UGenesisi 8

1 Kodwa uNkulunkulu wamkhumbula uNowa lazozonke izinyamazana zeganga lezifuyo ezazilaye emkhunjini, wasethumela umoya emhlabeni, amanzi asesentsha.

2 Manje imithombo yolwandle lamasango amanzi asemazulwini kwasekuvaliwe, lezulu laselisile emkhathini.

3 Amanzi entsha kancanekancane emhlabeni. Ekupheleni kwensuku ezilikhulu lamatshumi amahlanu amanzi ayesentshile,

4 kwathi ngosuku lwetshumi lesikhombisa lwenyanga yesikhombisa umkhumbi wayakuma phezu kwezintaba zase-Ararathi.

5 Amanzi aqhubeka esentsha kwaze kwaba yinyanga yetshumi, kwathi ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yetshumi iziqongo zezintaba zaqala ukubonakala.

6 Ngemva kwensuku ezingamatshumi amane uNowa wavula iwindi ayelenzile emkhunjini

7 wathuma iwabayi, lazulazula emoyeni amanzi aze atsha emhlabeni.

8 Wasethuma ijuba ukuthi abone ingabe amanzi ayesephelile emhlabathini.

9 Kodwa ijuba laswela indawo yokubeka unyawo ngoba kwakulamanzi yonke indawo phezu komhlaba; ngakho labuyela kuNowa emkhunjini. Wakhupha isandla walamukela ijuba walibuyisa kuye emkhunjini.

10 Walinda okwezinye insuku eziyisikhombisa waphinda walithuma ijuba lisuka emkhunjini.

11 Kwathi ijuba selibuya kuye ntambama, laliphethe ngomlomo walo ihlamvu lesihlahla se-oliva elalisanda kukhiwa! UNowa wahle wazi ukuthi amanzi ayesehlile kakhulu emhlabeni.

12 Walinda okwezinye insuku eziyisikhombisa walithuma ijuba njalo, kodwa ngalesi isikhathi kalisabuyanga kuye.

13 Ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga yokuqala yomnyaka wamakhulu ayisithupha lanye wokuphila kukaNowa, amanzi ayesomile emhlabeni. Ngakho uNowa wasesusa uphahla lomkhumbi esebona ukuthi iphansi lomhlabathi laselomile.

14 Ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili lesikhombisa lwenyanga yesibili umhlabathi wawusuwome qha.

15 UNkulunkulu wasesithi kuNowa,

16 “Phuma emkhunjini, wena lomkakho, lamadodana akho labomkabo.

17 Khupha yonke into ephilayo olayo, izinyoni, izinyamazana lazozonke izinanakazana ezihuquzela emhlabathini ukuze zande emhlabeni, zizale zande ngobunengi bazo.”

18 Ngakho uNowa wasephuma lamadodana akhe, lomkakhe kanye labomalukazana bakhe.

19 Zonke izinyamazana kanye lezinanakazana ezihuquzela emhlabathini lazozonke izinyoni, yonke into enyakazayo emhlabeni, kwaphuma emkhunjini, ngemihlobo kulandelana.

20 UNowa wasesakhela uThixo i-alithari, wathatha ezinye izinyamazana lezinyoni ezihlanzekileyo wanikela iminikelo yokutshiswa phezu kwalo.

21 UThixo wahotsha iphunga elimnandi wathi enhliziyweni yakhe: “Kangisayikuphinda ngiwuqalekise njalo umhlaba ngenxa yabantu, ngoba imicabango yenhliziyo yomuntu mibi kusukela ebuntwaneni bakhe. Njalo kangisoze lanini ngiphinde ngibhubhise zonke izidalwa eziphilayo, njengalokhu engikwenzileyo.

22 Nxa umhlaba ulokhu usekhona, isikhathi sokuhlanyela lesokuvuna, umqando lokutshisa, ihlobo lobusika, imini lobusuku kakusoze kwacina.”

A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark