Amanani 18

1 UThixo wathi ku-Aroni, “Wena, lamadodana akho labemuli kayihlo lizakuba lomlandu wokukhangela ukwephulwa kwemithetho yendawo yokukhonzela, njalo wena kanye lamadodana akho yini lodwa elizakuba lomlandu walabo abonela abaphristi.

And the Lord said to Aaron: Thou, and thy sons, and thy father’s house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the sins of your priesthood.

2 Letha abaLevi bakini bevela ezizwaneni zabokhokho benu bazohlanganyela kunye lani bakuphathise wena lamadodana akho lapho lisenza inkonzo phambi kwethente lobufakazi.

And take with thee thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, and the sceptre of thy father, and let them be ready in hand, and minister to thee: but thou and thy sons shall minister in the tabernacle of the testimony.

3 Bazakuba ngaphansi kwakho njalo benze yonke imisebenzi yasethenteni, kodwa akumelanga basondele phansi kwezimpahla zendlu engcwele kumbe e-alithareni, funa lonke, wena kanye labo life.

And the Levites shall watch to do thy commands, and about all the works of the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary nor the altar, lest both they die, and you also perish with them.

4 Kumele bahlanganele lawe babelomlandu wokunakekela ithente lokuhlangana, wonke umsebenzi wethenteni, njalo akungabibikho loyedwa ozasondela lapho wena okhona.

But let them be with thee, and watch in the charge of the tabernacle, and in all the ceremonies thereof. A stranger shall not join himself with you.

5 Wena uzakuba lomlandu wokugcina indlu engcwele le-alithari, ukuze abako-Israyeli bangehlelwa lulaka njalo.

Watch ye in the charge of the sanctuary, and in the ministry of the altar: lest indignation rise upon the children of Israel.

6 Mina ngokwami ngibakhethile abafowenu abaLevi phakathi kwabako-Israyeli ukuba babe yisipho kuwe, behlukanisele uThixo ukuba benze umsebenzi ethenteni lokuhlangana.

I have given you your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel, and have delivered them for a gift to the Lord, to serve in the ministries of the tabernacle.

7 Kodwa wena kanye lamadodana akho yini lodwa elivunyelwayo ukwenza umsebenzi wobuphristi kukho konke okuse-alithareni langaphakathi kwekhetheni. Ngikunika umsebenzi wobuphristi kukho konke okuse-alithareni langaphakathi kwekhetheni. Ngikunika umsebenzi wobuphristi njengesipho. Loba ngubani omunye ozasondela endaweni engcwele kumele abulawe.”

But thou and thy sons look ye to the priesthood: and all things that pertain to the service of the altar, and that are within the veil, shall be executed by the priests. If any stranger shall approach, he shall be slain.

8 UThixo wasesithi ku-Aroni, “Mina ngokwami yimi engikunike umlandu wokukhangela iminikelo eyethulelwa mina, yonke iminikelo engcwele engiyiphiwa ngabako-Israyeli ngiyinika wena lamadodana akho ukuba kube yingxenye yesabelo sakho esimi njalo.

And the Lord said to Aaron: Behold I have given thee the charge of my firstfruits. All things that are sanctified by the children of Israel, I have delivered to thee and to thy sons for the priestly office, by everlasting ordinances.

9 Kumele uzuze leyongxenye yomnikelo ongcwelengcwele ongatshiswanga. Kuzozonke izipho abaziletha kimi zingumnikelo ongcwelengcwele, loba ngowamabele loba ngowesono kumbe owecala, leyongxenye yomnikelo ngeyakho lamadodana akho.

These therefore shalt thou take of the things that are sanctified, and are offered to the Lord. Every offering, and sacrifice, and whatsoever is rendered to me for sin and for trespass, and becometh holy of holies, shall be for thee and thy sons.

10 Idle njengento engcwelengcwele; wonke owesilisa kumele ayidle. Kumele akuphathe njengento engcwele.

Thou shalt eat it in the sanctuary: the males only shall eat thereof, because it is a consecrated thing to thee.

