye ngawo ukuba awatsho, loba umphrofethi okhuluma ngebizo labanye onkulunkulu, kumele abulawe.’
But the prophet, who being corrupted with pride, shall speak in my name things that I did not command him to say, or in the name of strange gods, shall be slain.
21 Lingazitshela lokhu lithi, ‘Singakwazi njani ukuthi lelilizwi kaliveli kuThixo na?’
And if in silent thought thou answer: How shall I know the word that the Lord hath not spoken?
22 Nxa lokho okumenyezelwa ngumphrofethi ngebizo likaThixo kungenzakali loba kungagcwaliseki, lokho kuyilizwi eliyabe lingaveli kuThixo. Lowo mphrofethi uyabe ekhuluma ize. Lingamesabi.”
Thou shalt have this sign: Whatsoever that same prophet foretelleth in the name of the Lord, and it cometh not to pass: that thing the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath forged it by the pride of his mind: and therefore thou shalt not fear him.
