UJoshuwa 23
1 Ngemva kwesikhathi eside njalo uThixo esephumuze abako-Israyeli kuzozonke izitha zabo ezazibagombolozele, uJoshuwa ngalesosikhathi esekhulile eseleminyaka eminengi,
And it came to pass after many days, when Jehovah had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, and Joshua was old and well stricken in years,
2 wabiza bonke abako-Israyeli, abadala babo, abakhokheli babo, abahluleli babo leziphathamandla zabo wathi kubo: “Sengimdala njalo sengiluphele kakhulu.
that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said to them, I am old and well stricken in years,
3 Lina ngokwenu selikubonile konke lokho uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu akwenzileyo kuzozonke lezi izizwe esenzela lina; nguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu owalilwelayo.
and ye have seen all that Jehovah your God has done to all these nations because of you, for Jehovah your God, he it is who has fought for you.
4 Khumbulani ukuthi ngalabela njani ukuba kube yilifa lenu lezizwana zenu wonke umhlaba wezizwe ezasalayo, izizwe engazinqobayo, phakathi kweJodani loLwandle Olukhulu entshonalanga.
Behold, I have allotted to you these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even to the great sea toward the going down of the sun.
5 UThixo uNkulunkulu wenu ngokwakhe uzabaxotsha endleleni yenu. Uzabasusa lina lingakafiki, njalo lina lizathatha umhlaba wabo, njengokuthembisa kukaThixo uNkulunkulu.
And Jehovah your God, he will thrust them out from before you, and drive them from out of your sight. And ye shall possess their land, as Jehovah your God spoke to you.
6 Qinani kakhulu; linanzelele ukuthi lilalela konke okulotshwe eGwalweni lwemiThetho kaMosi, lingaphambukelanga kwesokudla kumbe esenxele.
Therefore be ye very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye not turn aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;
7 Lingaze lazisondeza ezizweni lezi eziphakathi kwenu; lingaze labiza amagama abonkulunkulu bazo kumbe lifunge ngabo. Akumelanga ukuthi libasebenzele lokubakhothamela.
that ye do not come among these nations, these that remain among you, neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves down to them,
8 Kodwa kumele libambelele kuThixo uNkulunkulu wenu njengalokhu eselikwenze kwaze kwaba khathesi.
but cling to Jehovah your God as ye have done to this day.
9 UThixo usezixotshile phambi kwenu izizwe ezilamandla; kuze kube lamhla kakho owenelisa ukumelana lani.
For Jehovah has driven out from before you great nations and strong. But as for you, no man has stood before you to this day.
10 Oyedwa wenu uyenelisa ukwehlula abantu abayinkulungwane eyodwa ngenxa yokuthi uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu uyalilwela njengokuthembisa kwakhe.
One man of you shall chase a thousand, for Jehovah your God, he it is who fights for you, as he spoke to you.
11 Ngakho-ke nanzelelani ukuthi liyamthanda uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.
Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that ye love Jehovah your God.
12 Kodwa lingabaleka beselisiba lobungane lalabo abasindileyo phakathi kwezizwe lezi ezizasala phakathi kwenu njalo lingavumelana lokuthathana lokudlelana lazo,
Else if ye do at all go back, and cling to the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and make marriages with them, and go in to them, and they to you,
13 lapho lingaba leqiniso lokuthi uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu kasoze azixotshe izizwe phambi kwenu. Kodwa-ke zizakuba yimijibila lezithiyo kini, zizakuba yiziswebhu emihlane yenu lameva emehlweni enu, lize libhujiswe elizweni leli elihle uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinika lona.
know for a certainty that Jehovah your God will no more drive these nations from out of your sight, but they shall be a snare and a trap to you, and a scourge in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which Jehovah your God has given you.
14 Khathesi sengizahamba ngendlela yomhlaba wonke. Liyazi ngezinhliziyo zenu lemiphefumulo ukuthi kasikho isithembiso lasinye esihle phakathi kwalezo elazinikwa nguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu esehlulekayo. Zonke izithembiso sezagcwaliswa; kasikho lesisodwa esehlulekayo.
And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing has failed of all the good things which Jehovah your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass to you; not one thing has failed of it.
15 Kodwa njengoba zonke izithembiso ezinhle zikaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu seziphumelele, kunjalo uThixo uzalilethela bonke ububi alethusela ngabo, aze alibhubhise elizweni leli elihle alinike lona.
And it shall come to pass, that as all the good things have come upon you of which Jehovah your God spoke to you, so will Jehovah bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land which Jehovah your God has given you.
16 Lingephula isivumelwano sikaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, owalilayayo ngaso liyokhonza abanye onkulunkulu libakhothamele, ulaka lukaThixo luzavutha kini, njalo lizabhubha ngokuphangisa elizweni elihle alinike lona.”
When ye transgress the covenant of Jehovah your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down yourselves to them, then the anger of Jehovah will be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he has given to you.