11 Lokhu lakho ngokwakho: konke okubekwa eceleni kwalezizipho zonke zomnikelo wokuzunguzwa zako-Israyeli. Lokhu ngikunika wena lamadodana akho lamadodakazi akho ukuba kube yisabelo esimi njalo. Kuzakuthi wonke owendlu yakho ohlambulukileyo ngokomkhuba avunyelwe ukudla.

But the firstfruits, which the children of Israel shall vow and offer, I have given to thee, and to thy sons, and to thy daughters, by a perpetual law. He that is clean in thy house, shall eat them.

12 Ngikunika wonke amafutha acengekileyo e-oliva lewayini lonke elitsha elicengekileyo kanye lamabele abawanika uThixo kuyizithelo zakuqala zesivuno sabo.

All the best of the oil, and of the wine, and of the corn, whatsoever firstfruits they offer to the Lord, I have given them to thee.

13 Zonke izithelo zakuqala zomlimela abaziletha kuThixo ngezakho. Kuzakuthi wonke owendlu yakho ohlambulukileyo ngokomkhuba avunyelwe ukudla.

All the firstripe of the fruits, that the ground bringeth forth, and which are brought to the Lord, shall be for thy use: he that is clean in thy house, shall eat them.

14 Yonke into yako-Israyeli emiselwe uThixo ngeyakho.

Every thing that the children of Israel shall give by vow, shall be thine.

15 Amazibulo wonke azelweyo, kuhlanganisela awabantu kanye lawezinyamazana, anikelwe kuThixo ngawakho. Kodwa uzahlenga wonke amadodana angamazibulo kanye lawo wonke amazibulo amaduna ezinyamazana ezingcolileyo.

Whatsoever is firstborn of all flesh, which they offer to the Lord, whether it be of men, or of beasts, shall belong to thee: only for the firstborn of man thou shalt take a price, and every beast that is unclean thou shalt cause to be redeemed,

16 Kuzakuthi zingafikisa inyanga eyodwa zizelwe uzihlenge ngentengo yokuhlenga ayisilinganiso samashekeli amahlanu esiliva, kusiya ngesilinganiso seshekeli lendlu engcwele, eyisisindo esingamagera angamatshumi amabili.

And the redemption of it shall be after one month, for five sicles of silver, by the weight of the sanctuary. A sicle hath twenty obols.

17 Kodwa ungahlengi amazibulo enkomo, loba awemvu loba awembuzi; ngoba angcwele. Chela igazi lawo e-alithareni ubusutshisa amahwahwa awo kube ngumhlatshelo wokudla, iphunga elimnandi elithokozisa uThixo.

But the firstling of a cow and of a sheep and of a goat thou shalt not cause to be redeemed, because they are sanctified to the Lord. Their blood only thou shalt pour upon the altar, and their fat thou shalt burn for a most sweet odour to the Lord.

18 Inyama yawo izakuba ngeyakho njengoba isifuba somnikelo wokuzunguzwa kanye lomlenze kungokwakho.

But the flesh shall fall to thy use, as the consecrated breast, and the right shoulder shall be thine.

19 Loba kuyini okubekwe eceleni eminikelweni engcwele eyethulwe ngabako-Israyeli kuThixo ngikunika wena kanye lamadodana njalo lamadodakazi akho ukuba kube yisabelo senu senjayelo. Lesi yisivumelwano setswayi esingapheliyo phambi kukaThixo, esakho kanye lenzalo yakho.”

All the firstfruits of the sanctuary which the children of Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to thee and to thy sons and daughters, by a perpetual ordinance. It is a covenant of salt for ever before the Lord, to thee and to thy sons.

20 UThixo wathi ku-Aroni, “Wena kawuyikuba lelifa elizweni labo, njalo awuyikuba lesabelo phakathi kwabo; mina ngiyisabelo sakho kanye lelifa lakho phakathi kwabako-Israyeli.

