UJoshuwa 1
1 Ngemva kokufa kukaMosi inceku kaThixo, uThixo wathi kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, umsekeli kaMosi:
Now it came to pass after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, that the Lord spoke to Josue the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, and said to him:
2 “UMosi inceku yami usefile. Ngakho-ke, wena labantu bonke laba, lungiselelani ukuchapha umfula uJodani liye elizweni esengizalinika lona, abako-Israyeli.
Moses my servant is dead: arise, and pass over this Jordan, thou and thy people with thee, into the land which I will give to the children of Israel.
3 Ngizalinika zonke izindawo lapho elizanyathela khona ngezinyawo zenu njengokuthembisa engakwenza kuMosi.
I will deliver to you every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, as I have said to Moses.
4 Ilizwe lenu lizasukela enkangala yeLebhanoni lasemfuleni omkhulu uYufrathe, ilizwe lonke lamaHithi, lize liyekhawula olwandle olukhulu entshonalanga.
From the desert and from Libanus unto the great river Euphrates, all the land of the Hethites unto the great sea toward the going; down of the sun, shall be your border.
5 Kakulamuntu ozenelisa ukumelana lani zonke insuku zokuphila kwenu. Njengoba ngangiloMosi, ngizakuba lawe; kangisoze ngikutshiye, kangisoze ngikudele.
No man shall be able to resist you all the days of thy life: as I have been with Moses, so will I be with thee: I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee.
6 Qina ube lesibindi ngenxa yokuthi uzakhokhela abantu laba ukuze bayethatha ilizwe elilifa labo engafunga kubokhokho babo ukuthi ngizabanika lona.
Take courage, and be strong: for thou shalt divide by lot to this people the land, for which I swore to their fathers, that I would deliver it to them.
7 Qina ube lesibindi. Ugcine yonke imithetho owayiphiwa nguMosi inceku yami, ungaze waphambuka kuyo uye kwesokunene kumbe kwesokhohlo ukuze uphumelele kuzozonke izindawo ozakuya kuzo.
Take courage therefore, and be very valiant: that thou mayst observe and do all the law, which Moses my servant hath commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayst understand all things which thou dost.
8 INcwadi yoMthetho le kayingasuki emlonyeni wakho, cabanga ngayo emini lebusuku ukuze unanzelele ukugcina konke okulotshwe kuyo. Ngokwena njalo uzaphumelela.
Let not the book of this law depart from thy mouth: but thou shalt meditate on it day and night, that thou mayst observe and do all things that are written in it: then shalt thou direct thy way, and understand it.
9 Angikulayanga na? Qina ube lesibindi, ungethuki njalo ungalahli ithemba, ngoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho uzakuba lawe loba kungaphi lapho oya khona.”
Behold I command thee, take courage, and be strong. Fear not and be not dismayed: because the Lord thy God is with thee in all things whatsoever thou shalt go to.
10 Ngakho-ke uJoshuwa walaya iziphathamandla zabantu wathi:
And Josue commanded the princes of the people, saying: Pass through the midst of the camp, and command the people, and say:
11 “Dabulani phakathi kwezihonqo litshele abantu ukuthi, ‘Lungisani imiphako yenu. Ensukwini ezintathu kusukela lamhla lizachapha uJodani lapha ukuze lingene liyethatha ilizwe uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinika lona ukuba libe ngelenu!’”
Prepare you victuals: for after the third day you shall pass over the Jordan and shall go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God will give you.
12 UJoshuwa wathi kwabakoRubheni, labakoGadi lengxenye yesizwana sikaManase,
And he said to the Rubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasses:
13 “Khumbulani umlayo uMosi inceku kaThixo alinika wona owokuthi: ‘UThixo uNkulunkulu wenu uzaliphumuza ngokulinika ilizwe leli.’
Remember the word, which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying: The Lord your God hath given you rest, and all this land.
14 Amakhosikazi enu, abantwabenu lezifuyo zenu zingahlala elizweni elalinikwa nguMosi empumalanga yeJodani, kodwa ibutho lenu lonke, lihlome liphelele, kumele lichaphe ngaphambi kwabafowenu. Kuzamele lincedise abafowenu,
Your wives, and children, and cattle shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan: but pass you over armed before your brethren, all of you that are strong of hand, and fight for them,
15 uThixo aze abaphumuze, njengalokho alenzele khona lina, labo baze bathathe ilizwe lelo uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu abanika lona. Ngemva kwalokho selingabuyela liyehlala elizweni lenu, uMosi inceku kaThixo alinika lona ngempumalanga yeJodani.”
Until the Lord give rest to your brethren as he hath given you, and they also possess the land which the Lord your God will give them: and so you shall return into the land of your possession, and you shall dwell in it, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun.
16 Baphendula uJoshuwa bathi, “Konke osilaya khona sizakwenza, lalapho osithuma khona sizahamba.
And they made answer to Josue, and said: All that thou hast commanded us we will do; and whithersoever thou shalt send us, we will go.
17 Njengalokhu salalela uMosi ngokupheleleyo, lawe sizakulalela. Sifisa ukuthi uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho abe lawe njengoba wayeloMosi.
As we obeyed Moses in all things, so will we obey thee also: only be the Lord thy God with thee, as he was with Moses.
18 Yiloba ngubani ohlamukela ilizwi lakho njalo engalaleli lokho okutshoyo, lalokho oyabe ukulaya, kumele abulawe. Kumele uqine ube lesibindi!”
He that shall gainsay thy mouth, and not obey all thy words, that thou shalt command him, let him die: only take thou courage, and do manfully.
