UDutheronomi 4
1 Khathesi-ke, Israyeli, zwana izimiso lezahlulelo engilifundisa zona, ukuzenza, ukuze liphile, lingene lidle ilifa lelizwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu waboyihlo elinika lona.
People of Israel, pay attention to the rules and regulations I'm teaching you to observe. That way you can stay alive, and go in and take over the country the Lord, the God of your forefathers, is giving you.
2 Kaliyikwengezelela elizwini engililaya lona, lingaphunguli lutho kulo, ukuze ligcine imilayo yeNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu engililaya yona.
You are not to add to or take away from what I'm telling you, so that you can keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I'm ordering you to follow.
3 Amehlo enu abonile iNkosi eyakwenzayo ngenxa kaBhali-Peyori; ngoba wonke umuntu owalandela uBhali-Peyori, iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu yambhubhisa phakathi kwenu;
You've seen for yourselves what the Lord did at Baal-peor where the Lord your God killed everyone among you who worshiped Baal of Peor.
4 kodwa lina elanamathela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wenu liyaphila lonke lamuhla.
Those of you who were faithful to the Lord your God are still alive today, every one of you.
5 Bonani, ngilifundisile izimiso lezahlulelo, njengokungilaya kweNkosi uNkulunkulu wami, ukuthi lenze njalo phakathi kwelizwe eliya kulo ukudla ilifa lalo.
Listen, I have taught you the rules and regulations just as the Lord my God ordered me to do, so you can follow them in the country that you are about to enter and take over.
6 Ngakho zigcineni, lizenze; ngoba lokhu kuyinhlakanipho yenu lokuqedisisa kwenu emehlweni ezizwe ezizakuzwa zonke lezizimiso zithi: Isibili lesisizwe esikhulu singabantu abahlakaniphileyo labaqedisisayo.
Be careful to observe them, because this will demonstrate your wisdom and insight to the other people living there who are watching. They will find out about all these rules and say, “The people of this great nation are very wise and have good insight.”
7 Ngoba yisiphi isizwe esikhulu esilabonkulunkulu abaseduze laso njengeNkosi uNkulunkulu ekumbizeni kwethu konke?
What nation is as great as us, having a god so close to them as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call on him?
8 Futhi yisiphi isizwe esikhulu esilezimiso lezahlulelo ezilungileyo njengalumlayo wonke engiwubeka phambi kwenu lamuhla?
What nation is as great as us, having such good rules and regulations like all these laws that I'm placing before you today?
9 Kuphela ziqaphele, ugcine kakhulu umphefumulo wakho, hlezi ukhohlwe izinto amehlo akho azibonileyo, njalo hlezi zisuke enhliziyweni yakho, zonke izinsuku zempilo yakho. Njalo uzazise abantwana bakho labantwana babantwana bakho,
Just make sure to be very careful, and really watch what you do, so you don't forget the things you've have seen. Keep them in mind as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren.
10 ukuthi ngosuku owema ngalo phambi kweNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho eHorebe, lapho iNkosi yathi kimi: Ngibuthanisela abantu ngibe sengibazwisa amazwi ami, ukuze bafunde ukungesaba zonke izinsuku abazaziphila emhlabeni, bafundise njalo abantwana babo.
That day when you stood in the presence of the Lord your God at Horeb, the Lord told me, “Have the people come to me and to hear what I have to say, so they may learn to have respect for me throughout their lives here on earth, and so they may teach this to their children.”
11 Laselisondela, lema ngaphansi kwentaba, lentaba yayivutha umlilo kwaze kwaba phakathi kwamazulu, lomnyama, amayezi, lomnyama onzima.
You gathered and stood at the foot of the mountain. The mountain was on fire, shooting out flames into the sky and producing thick dark clouds.
