U-Eksodusi 5
1 Emva kwalokho-ke uMozisi loAroni bahamba bathi kuFaro: Itsho njalo iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakoIsrayeli: Bayekele abantu bami bahambe, bangigcinele umkhosi enkangala.
Afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’”
2 Kodwa uFaro wathi: Ingubani iNkosi ukuthi ngilalele ilizwi layo, ngiyekele uIsrayeli ahambe? Kangiyazi iNkosi, futhi kangiyikumyekela uIsrayeli ahambe.
Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I don’t know the LORD, and moreover I will not let Israel go.”
3 Basebesithi: UNkulunkulu wamaHebheru uhlangane lathi; ake usiyekele sihambe uhambo lwensuku ezintathu enkangala, siyihlabele iNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu, hlezi isehlele ngomatshayabhuqe wesifo kumbe ngenkemba.
They said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword.”
4 Kodwa inkosi yeGibhithe yathi kubo: Kungani, Mozisi loAroni, lisusa abantu emisebenzini yabo? Yanini emithwalweni yenu!
The king of Egypt said to them, “Why do you, Moses and Aaron, take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!”
5 UFaro wasesithi: Khangelani, abantu belizwe sebebanengi, kanti liyabaphumuza emithwalweni yabo.
Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens.”
6 Ngalolosuku uFaro waselaya abaqhubi besibhalo besizwe lezinduna zaso, esithi:
The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying,
7 Lingabe lisabanika abantu amahlanga okwenza izitina njengamandulo; kabahambe bona bayezibuthela amahlanga;
“You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8 lenani lezitina abalenze mandulo lizabamisela lona, lingaphunguli kulo; ngoba bayavilapha; yikho bekhala besithi: Siyekeleni siyehlabela uNkulunkulu wethu.
You shall require from them the number of the bricks which they made before. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, saying, ‘Let’s go and sacrifice to our God.’
9 Yenzani umsebenzi ube nzima kakhulu phezu kwamadoda, ukuze basebenze kuwo, bangalaleli amazwi enkohliso.
Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it. Don’t let them pay any attention to lying words.”
10 Abaqhubi besibhalo babantu baphuma, lezinduna zabo, bakhuluma ebantwini besithi: Utsho njalo uFaro: Kangiyikulinika amahlanga;
The taskmasters of the people went out with their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you straw.
11 hambani lina, lizithathele amahlanga lapho elingawathola khona; kodwa umsebenzi wenu kakuyikuphungulwa lutho kuwo.
Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished.’”
12 Abantu basebehlakazeka elizweni lonke leGibhithe ukuze babuthe izidindi zibe ngamahlanga.
So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
13 Abaqhubi besibhalo babahaluzelisa besithi: Qedani imisebenzi yenu, umlandu wosuku ngosuku lwawo, njengamhla kulamahlanga.
The taskmasters were urgent saying, “Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!”
14 Njalo izinduna zabantwana bakoIsrayeli, abaqhubi besibhalo bakaFaro abababekela zona, zatshaywa, kuthiwa: Kaliqedanga ngani umsebenzi wenu omisiweyo wokwenza izitina njengamandulo, layizolo lalamuhla?
The officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and were asked, “Why haven’t you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?”
15 Izinduna zabantwana bakoIsrayeli zasezisiza, zakhala kuFaro zathi: Wenzelani kanje ezincekwini zakho?
Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants?
16 Amahlanga kawanikwa inceku zakho, kanti bathi kithi: Yenzani izitina. Khangela-ke, inceku zakho ziyatshaywa; kodwa icala ngelabantu bakho.
No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, ‘Make brick!’ and behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.”
17 Kodwa wathi: Lina lingamavila, lingamavila; ngalokhu lithi: Siyekeleni siyehlabela iNkosi.
But Pharaoh said, “You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let’s go and sacrifice to the LORD.’
18 Khathesi-ke hambani, lisebenze; kodwa amahlanga kaliyikuwanikwa, kanti lizaletha inani lezitina.
Go therefore now, and work; for no straw shall be given to you; yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks!”
19 Izinduna zabantwana bakoIsrayeli zasezibona ukuthi zazisebubini, nxa kuthiwa: Kaliyikuphungula ezitineni zenu, umlandu wosuku ngosuku lwawo.
The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble when it was said, “You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!”
20 Zasezihlangana loMozisi loAroni ababemi ukubahlangabeza ekuphumeni kwabo kuFaro;
They met Moses and Aaron, who stood along the way, as they came out from Pharaoh.
21 zasezisithi kubo: INkosi ilibone yahlulele; ngoba lenze iphunga lethu libe livumba emehlweni kaFaro lemehlweni enceku zakhe; linike inkemba esandleni sabo ukuze basibulale.
They said to them, “May the LORD look at you and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us!”
22 UMozisi wasebuyela eNkosini wathi: Nkosi, wenzeleni okubi kulesisizwe? Kungani ungithumile?
Moses returned to the LORD, and said, “Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it that you have sent me?
23 Ngoba selokhu ngaya kuFaro ukukhuluma ebizweni lakho, wenzile okubi kulesisizwe; futhi kawusikhululanga lokusikhulula isizwe sakho.
For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people. You have not rescued your people at all!”
