< UJoshuwa 1 >

1 Kwasekusithi emva kokufa kukaMozisi inceku yeNkosi, iNkosi yakhuluma kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaMozisi, isithi:
Now after the death of His servant Moses, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying,
2 UMozisi inceku yami usefile; ngakho-ke sukuma uchaphe le iJordani, wena labo bonke lababantu, liye elizweni engibanika lona, ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli.
“Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore arise, you and all these people, and cross over the Jordan into the land that I am giving to the children of Israel.
3 Yonke indawo lapho ingaphansi yonyawo lwenu ezanyathela khona ngilinike yona, njengokutsho kwami kuMozisi.
I have given you every place where the sole of your foot will tread, just as I promised to Moses.
4 Kusukela enkangala lale iLebhanoni kuze kufike emfuleni omkhulu, umfula iYufrathi, ilizwe lonke lamaHethi, njalo kufike elwandle olukhulu lapho okutshona khona ilanga, kuzakuba ngumngcele wenu.
Your territory shall extend from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great River Euphrates—all the land of the Hittites—and west as far as the Great Sea.
5 Kakulamuntu ozakuma phambi kwakho zonke izinsuku zempilo yakho. Njengalokhu ngangiloMozisi, ngizakuba lawe; kangiyikukutshiya, kangiyikukulahla.
No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
6 Qina, ume isibindi, ngoba wena uzakwenza lababantu badle ilifa lelizwe engalifungela oyise ukubanika lona.
Be strong and courageous, for you shall give these people the inheritance of the land that I swore to their fathers I would give them.
7 Kuphela qina, ube lesibindi esikhulu, ukugcina ukwenza ngokomlayo wonke uMozisi inceku yami akulaya wona; ungaphambuki kuwo uye ngakwesokunene loba ngakwesokhohlo, ukuze uphumelele loba ngaphi lapho oya khona.
Above all, be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe all the law that My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper wherever you go.
8 Ugwalo lwalumlayo lungasuki emlonyeni wakho, kodwa uzindle kuwo emini lebusuku, ukuze uqaphele ukwenza njengakho konke okubhaliweyo kulo, ngoba khona uzakwenza indlela yakho iphumelele, ubusuphumelela.
This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in all you do.
9 Kangikulayanga yini? Qina, ume isibindi; ungesabi, ungatshaywa luvalo, ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ilawe loba ngaphi lapho oya khona.
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
10 UJoshuwa waselaya izinduna zabantu, esithi:
Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people:
11 Dabulani phakathi kwenkamba lilaye abantu lithi: Zilungiseleni umphako, ngoba kusesezinsuku ezintathu lizachapha le iJordani, ukuze lingene lidle ilifa lelizwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu elinika lona ukuthi lidle ilifa lalo.
“Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you will cross the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.’”
12 UJoshuwa wasekhuluma kwabakoRubeni labakoGadi lengxenye yesizwe sakoManase esithi:
But to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said,
13 Khumbulani ilizwi uMozisi inceku yeNkosi alilaya ngalo esithi: INkosi uNkulunkulu wenu iyaliphumuza, ilinika lelilizwe.
“Remember what Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you when he said, ‘The LORD your God will give you rest, and He will give you this land.’
14 Omkenu, abantwanyana benu, lezifuyo zenu kuzahlala elizweni uMozisi alinika lona nganeno kweJordani; kodwa lina lizachapha lihlomile phambi kwabafowenu, wonke amaqhawe alamandla, libasize,
Your wives, your young children, and your livestock may remain in the land that Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But all your mighty men of valor must be armed for battle to cross over ahead of your brothers and help them,
15 iNkosi ize iphumuze abafowenu njengani, labo njalo badle ilifa lelizwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu ebanika lona. Lizabuyela-ke elizweni lelifa lenu, lidle ilifa lalo, uMozisi inceku yeNkosi alinika lona, nganeno kweJordani, empumalanga.
until the LORD gives them rest as He has done for you, and your brothers also possess the land that the LORD your God is giving them. Then you may return to the land of your inheritance and take possession of that which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the east side of the Jordan.”
16 Basebemphendula uJoshuwa besithi: Konke osilaya khona sizakwenza, laloba ngaphi lapho ozasithuma khona sizahamba.
So they answered Joshua, “Everything you have commanded us we will do, and everywhere you send us we will go.
17 Njengakho konke esamlalela uMozisi ngakho, ngokunjalo sizakulalela. Kuphela iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ibe lawe njengoba yayiloMozisi.
Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. And may the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses.
18 Wonke umuntu ozavukela umlomo wakho, angalaleli amazwi akho, kukho konke omlaya khona, uzabulawa. Kuphela qina, ume isibindi.
Anyone who rebels against your order and does not obey your words, all that you command him, will be put to death. Above all, be strong and courageous!”

< UJoshuwa 1 >