12 INkosi yasikhuluma kini iphakathi komlilo; lezwa ilizwi lamazwi, kodwa kalibonanga simo; ilizwi kuphela.
The Lord spoke to you from the fire. You heard the words, but you didn't see the form of anyone speaking—there was just a voice.
13 Yamemezela kini isivumelwano sayo, eyalilaya ukuthi lisenze, imilayo elitshumi; njalo yayibhala ezibhebheni zamatshe ezimbili.
He explained to you his agreement, the Ten Commandments, which he ordered you to follow. He wrote them down on two tablets of stone.
14 INkosi yasingilaya ngalesosikhathi ukuthi ngilifundise izimiso lezahlulelo, ukuze lizenze elizweni elidlulela kulo ukudla ilifa lalo.
This was the time that the Lord ordered me to teach you the rules and regulations that you are to follow when you arrive in the country you're going to own once you've crossed the Jordan.
15 Ngakho-ke qaphelani kakhulu ngenxa yemiphefumulo yenu. Ngoba kalibonanga lasimo ngosuku iNkosi ikhuluma kini eHorebe iphakathi komlilo,
You didn't see any form when the Lord spoke to you from the fire at Horeb, so be very careful
16 hlezi lizone, lizenzele isithombe esibaziweyo, isimo saloba yiwuphi umfanekiso, isifanekiso sowesilisa loba sowesifazana,
that you don't spoil your relationship with the Lord by making an idol for yourselves in any shape or form, whether it looks like a male or female,
17 isifanekiso saloba yiyiphi inyamazana esemhlabeni, isifanekiso saloba yiyiphi inyoni elempiko ephapha emazulwini,
or any land animal or bird that flies,
18 isifanekiso saloba yikuphi okuhuquzelayo emhlabeni, isifanekiso saloba yiyiphi inhlanzi esemanzini ngaphansi komhlaba.
or of any animal that crawls on the ground or any fish in the deep sea.
19 Futhi hlezi uphakamisele amehlo akho emazulwini, lapho ubona ilanga lenyanga lezinkanyezi, ibutho lonke lamazulu, uyengwe, ukukhothamele, ukukhonze, iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ekwabele izizwe zonke ngaphansi kwamazulu wonke.
When you look up at the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars—all the heavenly bodies—don't be tempted to bow down to them. Don't worship them like all the other nations on earth in the way that the Lord has allowed.
20 Kodwa lina iNkosi yalithatha, yalikhupha esithandweni sensimbi, eGibhithe, ukuze libe kuyo ngabantu belifa, njengalamuhla.
Remember that the Lord took you and led you out of the iron furnace which was Egypt to be his own people, just as you are today.
21 Futhi iNkosi yangithukuthelela ngenxa yenu, yafunga ukuthi kangiyikuchapha iJordani, lokuthi kangiyikungena kulelolizwe elihle iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ekunika lona libe yilifa.
But the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he vowed that I wouldn't cross the Jordan to enter the good land that the Lord your God is giving you to own.
22 Ngoba ngizafela kulelilizwe, ngingachaphi iJordani; kodwa lina lizachapha, lidle ilifa lalelolizwe elihle.
So I will not be crossing the Jordan, because I have to die here in this land. But you will cross over and occupy that good land.
23 Ziqapheleni hlezi likhohlwe isivumelwano seNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu eyasenza lani, lizenzele isithombe esibaziweyo, umfanekiso waloba yikuphi iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ekwenqabele khona.
However, be careful not to forget the agreement of the Lord your God that he made with you. Don't make an idol for yourselves in the form of anything, because he has forbidden you to do this.
24 Ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ingumlilo oqothulayo, uNkulunkulu olobukhwele.
For the Lord your God is a fire that burns everything up. He is an exclusive God.
25 Lapho uzala abantwana labantwana babantwana, njalo selihlale elizweni isikhathi eside, uba lisonakala, lenze isithombe esibaziweyo, umfanekiso waloba yikuphi, lenze okubi emehlweni eNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ukuze liyithukuthelise,
After you have been living in the country for a long time and have had children and grandchildren, if you then spoil the relationship you have with the Lord and make an idol in any form. The Lord your God sees this as evil makes him angry.
