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.’
Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Go from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt. Go to the land about which I made an oath to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.'
2 Ngizathuma ingilosi ihambe phambi kwakho ixotshe amaKhenani, ama-Amori, amaHithi, amaPherizi, amaHivi lamaJebusi.
I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
3 Yana elizweni eligeleza uchago loluju. Kodwa mina angiyikuhamba lani ngoba lingabantu abantamo zilukhuni, hlezi ngilibhubhise endleleni.”
Go to that land, which is flowing with milk and honey, but I will not go up with you, because you are a stubborn people. I might destroy you on the way.”
4 Kwathi lapho abantu sebezwe amazwi la adabukisayo baqalisa ukukhala, akwaze kwaba loyedwa owagqiza izigqizo zakhe.
When the people heard these troubling words, they mourned, and no one put on any jewelry.
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.’”
Yahweh had said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, 'You are a stubborn people. If I went among you for even one moment, I would destroy you. So now, take off your jewelry so that I may decide what to do with you.'”
6 Ngakho-ke abako-Israyeli bazikhipha izigqizo zabo entabeni yeHorebhi.
So the Israelites wore no jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.
7 UMosi wayejwayele ukuthatha ithente ayelimisa ngaphandle bucwadlana lezihonqo. Walibiza ngokuthi “lithente lokuhlangana.” Ubani lobani owayedinga uThixo wayesiya ethenteni lokuhlangana ngaphandle kwezihonqo.
Moses took a tent and pitched it outside the camp, some distance from the camp. He called it the tent of meeting. Everyone who asked Yahweh for anything went out to the tent of meeting, outside the camp.
8 Kwakusithi-ke lapho uMosi ephuma esiya kulelothente abantu bonke babesukuma bame eminyango yamathente abo bakhangele uMosi aze angene ethenteni.
When Moses would go out to the tent, all the people would stand up at their tent entrances and look at Moses until he had gone inside.
9 Kwakusithi uMosi esengena ethenteni insika yeyezi yehlele phansi ime emnyango wethente lapho uThixo ekhuluma loMosi.
Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stand at the tent entrance, and Yahweh would speak with Moses.
10 Kwakusithi abantu bangabona insika yeyezi isimi emnyango wethente basukume bonke bakhonze; lowo lalowo emnyango wethente lakhe.
Whenever all the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the entrance to the tent, they would get up and worship, every man at his own tent entrance.
11 UThixo wayekhuluma loMosi ubuso ngobuso njengomuntu ekhuluma lomngane wakhe. Ngemva kwalokho uMosi wayebuyela ezihonqweni, kodwa umncedisi wakhe owayesesemncane, uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, wayengasuki ethenteni.
Yahweh would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua son of Nun, a young man, would stay in the tent.
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.’
Moses said to Yahweh, “See, you have been saying to me, 'Take this people on their journey,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my eyes.'
13 Nxa uthokoza ngami, ngifundisa izindlela zakho ukuze ngikwazi, ngiqhubeke ngithola umusa kuwe. Khumbula futhi lokuthi isizwe lesi singabantu bakho.”
Now if I have found favor in your eyes, show me your ways so that I may know you and continue to find favor in your eyes. Remember that this nation is your people.”
14 UThixo waphendula wathi, “NgoBukhona bami ngizahamba lawe ngikuphumuze.”
Yahweh answered, “My own presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
15 UMosi wathi kuye, “Nxa uBukhona bakho bungahambi lathi, ungasisusi lapha.
Moses said to him, “If your presence does not go with us, do not take us up from here.
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 otherwise, how will it be known that I have found favor in your eyes, I and your people? Will it not only be if you go with us so that I and your people are different from all the other peoples that are on the surface of the earth?”
17 UThixo wathi kuMosi, “Ngizakwenza khona kanye lokhu okucelileyo ngoba ngiyathokoza ngawe, njalo ngikwazi ngebizo.”
Yahweh said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have requested, for you have found favor in my eyes, and I know you by name.”
18 UMosi wasesithi, “Ngicela ukuba ungitshengise inkazimulo yakho.”
Moses said, “Please show me your 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.”
Yahweh said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim my name 'Yahweh' before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”
20 UThixo waqhubeka wathi, “Kodwa, ubuso bami awungeke ububone, ngoba kakho ongangibona aphile.”
But Yahweh said, “You may not see my face, for no one can see me and live.”
21 UThixo wabuya wathi, “Kulendawo phansi kwami lapho ongema khona phezu kwedwala.
Yahweh said, “See, here is a place by me; you will stand on this rock.
22 Kuzakuthi lapho inkazimulo yami isedlula eduze, ngizakufaka emnkenkeni wedwala ngikusithe ngesandla sami ngize ngidlule.
While my glory passes by, I will put you in a crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.
23 Emva kwalokho ngizasusa isandla sami ubone umhlane wami; kodwa ubuso bami akumelanga ububone.”
Then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back, but my face will not be seen.”