And the Lord said to Aaron: You shall possess nothing in their land, neither shall you have a portion among them: I am thy portion and inheritance in the midst of the children of Israel.

21 AbaLevi ngibanika konke okwetshumi kwelako-Israyeli kube yilifa labo ngenxa yomsebenzi abawenza ethenteni lokuhlangana.

And I have given to the sons of Levi all the tithes of Israel for a possession for the ministry wherewith they serve me in the tabernacle of the covenant:

22 Kusukela khathesi abako-Israyeli akumelanga basondele ethenteni lokuhlangana, funa babelomlandu wesono sabo bafe.

That the children of Israel may not approach any more to the tabernacle, nor commit deadly sin,

23 NgabaLevi okufanele benze umsebenzi ethenteni lokuhlangana njalo baphathe umsebenzi wokukhangela abonayo ethenteni. Lesi yisimiso esingapheliyo lakuzizukulwane ezizayo. Kabayikuzuza ilifa phakathi kwabako-Israyeli.

But only the sons of Levi may serve me in the tabernacle, and bear the sins of the people. It shall be an everlasting ordinance in your generations. They shall not possess any other thing,

24 Kodwa-ke abaLevi ngibanika okwetshumi okwethulwa ngabako-Israyeli njengomnikelo kuThixo kube yilifa labo. Kokuqondene labo yikho ngathi: ‘Kabayikuba lelifa phakathi kwabako-Israyeli.’”

But be content with the oblation or tithes, which I have separated for their uses and necessities.

25 UThixo wathi kuMosi,

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

26 “Tshela abaLevi utsho lokhu kubo: ‘Lapho lisamukela okwetshumi engilinika khona kuvela kwabako-Israyeli njengelifa lenu, kumele likhuphe ingxenye yetshumi kokwetshumi kube ngumnikelo kuThixo.

Command the Levites, and declare unto them: When you shall receive of the children of Israel the tithes, which I have given you, offer the firstfruits of them to the Lord, that is to say, the tenth part of the tenth:

27 Umnikelo wenu uzabalelwa kini njengamabele avela esizeni loba umhluzi ovela esihluzweni sewayini.

That it may be reckoned to you as an oblation of firstfruits, as well of the barnfloors as of the winepresses:

28 Ngale indlela lani lizakwethula eyenu iminikelo kuThixo kukho konke okwetshumi elizakwamukela kuvela kwabako-Israyeli. Kulokho okwetshumi kumele liphe okuyisabelo sikaThixo ku-Aroni umphristi.

And of all the things of which you receive tithes, offer the firstfruits to the Lord, and give them to Aaron the priest.

29 Kumele lethule njengesabelo sikaThixo okuhle ukwedlula konke njalo kungokungcwelengcwele kwakho konke elikuphiweyo.’

All the things that you shall offer of the tithes, and shall separate for the gifts of the Lord, shall be the best and choicest things.

30 Tshela abaLevi uthi: ‘Nxa lisethula okuhle kakhulu, kuzaphathwa kini njengesithelo esivela esizeni loba esihluzweni sewayini.

And thou shalt say to them: If you offer all the goodly and the better things of the tithes, it shall be reckoned to you as if you had given the firstfruits of the barnfloor and the winepress:

31 Lina kanye labezindlu zenu lingadla konke okunye ngaphi langaphi, ngoba kuyinkokhelo yenu yomsebenzi ethenteni lokuhlangana.

And you shall eat them in all your places, both you and your families: because it is your reward for the ministry, wherewith you serve in the tabernacle of the testimony.

32 Ngokwethula okuhle kulakho konke aliyikuba lecala kulokho; ngakho kaliyikungcolisa iminikelo engcwele yako-Israyeli, njalo kaliyikufa.’”

And you shall not sin in this point, by reserving the choicest and fat things to yourselves, lest you profane the oblations of the children of Israel, and die.