UJoshuwa 23

1 Kwasekusithi emva kwensuku ezinengi emva kokuthi iNkosi isimphumuzile uIsrayeli ezitheni zonke zabo inhlangothi zonke, loJoshuwa wayesemdala elensuku ezinengi,

After many days, when Yahweh had given rest to Israel from all their enemies that around them, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years.

2 uJoshuwa wabiza uIsrayeli wonke, abadala babo, lenhloko zabo, labahluleli babo, lenduna zabo, wathi kubo: Mina sengimdala ngilensuku ezinengi.

Joshua called for all Israel—for their elders, for their leaders, for their judges, and for their officers—and he said to them, “I am very old.

3 Lina selibonile konke iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu ekwenzileyo kulezizizwe zonke ngenxa yenu, ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu yiyo elilweleyo.

You have seen everything that Yahweh your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is Yahweh your God who has fought for you.

4 Bonani, ngilabele ngenkatho lezizizwe eziseleyo zibe yilifa lezizwe zenu, kusukela eJordani, lazo zonke izizwe engiziqumileyo, ngitsho kuze kube selwandle olukhulu lapho okutshona khona ilanga.

Look! I have assigned to you the nations that remain to be conquered as an inheritance for your tribes, along with all the nations I have already destroyed, from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west.

5 INkosi uNkulunkulu wenu izazixotsha-ke phambi kwenu, izixotshe elifeni phambi kwenu, njalo lizakudla ilifa lelizwe, njengalokho iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu ikhulumile kini.

Yahweh your God will drive them out. He will push them out from you. He will seize their land, and you will take possession of their land, just as Yahweh your God promised to you.

6 Ngakho qinani kakhulu ukugcina lokwenza konke okubhaliweyo egwalweni lomlayo kaMozisi, ukuze lingaphambuki kuwo liye ngakwesokunene loba ngakwesokhohlo,

So be very strong, so that you keep and do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left,

7 ukuze lingangeni kulezi izizwe, lezi ezisele lani, lingaphathi ibizo labonkulunkulu bazo, lingafungisi ngabo, lingabakhonzi, lingakhothami kubo,

so you may not mix with these nations that remain among you or mention the names of their gods, swear by them, worship them, or bow down to them.

8 kodwa linamathele eNkosini uNkulunkulu wenu njengoba lenzile kuze kube lamuhla.

Instead, you must cling to Yahweh your God just as you have done to this day.

9 Ngoba iNkosi ixotshile elifeni phambi kwenu izizwe ezinkulu lezilamandla; lina-ke kakulamuntu ome phambi kwenu kuze kube lamuhla.

For Yahweh has driven out before you large, strong nations. As for you, no one has been able to stand before you to this present day.

10 Umuntu oyedwa kini uzaxotsha inkulungwane, ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu yiyo elilwelayo, njengalokho ikhulumile kini.

Any single man of your number will make a thousand run away, for Yahweh your God, is the one who fights for you, just as he promised you.

11 Ngakho ziqaphelisiseni ukuthanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu.

Pay particular attention, so that you love Yahweh your God.

12 Ngoba uba libuyela lokubuyela, linamathele kunsali yalezizizwe, lezi ezisele lani, lithathane lazo, lingene kuzo, lazo kini,

But if you turn back and cling to the survivors of these nations who remain among you, or if you intermarry with them, or if you come together with them and they with you,

13 yazini lokwazi ukuthi iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu kayiyikuqhubeka ngokuzixotsha elifeni lezizizwe phambi kwenu; kodwa zizakuba yisifu lomjibila kini, zibe luswazi enhlangothini zenu, lameva emehlweni enu, lize libhubhe liphele kulelilizwe elihle, iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu elinike lona.

then know for certain that Yahweh your God will no longer drive these nations out from among you. Instead, they will become a snare and a trap for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that Yahweh your God has given you.

14 Khangelani-ke, ngihamba lamuhla ngendlela yomhlaba wonke. Njalo liyazi enhliziyweni yenu yonke lemphefumulweni wenu wonke ukuthi akukho lelizwi elilodwa elehlulekayo kuwo wonke amazwi amahle iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu ewakhulumileyo phezu kwenu; wonke ezile kini, akukho lelizwi elilodwa elehlulekayo kuwo.

Now I am going the way of all the earth, and you know with all your hearts and souls that not one word has failed to come true of all the good things that Yahweh your God promised about you. All these things have come about for you. Not one of them has failed.

15 Kuzakuthi-ke, njengalokhu zonke izinto ezinhle iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu eyazikhuluma kini sezilehlele, ngokunjalo iNkosi izalehlisela zonke izinto ezimbi, ize ilibhubhise liphele kulelilizwe elihle iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu elinike lona.

But just as every word Yahweh your God promised you has been fulfilled, so Yahweh will bring on you all the evil things until he has destroyed you from this good land that Yahweh your God has given you.

16 Uba liseqa isivumelwano seNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu eyalilaya sona, lisuke liyekhonza abanye onkulunkulu, likhothame kibo, khona ulaka lweNkosi luzalivuthela, libhubhe masinyane liphele kulelilizwe elihle elinike lona.

He will do this if you break the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you to keep. If you go and worship other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of Yahweh will be kindled against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land that he has given you.”