26 ngibiza amazulu lomhlaba lamuhla ukuze kufakaze kumelene lani ukuthi lizabhubha lokubhubha masinyane lisuka elizweni elichapha iJordani ukuya kilo ukuze libe yilifa lenu; kaliyikwelula insuku zenu phezu kwalo, ngoba lizabhujiswa lokubhujiswa.
If you do this, I call on heaven and earth to be witnesses against you today that you will be completely wiped out from the country that you are crossing the Jordan to occupy. You will not live long there—you will be totally destroyed.
27 Njalo iNkosi izalichithachitha phakathi kwezizwe, lisale libalutshwana ngenani phakathi kwezizwe, lapho iNkosi ezalixotshela khona.
The Lord will scatter you among the other nations, and not many of you will survive in the countries where the Lord has exiled you.
28 Lapho lizakhonza onkulunkulu, umsebenzi wezandla zabantu, izigodo lamatshe, abangaboniyo, abangezwayo, abangadliyo, labanganukiyo.
There you will worship gods of wood and stone made by human beings. These idols can't see or hear or eat or smell.
29 Kodwa lilapho liyidinge iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, uzayithola uba uyidinga ngenhliziyo yakho yonke langomphefumulo wakho wonke.
However, if while you're there you decide to come to the Lord your God, you will find him if you come to him whole-heartedly, with complete commitment.
30 Lapho usekuhluphekeni, lezizinto zonke zikwehlela, ekupheleni kwezinsuku, uzaphendukela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wakho, ulalele ilizwi layo;
When you are in trouble, after you've experienced all these things, then eventually you will return to the Lord your God and do what he says.
31 ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho inguNkulunkulu olomusa, kayiyikukutshiya, kayiyikukubhubhisa, kayiyikukhohlwa isivumelwano saboyihlo, eyasifunga kubo.
The Lord your God is a merciful God. He won't abandon you or destroy you or forget the agreement he made with your forefathers, confirmed by a solemn promise.
32 Ngoba buza-ke ngensuku zamandulo ezazingaphambi kwakho, kusukela osukwini uNkulunkulu adala ngalo umuntu emhlabeni, kusukela komunye umkhawulo wamazulu kuze kube komunye umkhawulo wamazulu, ukuthi kwake kwaba khona yini into enje njengale into enkulu, kumbe kwezwakala enjengayo yini?
Think about it! Examine the whole of history from the beginning of time, long before you existed, when God made human beings, right up until now. Ask this question anywhere, from one end of the earth to the other: Has anything as amazing as this ever happened before; has anyone ever heard anything like this?
33 Abantu bake bezwa yini ilizwi likaNkulunkulu likhuluma livela phakathi komlilo, njengalokhu ulizwile wena, waphila?
Has a people ever heard the voice of God speaking out of the fire, like you have, and survived?
34 Futhi uNkulunkulu wake wazama yini ukuyazithathela isizwe phakathi kwesizwe, ngezilingo, ngezibonakaliso, langezimangaliso, langempi, langesandla esilamandla, langengalo eyeluliweyo, langezesabiso ezinkulu, njengakho konke iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu eyalenzela khona eGibhithe phambi kwamehlo akho?
Has any god tried to take a nation out of another nation and make them his own, using tests and signs and miracles and war—with his great power and incredible strength and terrifying actions—like the Lord your God did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes?
35 Wena wakutshengiswa, ukuze wazi ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu; kakho omunye ngaphandle kwakhe.
You were shown all this so you could be certain that the Lord is God and there is no one like him.
36 Esemazulwini wakuzwisa ilizwi lakhe ukukufundisa; lemhlabeni wakutshengisa umlilo wakhe omkhulu, lamazwi akhe wawezwa evela phakathi komlilo.
