U-Eksodusi 33
1 UThixo wasesithi kuMosi, “Suka kule indawo wena labantu owabakhupha elizweni laseGibhithe, uye elizweni engalithembisa u-Abhrahama lo-Isaka loJakhobe ngifunga ngisithi, ‘Ngizalinika inzalo yakho.’
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: God, get thee up from this place, thou and thy people which thou has brought out of the land of Egypt, into the land concerning which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: To thy seed I will give it.
2 Ngizathuma ingilosi ihambe phambi kwakho ixotshe amaKhenani, ama-Amori, amaHithi, amaPherizi, amaHivi lamaJebusi.
And I will send an angel before thee, that I may cast out the Chanaanite, and the Amorrhite, and the Hethite, and the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite.
3 Yana elizweni eligeleza uchago loluju. Kodwa mina angiyikuhamba lani ngoba lingabantu abantamo zilukhuni, hlezi ngilibhubhise endleleni.”
That thou mayst enter into the land that floweth with milk and honey. For I will not go up with thee, because thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I destroy thee in the way.
4 Kwathi lapho abantu sebezwe amazwi la adabukisayo baqalisa ukukhala, akwaze kwaba loyedwa owagqiza izigqizo zakhe.
And the people hearing these very bad tidings, mourned: and no man put on his ornaments according to custom.
5 Phela uThixo wayethe kuMosi, “Tshela abako-Israyeli uthi, ‘Lina lingabantu abantamo zilukhuni. Nxa ngingahamba lani loba okomzuzwana nje, ngingalibhubhisa. Khathesi khululani izigqizo zenu; ngizakwenza isinqumo ukuthi ngenzeni ngani.’”
And the Lord said to Moses: Say to the children of Israel: Thou are a stiffnecked people; once I shall come up in the midst of thee, and shall destroy thee. Now presently lay aside thy ornaments, that I may know what to do with thee.
6 Ngakho-ke abako-Israyeli bazikhipha izigqizo zabo entabeni yeHorebhi.
So the children of Israel laid aside their ornaments by mount Horeb.
7 UMosi wayejwayele ukuthatha ithente ayelimisa ngaphandle bucwadlana lezihonqo. Walibiza ngokuthi “lithente lokuhlangana.” Ubani lobani owayedinga uThixo wayesiya ethenteni lokuhlangana ngaphandle kwezihonqo.
Moses also taking the tabernacle, pitched it without the camp afar off, and called the name thereof, The tabernacle of the covenant. And all the people that had any question, went forth to the tabernacle of the covenant, without the camp.
8 Kwakusithi-ke lapho uMosi ephuma esiya kulelothente abantu bonke babesukuma bame eminyango yamathente abo bakhangele uMosi aze angene ethenteni.
And when Moses went forth to the tabernacle, all the people rose up, and every one stood in the door of his pavilion, and they beheld the back of Moses, till he went into the tabernacle.
9 Kwakusithi uMosi esengena ethenteni insika yeyezi yehlele phansi ime emnyango wethente lapho uThixo ekhuluma loMosi.
And when he was gone into the tabernacle of the covenant, the pillar of the cloud came down, and stood at the door, and he spoke with Moses.
10 Kwakusithi abantu bangabona insika yeyezi isimi emnyango wethente basukume bonke bakhonze; lowo lalowo emnyango wethente lakhe.
And all saw that the pillar of the cloud stood at the door of the tabernacle. And they stood, and worshipped at the doors of their tents.
11 UThixo wayekhuluma loMosi ubuso ngobuso njengomuntu ekhuluma lomngane wakhe. Ngemva kwalokho uMosi wayebuyela ezihonqweni, kodwa umncedisi wakhe owayesesemncane, uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, wayengasuki ethenteni.
And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man is wont to speak to his friend. And when he returned into the camp, his servant Josue the son of Nun, a young man, departed not from the tabernacle.
12 UMosi wathi kuThixo, “Ubulokhu ungitshela usithi, ‘Khokhela abantu laba,’ kodwa kawungazisanga ukuthi ngubani ozamthuma ukuba ahambe lami. Utshilo wathi, ‘Ngiyakwazi ngebizo, njalo ufumene umusa kimi.’
And Moses said to the Lord; Thou commandest me to lead forth this people: and thou dost not let me know whom thou wilt send with me, especially whereas thou hast said: I know thee by name, and thou hast found favour in my sight.
13 Nxa uthokoza ngami, ngifundisa izindlela zakho ukuze ngikwazi, ngiqhubeke ngithola umusa kuwe. Khumbula futhi lokuthi isizwe lesi singabantu bakho.”
If therefore I have found favour in thy sight, show me thy face, that I may know thee, and may find grace before thy eyes: look upon thy people this nation.
14 UThixo waphendula wathi, “NgoBukhona bami ngizahamba lawe ngikuphumuze.”
And the Lord said: My face shall go before thee, and I will give thee rest.
15 UMosi wathi kuye, “Nxa uBukhona bakho bungahambi lathi, ungasisusi lapha.
And Moses said: If thou thyself dost not go before, bring us not out of this place.
16 Umuntu angakwazi njani ukuthi mina labantu bakho sifumene umusa kuwe ngaphandle kokuba uhamba lathi na? Kuyini okunye okungasiphawula, mina labantu bakho, kwabanye abantu bonke emhlabeni na?”
For how shall we be able to know, I and thy people, that we have found grace in thy sight, unless thou walk with us, that we may be glorified by all people that dwell upon the earth?
17 UThixo wathi kuMosi, “Ngizakwenza khona kanye lokhu okucelileyo ngoba ngiyathokoza ngawe, njalo ngikwazi ngebizo.”
And the Lord said to Moses: This word also, which thou hast spoken, will I do: for thou hast found grace before me, and thee I have known by name.
18 UMosi wasesithi, “Ngicela ukuba ungitshengise inkazimulo yakho.”
And he said: Shew me thy glory.
19 UThixo wasesithi, “Ngizakwenza ukulunga kwami kudlule phambi kwakho, njalo ngizamemezela ibizo lami, uThixo, phambi kwakho. Ngizakuba lesihawu kulowo engizakuba lesihawu kuye njalo ngibe lesisa kulowo engizakuba lesisa kuye.”
He answered: I will shew thee all good, and I will proclaim in the name of the Lord before thee: and I will have mercy on whom I will, and I will be merciful to whom it shall please me.
20 UThixo waqhubeka wathi, “Kodwa, ubuso bami awungeke ububone, ngoba kakho ongangibona aphile.”
And again he said: Thou canst not see my face: for man shall not see me and live.
21 UThixo wabuya wathi, “Kulendawo phansi kwami lapho ongema khona phezu kwedwala.
And again he said: Behold there is a place with me, and thou shalt stand upon the rock.
22 Kuzakuthi lapho inkazimulo yami isedlula eduze, ngizakufaka emnkenkeni wedwala ngikusithe ngesandla sami ngize ngidlule.
And when my glory shall pass, I will set thee in a hole of the rock, and protect thee with my right hand, till I pass:
23 Emva kwalokho ngizasusa isandla sami ubone umhlane wami; kodwa ubuso bami akumelanga ububone.”
And I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face thou canst not see.
