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.

2 Abayikuba lelifa phakathi kwabafowabo; uThixo uyilifa labo, njengokuthembisa kwakhe.

3 Le yiyo ingxenye yabaphristi ezavela emihlatshelweni yabantu eyenkunzi loba eyemvu: umkhono, inhloko kanye lezangaphakathi.

4 Kufanele libaphe izithelo zakuqala zamabele enu, iwayini elitsha lamafutha, uboya bakuqala ekugundweni kwezimvu zenu,

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.

6 Nxa umLevi angasuka kwelinye lamadolobho enu loba kungaphi kwelabako-Israyeli lapho abehlala khona, abeseziletha ngokuzimisela endaweni ezakhethwa nguThixo,

7 angenza umsebenzi wokukhonza ebizweni likaThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe njengabo bonke abafowabo abangabaLevi abasebenzela khonapho phambi kukaThixo.

8 Uzakwabelana labanye bakhe ngokulinganayo kulokho abakuzuzayo, lanxa yena esezuze imali ekuthengisweni kwempahla yakwabo.”

9 “Lapho selingena elizweni uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinika lona, lingabozifundisa ukulingisa izenzo ezinengekayo zezinye izizwe khonale.

10 Akungabi lamuntu phakathi kwenu ozakwenza umhlatshelo ngendodana yakhe loba indodakazi yakhe ngomlilo, kangabi ovumisayo loba ochasisa ngemibono, ochasisa imilingo njalo oyenza okuphathelane lobuthakathi,

11 ophosayo, loba isanuse loba isangoma loba obuza kwabafileyo.

12 Loba ngubani owenza lezizinto uyisinengiso kuThixo, kanti njalo ngenxa yezenzo lezi ezinengekayo uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu azazixotsha phambi kwenu lezizizwe.

13 Kumele libemsulwa phambi kukaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.”

14 “Izizwe elizazithathela ilizwe zilalela okwalabo abathakathayo labavumisayo. Kodwa lina, uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu kalivumeli ukukwenza lokho.

15 UThixo uNkulunkulu wenu uzalivusela umphrofethi phakathi kwabafowenu njengami. Libomlalela.

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.’

17 UThixo wathi kimi: ‘Lokho abakutshoyo kuhle.

18 Ngizabavezela umphrofethi onjengawe phakathi kwabafowabo; ngizamfunza amazwi ami, yena nguye ozabatshela konke engizamlaya ngakho.

19 Nxa loba ngubani ongayikulalela amazwi ami azakhulunywa ngumphrofethi ngebizo lami, mina ngokwami yimi engizamelana laye.

20 Kodwa-ke umphrofethi ozenza okhuluma amazwi ami wona kungesiwo engimlaye ngawo ukuba awatsho, loba umphrofethi okhuluma ngebizo labanye onkulunkulu, kumele abulawe.’

21 Lingazitshela lokhu lithi, ‘Singakwazi njani ukuthi lelilizwi kaliveli kuThixo na?’

22 Nxa lokho okumenyezelwa ngumphrofethi ngebizo likaThixo kungenzakali loba kungagcwaliseki, lokho kuyilizwi eliyabe lingaveli kuThixo. Lowo mphrofethi uyabe ekhuluma ize. Lingamesabi.”