< UJoshuwa 1 >

1 Kwasekusithi emva kokufa kukaMozisi inceku yeNkosi, iNkosi yakhuluma kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaMozisi, isithi:
And it came to pass, after the death of Moses the servant of Yahweh, —that Yahweh spake unto Joshua son of Nun, the attendant of Moses, 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, pass over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, into the land which I am giving unto them—unto the sons of Israel.
3 Yonke indawo lapho ingaphansi yonyawo lwenu ezanyathela khona ngilinike yona, njengokutsho kwami kuMozisi.
Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread, unto you, have I given it, —as I spake unto 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.
From the desert and this Lebanon, even unto the great river—the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea, toward the going in of the sun, shall be your boundary.
5 Kakulamuntu ozakuma phambi kwakho zonke izinsuku zempilo yakho. Njengalokhu ngangiloMozisi, ngizakuba lawe; kangiyikukutshiya, kangiyikukulahla.
No man shall stand before thee, all the days of thy life, —as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee, I will not fail thee, neither will I forsake thee.
6 Qina, ume isibindi, ngoba wena uzakwenza lababantu badle ilifa lelizwe engalifungela oyise ukubanika lona.
Be firm and bold, —for, thou, shalt cause this people to inherit the land which I sware unto their fathers, —to give unto 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.
Only be very firm and bold, taking heed to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee, do not turn aside therefrom, to the right hand or to the left, —that thou mayest prosper, whithersoever thou goest.
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 scroll of the law must not cease out of thy mouth, but thou must talk to thyself therein, day and night, that thou mayest take heed to do according to all that is written therein, —for, then, shalt thou make thy way prosperous, and, then, shalt thou have good success.
9 Kangikulayanga yini? Qina, ume isibindi; ungesabi, ungatshaywa luvalo, ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ilawe loba ngaphi lapho oya khona.
Have I not commanded thee, Be firm and bold, do not start nor be dismayed, —for, with thee, is Yahweh thy God, whithersoever thou goest?
10 UJoshuwa waselaya izinduna zabantu, esithi:
So then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying:
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.
Pass ye through the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying: Make ready for yourselves, provisions, —for, in three days more, are ye to pass over this Jordan, to go in and possess the land which Yahweh your God is giving you, to possess.
12 UJoshuwa wasekhuluma kwabakoRubeni labakoGadi lengxenye yesizwe sakoManase esithi:
And, unto the Reubenites, and unto the Gadites, and unto the half tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying:
13 Khumbulani ilizwi uMozisi inceku yeNkosi alilaya ngalo esithi: INkosi uNkulunkulu wenu iyaliphumuza, ilinika lelilizwe.
Remember the word which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, saying, —Yahweh your God, is granting you rest, and doth 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 little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses hath given you over the Jordan, —but, ye, shall pass over, armed, before your brethren, —all ye mighty men of valour, and shall 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 that Yahweh shall grant rest unto your brethren, as unto you, so shall, they also, possess the land which Yahweh your God giveth them, —then shall ye return unto the land of your possession, and possess it, which Moses the servant of Yahweh hath given you over the Jordan, towards the rising of the sun.
16 Basebemphendula uJoshuwa besithi: Konke osilaya khona sizakwenza, laloba ngaphi lapho ozasithuma khona sizahamba.
Then responded they to Joshua, saying, —All that thou hast commanded us, will we do, and, whithersoever thou shalt send us, will we go:
17 Njengakho konke esamlalela uMozisi ngakho, ngokunjalo sizakulalela. Kuphela iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ibe lawe njengoba yayiloMozisi.
As in every thing we hearkened unto Moses, so, will we hearken unto thee, —only let Yahweh thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses.
18 Wonke umuntu ozavukela umlomo wakho, angalaleli amazwi akho, kukho konke omlaya khona, uzabulawa. Kuphela qina, ume isibindi.
Any man who shall rebel against thy bidding, and not hearken unto thy words in all that thou shalt command him, shall be put to death, —only be firm and bold.

< UJoshuwa 1 >