U-Eksodusi 19
1 Ngosuku olufanayo, emva kwezinyanga ezintathu abantu bako-Israyeli besuke eGibhithe bafika enkangala yeSinayi.
In the third month of the departure of Israel from the land of Egypt, in that day, they arrived in the wilderness of Sinai.
2 Sebesukile eRefidimu bangena enkangala yeSinayi bamisa amathente abo phansi kwentaba.
Thus, setting out from Raphidim, and going directly to the desert of Sinai, they encamped in the same place, and there Israel pitched their tents away from the region of the mountain.
3 Lapho-ke uMosi wakhuphukela kuNkulunkulu entabeni, uThixo esentabeni wabiza uMosi wathi kuye, “Tshela abantu bendlu kaJakhobe labantu bako-Israyeli, uthi
Then Moses ascended to God. And the Lord called to him from the mountain, and he said: “This you shall say to the house of Jacob, and announce to the sons of Israel:
4 ‘Lina ngokwenu lizibonele engikwenze eGibhithe lokuthi ngilithwele ngamaphiko okhozi ngaliletha lapha kimi.
‘You have seen what I have done to the Egyptians, in what way I carried you upon the wings of eagles and how I have taken you for myself.
5 Ngakho-ke lingangilalela ligcine isivumelwano sami lani lizakuba ligugu kimi phakathi kwezizwe zonke. Lanxa umhlaba wonke ungowami,
If, therefore, you will hear my voice, and you will keep my covenant, you will be to me a particular possession out of all people. For all the earth is mine.
6 lina kimi lizakuba ngumbuso wabaphristi lesizwe esingcwele.’ Yiwo amazwi okumele uwakhulume kwabako-Israyeli.”
And you will be to me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you will speak to the sons of Israel.”
7 UMosi wabuyela ebantwini, wafika wabuthanisa abakhokheli babantu wabatshela okwakutshiwo nguThixo.
Moses went, and calling together those greater by birth among the people, he set forth all the words which the Lord had commanded.
8 Bonke bavuma ngalizwi linye bathi, “Sizakwenza konke uThixo athe sikwenze.” UMosi wambikela uThixo okwakukhulunywe ngabantu.
And all the people responded together: “Everything that the Lord has spoken, we shall do.” And when Moses had related the words of the people to the Lord,
9 UThixo wasesithi kuMosi, “Ngizakuza kini nginjengeyezi elimnyama ukuze abantu bangizwe ngikhuluma lawe. Ngakho ngezikhathi zonke bazakholwa kuwe.” UMosi watshela uThixo okwakutshiwo ngabantu.
the Lord said to him: “Soon now, I will come to you in the mist of a cloud, so that the people may hear me speaking to you, and so that they may believe you continuously.” Therefore, Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord,
10 Ngakho uThixo wathi kuMosi, “Buyela ebantwini ubangcwelise lamhla lakusasa. Batshele bagezise izigqoko zabo
who said to him: “Go to the people, and sanctify them today, and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments.
11 kuthi ngelanga lesithathu libe selilungiselele ngoba ngalelolanga uThixo uzakwehlela entabeni yeSinayi abantu bonke bekhangele.
And let them be prepared on the third day. For on the third day, the Lord will descend, in the sight of all the people, over Mount Sinai.
12 Yenzela abantu imingcele malungana lentaba, ubatshele uthi, ‘Limukani! Lingakhweli entabeni, kumbe ukufika phansi kwayo. Lowo ozasondela entabeni uzabulawa.’
And you will establish limits for the people all around, and you will say to them: ‘Take care not to ascend to the mountain, and that you do not touch its parts. All who touch the mountain, shall die a death.’
13 Ngempela uzatshaywa ngamatshe kumbe acitshwe ngemitshoko kodwa angathintwa ngesandla. Akukhathalekile ukuthi ngumuntu loba yinyamazana akusoze kuvunyelwe ukuphila. Bazakhwela entabeni kuphela nxa uphondo lwenqama selukhale isikhathi eside.”
Hands shall not touch him, but he shall be crushed with stones, or he shall be pierced through with darts. Whether it be a beast or a man, he shall not live. For when the trumpet begins to sound, perhaps they might go up toward the mountain.”
14 Ngemva kokuba uMosi esehlile entabeni waya ebantwini wabangcwelisa basebegezisa lezigqoko zabo.
And Moses came down from the mountain to the people, and he sanctified them. And when they had washed their garments,
15 Wathi ebantwini, “Lungiselelani ilanga lesithathu. Zilani omkenu.”
he said to them, “Be prepared on the third day, and do not draw near to your wives.”
16 Ekuseni ngelanga lesithathu kwaba lomdumo lombane othuthumelisayo, leyezi elikhulukazi lehlela phezu kwentaba, kwezwakala lomsindo omkhulu wecilongo. Abantu bonke ezihonqweni besaba, baqhaqhazela.
And now, the third day arrived and the morning dawned. And behold, thunders began to be heard, and also lightning flashed, and a very dense cloud covered the mountain, and the noise of the trumpet resounded vehemently. And the people who were in the camp were fearful.
17 UMosi wasebakhokhela ebasusa emathenteni ebasa kuNkulunkulu. Bafika bema ngaphansi kwentaba.
And when Moses had led them out to meet God, from the place of the camp, they stood at the base of the mountain.
18 Intaba yonke iSinayi yembeswa yintuthu ngoba uThixo wehlela phezu kwayo ngesimo somlilo. Intuthu yathunqa ngamandla isiya phezulu kungathi iphuma emphongolweni.
Then all of Mount Sinai was smoking. For the Lord had descended over it with fire, and smoke ascended from it, as from a furnace. And the entire mountain was terrible.
19 Njalo umsindo wecilongo waya ulokhu ukhula. UMosi wakhuluma, kwathi ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lamphendula.
And the sound of the trumpet gradually increased to be louder, and extended to be longer. Moses was speaking, and God was answering him.
20 UThixo wehlela phezu kwentaba iSinayi, wabizela uMosi khona. Ngakho uMosi wakhwela,
And the Lord descended over Mount Sinai, to the very top of the mountain, and he called Moses to its summit. And when he had ascended there,
21 UThixo wasesithi kuye, “Buyela phansi uyexwayisa abantu ukuba bangaqali ukweqa imingcele ukuba babone uThixo ngoba bangafa ngobunengi.
he said to him: “Descend, and call the people to witness, lest they might be willing to transgress the limits, so as to see the Lord, and a very great multitude of them might perish.
22 Labaphristi abaya kuThixo kumele bazenze babengcwele, funa uThixo ababhubhise.”
Likewise, the priests who approach toward the Lord, let them be sanctified, lest he strike them down.”
23 UMosi wathi kuThixo, “Akulamuntu ongakhwela entabeni yeSinayi ngoba wena ngokwakho wathi bangakwenzi lokho. Uthe ngenze imingcele egombolozela intaba ngitshele abantu bangasondeli kuyo ngoba ingcwele.”
And Moses said to the Lord: “The people are not able to ascend to Mount Sinai. For you testified, and you commanded, saying: ‘Set limits around the mountain, and sanctify it.’”
24 Kodwa uThixo wathi, “Yehla uyebuya lo-Aroni. Kodwa abaphristi labantu akumelanga ukuba beqe imingcele besiza lapho ngoba ngingabaphendukela.”
And the Lord said to him, “Go, descend. And you shall ascend, and Aaron with you. But let not the priests or the people transgress the limits, nor ascend to the Lord, lest perhaps he may put them to death.”
25 Ngakho uMosi wehla waya ebantwini wabatshela.
And Moses descended to the people, and he explained everything to them.
