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.’”
After these things Moses and Aaron went in, and said to Pharao: Thus saith the Lord God of Israel: Let my people go that they may sacrifice to me in the desert.
2 UFaro wathi, “Ungubani uThixo okufanele ngimlalele ngivumele abako-Israyeli ukuba bahambe na? Mina kangimazi uThixo, njalo kangiyikubavumela abako-Israyeli ukuba bahambe.”
But he answered: Who is the Lord, that I should hear his voice, and let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I 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 said: The God of the Hebrews hath called us, to go three days’ journey into the wilderness and to sacrifice to the Lord our God: lest a pestilence or the sword fall upon us.
4 Kodwa inkosi yaseGibhithe yathi, “Mosi lo-Aroni, kungani lisusa abantu emsebenzini wabo? Buyelani emisebenzini yenu.”
The king of Egypt said to them: Why do you Moses and Aaron draw off the people from their works? Get you gone to your burdens.
5 UFaro wasesithi, “Khangelani abantu sebebanengi elizweni, kodwa lina liyabamisa ukusebenza.”
And Pharao said: The people of the land is numerous: you see that the multitude is increased: how much more if you give them rest from their works?
6 Ngalelolanga uFaro wathumela lelilizwi ezinduneni zezigqili ezazisebenzisa abantu wathi:
Therefore he commanded the same day the overseers of the works, and the taskmasters of the people, saying:
7 “Lingabe lisabapha abantu utshani bokwenza izitina. Yekelani bayezidingela utshani babo kodwa lingehlisi inani lezitina okumele bazenze.
You shall give straw no more to the people to make brick, as before: but let them go and gather straw.
8 Kumele ukuthi batshaye inani abebelitshaya. Bangamavila, yikho besuka bakhale besithi, ‘Kasihambeni siyenikela kuNkulunkulu wethu.’
And you shall lay upon them the task of bricks, which they did before, neither shall you diminish any thing thereof: for they are idle, and therefore they cry, saying: Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
9 Yenzani umsebenzi ubenzima kwabesilisa ukuze baqhubekele phambili ngomsebenzi batshiyane lokulalela amanga.”
Let them be oppressed, with works, and let them fulfill them: that they may not regard lying words.
10 Izinduna zezigqili kanye labaphathi baphuma bayatshela abantu bathi, “Nanku esikulaywe nguFaro, uthi, ‘Kangisoze ngilinike utshani futhi.
And the overseers of the works and the taskmasters went out and said to the people: Thus saith Pharao, I allow you no straw:
11 Hambani liyesika utshani lapho elingabuthola khona. Kodwa umsebenzi wenu kawusoze uphungulwe lakancinyane.’”
Go, and gather it where you can find it: neither shall any thing of your work be diminished.
12 Ngakho abantu bahlakazeka kulolonke elaseGibhithe, besika imihlanga ukuze bayisebenzise esikhundleni sotshani.
And the people was scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather straw.
13 Izinduna zezigqili zaqhubeka zibakhahlameza zisithi, “Qedani imisebenzi yansuku zonke njengalokho elalikwenza lisazuza utshani.”
And the overseers of the works pressed them, saying: Fulfill your work every day as before you were wont to do when straw was given you.
14 Abaphathi bezisebenzi bako-Israyeli ababekhethwe yizinduna zezigqili zikaFaro batshaywa bebuzwa ukuthi, “Kungani inani lezolo lelanamuhla lingenelanga njengakuqala?”
And they that were over the works of the children of Israel were scourged by Pharao’s taskmasters, saying: Why have you not made up the task of bricks both yesterday and today as before?
15 Ngakho abaphathi bezisebenzi bako-Israyeli baya kuFaro bamncenga besithi, “Kungani uphatha izisebenzi zakho ngale indlela?
And the officers of the children of Israel came, and cried out to Pharao, saying: Why dealest thou so with thy servants?
16 Izisebenzi zakho kazinikwa utshani, kodwa sitshelwa ukuthi, ‘Tshayani izitina!’ Izisebenzi zakho ziyatshaywa, kodwa umlandu ngowabantu bakho.”
Straw is not given us, and bricks are required of us as before: behold we thy servants are beaten with whips, and thy people is unjustly dealt withal.
17 UFaro wathi, “Mavila, yikho eliyikho, mavila! Yikho lihlala lisithi, ‘Siyekele siyenikela kuThixo.’
And he said: You are idle, and therefore you say: Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.
18 Buyelani emsebenzini. Akulatshani elizabuphiwa. Kodwa kumele lenze izitina ezifika inani ebelivele lilenza.”
Go therefore, and work: straw shall not be given you, and you shall deliver the accustomed number of bricks.
19 Abaphathi bezisebenzi bako-Israyeli bananzelela ukuthi babesebunzimeni obukhulu baze batshelwe ukuthi, “Kakumelanga lehlise inani lezitina okumele lilenze nsuku zonke.”
And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in evil case, because it was said to them: There shall not a whit be diminished of the bricks for every day.
20 Sebesukile kuFaro, bafica uMosi lo-Aroni bebalindele.
And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood over against them as they came out 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 see and judge, because you have made our savour to stink before Pharao and his servants, and you have given him a sword to kill us.
22 UMosi wabuyela kuThixo wathi kuye, “Thixo, kungani ulethe uhlupho ebantwini laba? Yiso yini isizatho sokungithuma.
And Moses returned to the Lord, and said: Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? wherefore hast thou sent me?
23 Selokhu ngaya kuFaro ukuyakhuluma ngebizo lakho, uselethe uhlupho ebantwini laba, njalo kawubahlenganga abantu bakho lakancane.”
For since the time that I went in to Pharao to speak in thy name, he hath afflicted thy people: and thou hast not delivered them.
