U-Eksodusi 1
1 La ngamabizo amadodana ka-Israyeli aya eGibhithe loJakhobe, munye ngamunye lemuli yakhe:
These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:
2 uRubheni, uSimiyoni, uLevi loJuda;
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
3 u-Isakhari, uZebhuluni loBhenjamini,
Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;
4 uDani loNafithali; uGadi lo-Asheri.
Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.
5 Inzalo yonke kaJakhobe yayingamatshumi ayisikhombisa. UJosefa wayevele eseseGibhithe.
The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all, including Joseph, who was already in Egypt.
6 Kwathi uJosefa labo bonke abafowabo kanye lasosonke lesosizukulwane sebefile,
Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,
7 abako-Israyeli bazalana banda kakhulu, okokuthi ilizwe lonke lagcwala ngabo.
but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.
8 Kwasekusiba lenye inkosi eyayingazi lutho ngoJosefa, yaba ngumbusi eGibhithe.
Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt.
9 Yathi ebantwini bayo, “Khangelani, abantu bako-Israyeli sebebanengi kakhulu kulathi.
“Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us.
10 Asiboneni amacebo esingawenza ngabo funa bande kakhulu kuthi lapho kuqhamuka impi, babambane lezitha zethu, balwe lathi, besebesuka elizweni.”
Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.”
11 Ngakho babeka izinduna zezigqili ukuthi zibasebenzise kanzima, bakha iPhithomi leRamesesi aba ngamadolobho eziphala zikaFaro.
So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.
12 Kodwa kwathi ngokuhlutshwa kwabo ngamandla, labo banda kakhulu basabalala; okwenza amaGibhithe abesaba abako-Israyeli
But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.
13 asebasebenzisa ngochuku.
They worked the Israelites ruthlessly
14 Enza impilo yabo yaba nzima kakhulu betshaya izitina lokuvoxa udaka besenza leminye yonke imisebenzi yemasimini. Kuyo yonke imisebenzi enzima amaGibhithe abasebenzisa ngochuku.
and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.
15 Inkosi yaseGibhithe yathi kubabelethisi bamaHebheru okwakuthiwa nguShifira loPhuwa,
Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,
16 “Nxa libelethisa abafazi bamaHebheru, lingabona kuzelwe umfana kufanele limbulale; kodwa nxa kuyinkazana, liyiyekele iphile.”
“When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”
17 Kodwa ababelethisi babemesaba uNkulunkulu, ngakho abakwenzanga lokho ababekutshelwe yinkosi yaseGibhithe.
The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.
18 Sekube njalo, inkosi yaseGibhithe yababiza ababelethisi yathi kubo, “Kungani lenze lokhu? Kungani liyekele abafana baphila?”
So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”
19 Ababelethisi bamphendula uFaro bathi, “Abafazi bamaHebheru abafani labafazi bamaGibhithe; balamandla baphanga babelethe ababelethisi bengakafiki.”
The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives.”
20 Ngakho uNkulunkulu waba lomusa kubo ababelethisi, abantu banda baba banengi kakhulu.
So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous.
21 Njalo njengoba ababelethisi bamesaba uNkulunkulu, wabapha ezabo izimuli.
And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.
22 UFaro wasesipha abantu bakhe bonke umlayo othi: “Wonke umfana womHebheru ozalwayo kufanele aphoselwe emfuleni uNayili, kodwa wonke amankazana liwayekele aphile.”
Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: “Every son born to the Hebrews you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.”