He made you hear his voice from heaven so you would obey him. On earth he revealed himself though blazing fire, and you heard him speak to you from the fire.
37 Njalo ngoba wabathanda oyihlo, wakhetha inzalo yabo emva kwabo, wakukhupha eGibhithe ebusweni bakhe ngamandla akhe amakhulu,
Because he loved your forefathers, he chose you, their descendants. He himself led you out of Egypt by his great power,
38 ukuxotsha elifeni izizwe ezinkulu lezilamandla kulawe phambi kwakho, ukukungenisa, ukukupha ilizwe lazo, libe yilifa, njengalamuhla.
driving out ahead of you nations that were greater and stronger than you, in order to lead you to their land and give it to you as yours to own, just as you do today.
39 Ngakho yazi lamuhla, ukukhumbule enhliziyweni yakho ukuthi iNkosi inguNkulunkulu emazulwini phezulu, lemhlabeni phansi; kakho omunye.
So today be sure about this and never forget: the Lord is the only God in heaven above and on the earth below.
40 Ngakho uzagcina izimiso zakhe lemilayo yakhe engikulaya yona lamuhla, ukuze kukulungele labantwana bakho emva kwakho, lokuze welule izinsuku phezu kwelizwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ekunika lona, zonke izinsuku.
Observe his rules and regulations that I'm giving you right now, so that you and your children will do well, and that you may have long lives in the country that the Lord your God is giving you for all time.
41 Khona uMozisi wehlukanisa imizi emithathu nganeno kweJordani ngasempumalanga,
Then Moses assigned three sanctuary towns to the east of the Jordan
42 ukuthi abalekele kuyo umbulali obulele umakhelwane wakhe kungeyisikho ngabomo, obengamzondi mandulo, ukuze abalekele komunye waleyomizi aphile;
where a person could run to after accidentally killing someone without deliberate hatred. To save their life they could run to one of these towns:
43 iBezeri enkangala elizweni lamagceke, elabakoRubeni; leRamothi eGileyadi, elabakoGadi; leGolani eBashani, elabakoManase.
Bezer in the desert plain belonging to the tribe of Reuben; Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the tribe of Gad, or Golan in Bashan belonging to the tribe of Manasseh.
44 Njalo yilo umlayo uMozisi awubeka phambi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli.
This is the law that Moses placed before the Israelites.
45 Lobu yibufakazi lezimiso lezahlulelo uMozisi akukhuluma ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli ekuphumeni kwabo eGibhithe,
These are the laws, rules, and regulations Moses gave them after they had come out of Egypt.
46 nganeno kweJordani, esigodini maqondana leBeti-Peyori, elizweni likaSihoni inkosi yamaAmori, owayehlala eHeshiboni, uMozisi labantwana bakoIsrayeli abamtshayayo ekuphumeni kwabo eGibhithe.
This was when they were in the valley to the east of the Jordan near Beth-peor in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites. He had ruled from Heshbon and had been defeated by Moses and the Israelites after they had left Egypt.
47 Basebesidla ilifa lelizwe lakhe lelizwe likaOgi inkosi yeBashani, amakhosi amabili amaAmori, ayenganeno kweJordani ngasempumalanga,
They took over his country and the country of Og king of Bashan. (They were the two kings of the Amorites who previously ruled on the east side of the Jordan.)
48 kusukela eAroweri esekhunjini lwesifula seArinoni, kuze kufike entabeni yeSiyoni, eyiHermoni,
The territory went from the town of Aroer on the edge of the Arnon Valley all the way to Mount Sirion, otherwise known as Mount Hermon,
49 lamagceke wonke nganeno kweJordani ngasempumalanga, kuze kube selwandle lwamagceke, ngaphansi kweAshidodi-Pisiga.
and included all the Arabah to the east of the Jordan down as far as the Dead Sea beside the slopes of Mount Pisgah.
