< U-Eksodusi 19 >
1 Ngenyanga yesithathu emva kokuphuma kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli elizweni leGibhithe, ngalelolanga bafika enkangala yeSinayi.
In the third month after the people of Israel had gone out from the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the wilderness of Sinai.
2 Sebesukile eRefidimi, bafika enkangala yeSinayi, bamisa inkamba enkangala; uIsrayeli wamisa-ke inkamba khona phambi kwentaba.
After they left Rephidim and came to the wilderness of Sinai, they camped in the wilderness in front of the mountain.
3 UMozisi wasesenyukela kuNkulunkulu. INkosi yasimemeza kuye esentabeni isithi: Uzakutsho njalo kuyo indlu kaJakobe, ubatshele abantwana bakoIsrayeli uthi:
Moses went up to God. Yahweh called to him from the mountain and said, “You must tell the house of Jacob, the people of Israel:
4 Lina libonile lokho engikwenze kumaGibhithe, lokuthi ngalithwala phezu kwempiko zenkozi, ngaliletha kimi.
You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.
5 Ngakho-ke uba lilalela lokulalela ilizwi lami, ligcine isivumelwano sami, khona lizakuba yimfuyo ekhethekileyo kimi kulazo zonke izizwe; ngoba umhlaba wonke ungowami;
Now then, if you obediently listen to my voice and keep my covenant, then you will be my special possession from among all peoples, for all the earth is mine.
6 njalo lizakuba ngumbuso wabapristi lesizwe esingcwele kimi. Yiwo lamazwi ozawatsho kubantwana bakoIsrayeli.
You will be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation for me. These are the words that you must speak to the people of Israel.”
7 UMozisi wasesiza wabiza abadala babantu, wabeka phambi kwabo wonke la amazwi iNkosi emlaye wona.
So Moses came and summoned the elders of the people. He set before them all these words that Yahweh had commanded him.
8 Bonke abantu basebephendula kanyekanye bathi: Konke iNkosi ekukhulumileyo sizakwenza. UMozisi wasebuyisela amazwi abantu eNkosini.
All the people answered together and said, “We will do everything that Yahweh has said.” Then Moses came to report the people's words to Yahweh.
9 INkosi yasisithi kuMozisi: Khangela, ngizakuza kuwe eyezini elinzima ukuze abantu bezwe nxa ngikhuluma lawe, lokuthi bakholwe kuwe kuze kube nininini. UMozisi wasebikela iNkosi amazwi abantu.
Yahweh said to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe you forever.” Then Moses told the people's words to Yahweh.
10 INkosi yasisithi kuMozisi: Hamba uye ebantwini, ubangcwelise lamuhla lakusasa, bawatshe izembatho zabo,
Yahweh said to Moses, “Go to the people. Today and tomorrow you must set them apart to me, and make them wash their garments.
11 babe sebelungele usuku lwesithathu; ngoba ngosuku lwesithathu iNkosi izakwehla phambi kwamehlo abantu bonke phezu kwentaba yeSinayi.
Be ready for the third day, for on the third day Yahweh will come down to Mount Sinai.
12 Uzabamisela abantu umngcele inhlangothi zonke uthi: Ziqapheleni ukukhwela entabeni, lokuthinta ewatheni layo. Wonke othinta intaba uzabulawa lokubulawa.
You must set boundaries all around the mountain for the people. Say to them, 'Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain will surely be put to death.'
13 Kakulasandla esizayithinta, kodwa sibili uzakhandwa ngamatshe loba sibili uzatshokwa; loba inyamazana loba umuntu, kakuyikuphila. Lapho uphondo lwenqama lukhala isikhathi eside bazakwenyukela entabeni.
No one's hand must touch such a person. Instead, he must certainly be stoned or shot. Whether it is a person or an animal, he must be put to death. When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they may come up to the foot of the mountain.”
14 UMozisi wasesehla entabeni waya ebantwini, wangcwelisa abantu, njalo bahlamba izembatho zabo.
Then Moses went down from the mountain to the people. He set apart the people to Yahweh and they washed their garments.
15 Wathi ebantwini: Lungelani usuku lwesithathu; lingasondeli kowesifazana.
He said to the people, “Be ready on the third day; do not go near your wives.”
16 Kwasekusithi ngosuku lwesithathu sekusile, kwakulemidumo lemibane leyezi elinzima phezu kwentaba, lelizwi lophondo olulamandla amakhulu; kwaze kwathi bonke abantu ababesenkambeni bathuthumela.
On the third day, when it was morning, there were thunder and lightning bolts and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of a very loud trumpet. All the people in the camp trembled.
17 UMozisi wasebakhupha abantu enkambeni ukuyamhlangabeza uNkulunkulu; basebesima ngaphansi kwentaba.
Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
18 Intaba yonke-ke yeSinayi yathunqa intuthu, ngoba iNkosi yehlela phezu kwayo ngomlilo; njalo intuthu yayo yenyuka njengentuthu yesithando; intaba yonke yasizamazama kakhulu.
Mount Sinai was completely covered with smoke because Yahweh descended on it in fire and smoke. The smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently.
19 Kwathi ilizwi lophondo liqhubeka lisiba lamandla amakhulu, uMozisi wakhuluma; njalo uNkulunkulu wamphendula ngelizwi.
When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in a voice.
20 INkosi yasisehlela entabeni yeSinayi, engqongeni yentaba; iNkosi yambizela uMozisi engqongeni yentaba; uMozisi wenyuka-ke.
Yahweh came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, and he summoned Moses to the top. So Moses went up.
21 INkosi yasisithi kuMozisi: Yehla, ubaxwayise abantu hlezi bafohlele eNkosini ukubona, njalo abanengi babo bawe.
Yahweh said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to me to look, or many of them will perish.
22 Labapristi labo abasondela eNkosini kabazingcwelise hlezi iNkosi ibadumele.
Let the priests also who come near to me set themselves apart—prepare themselves for my coming—so that I do not attack them.”
23 UMozisi wasesithi eNkosini: Abantu bangenyukele entabeni yeSinayi, ngoba wena usixwayisile usithi: Misa umngcele wentaba, uyingcwelise.
Moses said to Yahweh, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you commanded us: 'Set boundaries around the mountain and set it apart to Yahweh.'”
24 INkosi yasisithi kuye: Hamba wehle, ubuye wenyuke, wena loAroni elawe; kodwa abapristi labantu kabangafohli benyukele eNkosini, hlezi ibadumele.
Yahweh said to him, “Go, get down the mountain, and bring up Aaron with you, but do not let the priests and the people break through the barrier to come up to me, or I will attack them.”
25 UMozisi wasesehlela ebantwini, wabatshela.
So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.