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 the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance.
2 Abayikuba lelifa phakathi kwabafowabo; uThixo uyilifa labo, njengokuthembisa kwakhe.
Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.
3 Le yiyo ingxenye yabaphristi ezavela emihlatshelweni yabantu eyenkunzi loba eyemvu: umkhono, inhloko kanye lezangaphakathi.
And this shall be the priest’s due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.
4 Kufanele libaphe izithelo zakuqala zamabele enu, iwayini elitsha lamafutha, uboya bakuqala ekugundweni kwezimvu zenu,
The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.
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 out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in 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,
And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the Lord shall choose;
7 angenza umsebenzi wokukhonza ebizweni likaThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe njengabo bonke abafowabo abangabaLevi abasebenzela khonapho phambi kukaThixo.
Then he shall minister in the name of the Lord his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the Lord.
8 Uzakwabelana labanye bakhe ngokulinganayo kulokho abakuzuzayo, lanxa yena esezuze imali ekuthengisweni kwempahla yakwabo.”
They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.
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 giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after 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,
There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
11 ophosayo, loba isanuse loba isangoma loba obuza kwabafileyo.
Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 Loba ngubani owenza lezizinto uyisinengiso kuThixo, kanti njalo ngenxa yezenzo lezi ezinengekayo uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu azazixotsha phambi kwenu lezizizwe.
For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
13 Kumele libemsulwa phambi kukaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.”
Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.
14 “Izizwe elizazithathela ilizwe zilalela okwalabo abathakathayo labavumisayo. Kodwa lina, uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu kalivumeli ukukwenza lokho.
For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.
15 UThixo uNkulunkulu wenu uzalivusela umphrofethi phakathi kwabafowenu njengami. Libomlalela.
The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
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.’
According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
17 UThixo wathi kimi: ‘Lokho abakutshoyo kuhle.
And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
18 Ngizabavezela umphrofethi onjengawe phakathi kwabafowabo; ngizamfunza amazwi ami, yena nguye ozabatshela konke engizamlaya ngakho.
I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
19 Nxa loba ngubani ongayikulalela amazwi ami azakhulunywa ngumphrofethi ngebizo lami, mina ngokwami yimi engizamelana laye.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
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, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
21 Lingazitshela lokhu lithi, ‘Singakwazi njani ukuthi lelilizwi kaliveli kuThixo na?’
And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which 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.”
When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
