< U-Eksodusi 5 >

1 Emva kwalokho uMosi lo-Aroni baya kuFaro. Bathi kuye, “Sikulethele ilizwi elivela kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wabantu bako-Israyeli. Uthi, ‘Vumela abantu bami bahambe, ukuze bangenzele umkhosi enkangala.’”
And after this went in Moses and Aaron to Pharao, and they said to him, These things says the Lord God of Israel, Send my people away, that they may keep a feast to me in the wilderness.
2 UFaro wathi, “Ungubani uThixo okufanele ngimlalele ngivumele abako-Israyeli ukuba bahambe na? Mina kangimazi uThixo, njalo kangiyikubavumela abako-Israyeli ukuba bahambe.”
And Pharao said, Who is he that I should listen to his voice, so that I should send away the children of Israel? I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.
3 Ngakho-ke bona bathi, “UNkulunkulu wamaHebheru ubonakele kithi. Kumele sithathe uhambo lwamalanga amathathu siye enkangala ukuze siyenikela iminikelo kuThixo uNkulunkulu wethu, funa asibulale ngemikhuhlane loba ngenkemba.”
And they say to him, The God of the Hebrews has called us to him: we will go therefore a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest at any time death or slaughter happen to us.
4 Kodwa inkosi yaseGibhithe yathi, “Mosi lo-Aroni, kungani lisusa abantu emsebenzini wabo? Buyelani emisebenzini yenu.”
And the king of Egypt said to them, Why do you, Moses and Aaron, turn the people from their works? depart each of you to your works.
5 UFaro wasesithi, “Khangelani abantu sebebanengi elizweni, kodwa lina liyabamisa ukusebenza.”
And Pharao said, Behold now, the people is very numerous; let us not then give them rest from their work.
6 Ngalelolanga uFaro wathumela lelilizwi ezinduneni zezigqili ezazisebenzisa abantu wathi:
And Pharao gave orders to the taskmasters of the people and the accountants, saying,
7 “Lingabe lisabapha abantu utshani bokwenza izitina. Yekelani bayezidingela utshani babo kodwa lingehlisi inani lezitina okumele bazenze.
You shall no longer give straw to the people for brick-making as yesterday and the third day; but let them go themselves, and collect straw for themselves.
8 Kumele ukuthi batshaye inani abebelitshaya. Bangamavila, yikho besuka bakhale besithi, ‘Kasihambeni siyenikela kuNkulunkulu wethu.’
And you shall impose on them daily the rate of brick-making which they perform: you shall not abate anything, for they are idle; therefore have they cried, saying, Let us arise and do sacrifice to our God.
9 Yenzani umsebenzi ubenzima kwabesilisa ukuze baqhubekele phambili ngomsebenzi batshiyane lokulalela amanga.”
Let the works of these men be made grievous, and let them care for these things, and not care for vain words.
10 Izinduna zezigqili kanye labaphathi baphuma bayatshela abantu bathi, “Nanku esikulaywe nguFaro, uthi, ‘Kangisoze ngilinike utshani futhi.
And the taskmasters and the accountants hastened them, and they spoke to the people, saying, thus says Pharao, I [will] give you straw no longer.
11 Hambani liyesika utshani lapho elingabuthola khona. Kodwa umsebenzi wenu kawusoze uphungulwe lakancinyane.’”
Go you, yourselves, get for yourselves straw whenever you can find it, for nothing is diminished from your rate.
12 Ngakho abantu bahlakazeka kulolonke elaseGibhithe, besika imihlanga ukuze bayisebenzise esikhundleni sotshani.
So the people were dispersed in all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw.
13 Izinduna zezigqili zaqhubeka zibakhahlameza zisithi, “Qedani imisebenzi yansuku zonke njengalokho elalikwenza lisazuza utshani.”
and the taskmasters hastened them, saying, Fulfil your regular daily tasks, even as when straw was given you.
14 Abaphathi bezisebenzi bako-Israyeli ababekhethwe yizinduna zezigqili zikaFaro batshaywa bebuzwa ukuthi, “Kungani inani lezolo lelanamuhla lingenelanga njengakuqala?”
And the accountants of the race of the children of Israel, who were set over them by the masters of Pharao, were scourged, [[and questioned, ] men] saying, Why have you not fulfilled your rates of brick work as yesterday and the third day, today also?
15 Ngakho abaphathi bezisebenzi bako-Israyeli baya kuFaro bamncenga besithi, “Kungani uphatha izisebenzi zakho ngale indlela?
And the accountants of the children of Israel went in and cried to Pharao, saying, Why do you act thus to your servants?
16 Izisebenzi zakho kazinikwa utshani, kodwa sitshelwa ukuthi, ‘Tshayani izitina!’ Izisebenzi zakho ziyatshaywa, kodwa umlandu ngowabantu bakho.”
Straw is not given to your servants, and they tell us to make brick; and behold your servants have been scourged: you will therefore injure your people.
17 UFaro wathi, “Mavila, yikho eliyikho, mavila! Yikho lihlala lisithi, ‘Siyekele siyenikela kuThixo.’
And he said to them, You are idle, you are idlers: therefore you say, Let us go [and] do sacrifice to our God.
18 Buyelani emsebenzini. Akulatshani elizabuphiwa. Kodwa kumele lenze izitina ezifika inani ebelivele lilenza.”
Now then go and work, for straw shall not be given to you, yet you shall return the rate of bricks.
19 Abaphathi bezisebenzi bako-Israyeli bananzelela ukuthi babesebunzimeni obukhulu baze batshelwe ukuthi, “Kakumelanga lehlise inani lezitina okumele lilenze nsuku zonke.”
And the accountants of the children of Israel saw themselves in an evil plight, [men] saying, You shall not fail to deliver the daily rate of the brick-making.
20 Sebesukile kuFaro, bafica uMosi lo-Aroni bebalindele.
And they met Moses and Aaron coming forth to meet them, as they came forth from Pharao.
21 Basebesithi, “uThixo kalikhangele alahlulele. Selenze ukuthi senyanyeke kuFaro lakuziphathamandla zakhe, lafaka inkemba ezandleni zabo ukuba basibulale.”
And they said to them, The Lord look upon you and judge you, for you have made our savour abominable before Pharao, and before his servants, to put a sword into his hands to kill us.
22 UMosi wabuyela kuThixo wathi kuye, “Thixo, kungani ulethe uhlupho ebantwini laba? Yiso yini isizatho sokungithuma.
And Moses turned to the Lord, and said, I pray, Lord, why have you afflicted this people? and therefore have you sent me?
23 Selokhu ngaya kuFaro ukuyakhuluma ngebizo lakho, uselethe uhlupho ebantwini laba, njalo kawubahlenganga abantu bakho lakancane.”
For from the time that I went to Pharao to speak in your name, he has afflicted this people, and you have not delivered your people.

< U-Eksodusi 5 >