< UDutheronomi 20 >
1 “Lapho liphuma ukuyakulwa lesitha senu empini libe selibona amabhiza lezinqola kanye lebutho elikhulu ukwedlula elenu, lingabesabi, ngoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, owalikhupha eGibhithe, uzakuba lani.
2 Nxa selilungele ukuhlasela, umphristi uzakuza akhulume lebutho.
3 Uzakuthi: ‘Zwana, wena Israyeli, namuhla liya ekuhlaseleni izitha zenu. Lingapheli amandla kumbe lesabe; lingatshaywa luvalo njalo lethuke phambi kwabo.
4 Ngoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu nguye ohamba lani ukuyalilwela ezitheni zenu ukuba linqobe.’
5 Izikhulu zizakuthi ebuthweni: ‘Ukhona owakhe indlu entsha ongakayihlali na? Kabuyele emzini wakhe, funa afe empini kuthi omunye asale esezihlalela endlini yakhe.
6 Ukhona ohlanyele isivini kodwa engakadli izithelo zaso na? Kabuyele emzini wakhe, funa afe empini kuthi omunye azidlele izithelo zaso.
7 Ukhona osethembise owesifazane kodwa engakamthathi ukuthi abe ngumkakhe na? Kabuyele emzini wakhe, funa afe empini kuthi omunye umuntu amthathe’
8 Izikhulu zizaqhubeka zithi, ‘Ikhona indoda eyesabayo kumbe ephelelwa ngamandla na? Kayibuyele emzini wayo ukuze abafowabo labo bangaphelelwa ngamandla.’
9 Kuzakuthi lapho izikhulu seziqedile ukukhuluma lebutho, zizakhetha abalawuli bebutho.
10 Nxa lisiya edolobheni ukuthi lihlasele, khulumani labantu bakulelodolobho lidinga ukuthula.
11 Bangavuma njalo balivulele amasango abo, bonke abantu bakulelodolobho bazakuba yizichaka zenu balisebenzele.
12 Kodwa bangala ukwamukela amazwi enu okuthula balihlasele, livimbezeleni lelodolobho.
13 Kuzakuthi lapho uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu esenikele idolobho lelo kini, libulale amadoda wonke ngenkemba.
14 Kodwa abesifazane, abantwana, izifuyo kanye lakho konke okukulelodolobho kuzakuba yimpango yenu. Yonke impango yezitha zenu uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinika yona izakuba ngeyenu.
15 Lokhu yikho okumele likwenze emadolobheni wonke akude lani njalo angasiwo ezizwe ezihlala eduzane lani.
16 Kanti-ke, emadolobheni ezizwe uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinika wona njengelifa, lingatshiyi lutho oluphefumulayo luphila.
17 Lizawabhubhisa liwaqede wonke amaHithi, ama-Amori, amaKhenani, amaPherizi, amaHivi kanye lamaJebusi njengokulaywa kwenu nguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.
18 Funa balifundise ukwenza imikhuba yabo enengekayo yokukhonza onkulunkulu babo, lone kuThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.
19 Nxa idolobho selilivimbezele okwesikhathi eside, lilihlasela ukuze lilithumbe, lingatshabalalisi izihlahla zalo ngokuzigamula, ngoba lingadla izithelo zazo. Lingazigamuli. Kambe izihlahla zeganga zingabantu ukuthi lingazivimbezela na?
20 Kodwa-ke lingagamula izihlahla elizaziyo ukuthi azitheli izithelo ezidliwayo ukuze lizisebenzise ekwakheni amadumba lize linqobe ledolobho lelo empini.”
