< U-Eksodusi 3 >

1 Kwathi uMosi eselusa izimvu zikayisezala uJethro, umphristi waseMidiyani, waseqhuba izimvu zaya kude ohlangothini lwenkangala wasefika eHorebhi, intaba kaNkulunkulu.
Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, [even] to Horeb.
2 Lapho-ke ingilosi kaThixo yabonakala kuye iphakathi kwamalangabi omlilo esixukwini. UMosi wabona ukuthi loba isixuku sasibhebha kasizange sitshe.
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush [was] not consumed.
3 Ngakho uMosi wacabanga esithi, “Ngizasondela ngiyebona isimanga lesi ukuba kungani isixuku singatshi silothe.”
And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
4 Kwathi uThixo ebona ukuthi usesondele ukuba ayekhangela, uNkulunkulu wasememeza ngelizwi elaliphuma kulesosixuku wathi, “Mosi! Mosi!” UMosi wathi, “Ngilapha.”
And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here [am] I.
5 UNkulunkulu wathi, “Ungasondeli. Khupha amanyathela akho, ngoba indawo omi kuyo ingumhlabathi ongcwele.”
And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy ground.
6 Wasesithi njalo, “NginguNkulunkulu kayihlo, uNkulunkulu ka-Abhrahama, uNkulunkulu ka-Isaka loNkulunkulu kaJakhobe.” Ngalokhu, uMosi wafihla ubuso bakhe ngoba wayesesaba ukukhangela uNkulunkulu.
Moreover he said, I [am] the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
7 UThixo wasesithi, “Impela ngilubonile usizi lwabantu bami eGibhithe. Ngibazwile bekhala ngenxa yezinduna zezigqili ezibancindezelayo, njalo ngiyakhathazeka ngokuhlupheka kwabo.
And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
8 Ngakho ngehlile ukuzabakhulula ezandleni zamaGibhithe ngibakhuphe kulelolizwe ngibase elizweni elilendawo enengi, ilizwe eligeleza uchago loluju, endaweni yamaKhenani, amaHithi, ama-Amori, amaPherizi, amaHivi lamaJebusi.
And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
9 Ukukhala kwabako-Israyeli sekufikile kimi, njalo sengibonile lendlela amaGibhithe ababahlukuluza ngayo.
Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
10 Ngakho suka uhambe. Ngikuthuma kuFaro ukuthi uyekhupha abantu bami abako-Israyeli elizweni laseGibhithe.”
Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
11 Kodwa uMosi wathi kuNkulunkulu, “Kambe ngingubani ukuba ngiye kuFaro ukuyakhupha abako-Israyeli elizweni laseGibhithe na?”
And Moses said unto God, Who [am] I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
12 UNkulunkulu wasesithi, “Ngizakuba lawe. Lesi sizakuba yisibonakaliso sokuthi yimi engikuthumileyo: Nxa usubakhuphile abantu eGibhithe, lizakhonza uNkulunkulu kuyonale intaba.”
And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this [shall be] a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.
13 UMosi wathi kuNkulunkulu, “Aluba ngifika kwabako-Israyeli ngithi kubo, ‘UNkulunkulu waboyihlo ungithumile kini,’ besebengibuza bathi, ‘Ungubani ibizo lakhe?’ Ngizakuthini kubo?”
And Moses said unto God, Behold, [when] I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What [is] his name? what shall I say unto them?
14 UNkulunkulu wathi kuMosi, “Nginguye Onguye. Lokhu yikho ozakutsho kwabako-Israyeli ukuthi, ‘Unguye ungithumile kini.’”
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
15 UNkulunkulu wabuye wathi kuMosi, “Tshono kwabako-Israyeli uthi, ‘uThixo, uNkulunkulu waboyihlo, uNkulunkulu ka-Abhrahama, uNkulunkulu ka-Isaka, loNkulunkulu kaJakhobe ungithumile kini.’ Leli libizo lami laphakade, ibizo engizakhunjulwa ngalo kusukela kusizukulwane kusiya kwesinye isizukulwane.
And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this [is] my name for ever, and this [is] my memorial unto all generations.
16 Hamba uyebuthanisa abadala bako-Israyeli uthi kubo, ‘uThixo, uNkulunkulu waboyihlo, uNkulunkulu ka-Abhrahama, ka-Isaka loJakhobe, ubonakele kimi wathi: Bengilikhangele njalo ngikubonile okwenziwe kini eGibhithe.
Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and [seen] that which is done to you in Egypt:
17 Futhi ngithembisile ukulikhupha osizini lwenu elikulo eGibhithe ngilise elizweni lamaKhenani, amaHithi, ama-Amori, amaPherizi, amaHivi lamaJebusi, ilizwe eligeleza uchago loluju.’
And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.
18 Abadala bako-Israyeli bazakulalela. Kuzakuthi wena kanye labadala liye enkosini yaseGibhithe lithi kuyo, ‘uThixo, uNkulunkulu wamaHebheru uhlangane lathi. Sivumele sithathe uhambo lwezinsuku ezintathu siye enkangala ukuyanikela imihlatshelo kuThixo uNkulunkulu wethu.’
And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.
19 Kodwa ngiyakwazi ukuthi inkosi yaseGibhithe ayiyikulivumela ukuthi lihambe ngaphandle kokuba incindezelwe yisandla esilamandla.
And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.
20 Ngakho ngizakwelula isandla sami ngiwatshaye amaGibhithe ngazozonke izimanga engizazenza phakathi kwawo. Ngemva kwalokho, izalivumela lihambe.
And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.
21 Njalo ngizakwenza amaGibhithe abe lomusa kulababantu, ukuze kuthi mhla lisuka lingahambi lingaphethe lutho.
And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:
22 Wonke owesifazane kacele kumakhelwane wakhe lakuye wonke owesifazane ohlala endlini yakhe izinto eziligugu ezenziwe ngesiliva legolide kanye lezigqoko ezizagqokwa ngamadodana lamadodakazi enu. Ngaleyondlela lizawemuka impahla amaGibhithe.”
But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put [them] upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

< U-Eksodusi 3 >