< U-Eksodusi 1 >
1 La ngamabizo amadodana ka-Israyeli aya eGibhithe loJakhobe, munye ngamunye lemuli yakhe:
2 uRubheni, uSimiyoni, uLevi loJuda;
3 u-Isakhari, uZebhuluni loBhenjamini,
4 uDani loNafithali; uGadi lo-Asheri.
5 Inzalo yonke kaJakhobe yayingamatshumi ayisikhombisa. UJosefa wayevele eseseGibhithe.
6 Kwathi uJosefa labo bonke abafowabo kanye lasosonke lesosizukulwane sebefile,
7 abako-Israyeli bazalana banda kakhulu, okokuthi ilizwe lonke lagcwala ngabo.
8 Kwasekusiba lenye inkosi eyayingazi lutho ngoJosefa, yaba ngumbusi eGibhithe.
9 Yathi ebantwini bayo, “Khangelani, abantu bako-Israyeli sebebanengi kakhulu kulathi.
10 Asiboneni amacebo esingawenza ngabo funa bande kakhulu kuthi lapho kuqhamuka impi, babambane lezitha zethu, balwe lathi, besebesuka elizweni.”
11 Ngakho babeka izinduna zezigqili ukuthi zibasebenzise kanzima, bakha iPhithomi leRamesesi aba ngamadolobho eziphala zikaFaro.
12 Kodwa kwathi ngokuhlutshwa kwabo ngamandla, labo banda kakhulu basabalala; okwenza amaGibhithe abesaba abako-Israyeli
13 asebasebenzisa ngochuku.
14 Enza impilo yabo yaba nzima kakhulu betshaya izitina lokuvoxa udaka besenza leminye yonke imisebenzi yemasimini. Kuyo yonke imisebenzi enzima amaGibhithe abasebenzisa ngochuku.
15 Inkosi yaseGibhithe yathi kubabelethisi bamaHebheru okwakuthiwa nguShifira loPhuwa,
16 “Nxa libelethisa abafazi bamaHebheru, lingabona kuzelwe umfana kufanele limbulale; kodwa nxa kuyinkazana, liyiyekele iphile.”
17 Kodwa ababelethisi babemesaba uNkulunkulu, ngakho abakwenzanga lokho ababekutshelwe yinkosi yaseGibhithe.
18 Sekube njalo, inkosi yaseGibhithe yababiza ababelethisi yathi kubo, “Kungani lenze lokhu? Kungani liyekele abafana baphila?”
19 Ababelethisi bamphendula uFaro bathi, “Abafazi bamaHebheru abafani labafazi bamaGibhithe; balamandla baphanga babelethe ababelethisi bengakafiki.”
20 Ngakho uNkulunkulu waba lomusa kubo ababelethisi, abantu banda baba banengi kakhulu.
21 Njalo njengoba ababelethisi bamesaba uNkulunkulu, wabapha ezabo izimuli.
22 UFaro wasesipha abantu bakhe bonke umlayo othi: “Wonke umfana womHebheru ozalwayo kufanele aphoselwe emfuleni uNayili, kodwa wonke amankazana liwayekele aphile.”
