Amanani 14
1 Lenhlangano yonke yasiziphakamisa, yazwakalisa ilizwi layo; abantu basebekhala inyembezi ngalobobusuku.
That night, all the Israeli people cried loudly.
2 Bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebengunguna bemelene loMozisi loAroni; lenhlangano yonke yathi kubo: Kungathi ngabe safela elizweni leGibhithe, kumbe kungathi ngabe safela kule inkangala!
The next day they all complained to Aaron and Moses/me. All the men said, “We wish that we had died in Egypt, or in this desert!
3 Njalo kungani iNkosi isilethe kulelilizwe ukuthi siwe ngenkemba? Omkethu labantwanyana bethu bazakuba yimpango. Bekungebe ngcono kithi ukubuyela eGibhithe yini?
Why is Yahweh bringing us to this land, where we men will be killed with swords? And our wives and children will be taken away [to be slaves]. [Instead of going to Canaan]. It would be better for us to return to Egypt!”
4 Basebesithi omunye komunye: Asimiseni inhloko, sibuyele eGibhithe.
Then [some of] them said to each other, “We should choose a leader who will take us back to Egypt!”
5 UMozisi loAroni basebesithi mbo ngobuso babo phambi kwebandla lonke lenhlangano yabantwana bakoIsrayeli.
Then Aaron and Moses/I bowed down [to pray] in front of all the Israeli people who had gathered there.
6 UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni loKalebi indodana kaJefune ababengabalabo abahlola ilizwe, basebedabula izembatho zabo,
Joshua and Caleb, two of the men who had explored the land, tore their clothes [because they were very dismayed].
7 bakhuluma kunhlangano yonke yabantwana bakoIsrayeli besithi: Ilizwe esadabula kulo ukuze silihlole yilizwe elihle kakhulukazi.
They said to the Israeli people, “The land that we explored is very good.
8 Uba iNkosi ithokoza ngathi, izasingenisa kulelilizwe, isinike lona, ilizwe eligeleza uchago loluju.
If Yahweh is pleased with us, he will lead us into that very fertile [IDM] land, and he will give it to us.
9 Kuphela lingayivukeli iNkosi; futhi lina lingesabi abantu belizwe, ngoba bayikudla kwethu. Umthunzi wabo usukile kubo; leNkosi ilathi; lingabesabi.
So do not rebel against Yahweh! And do not be afraid of the people in that land! We will (gobble them up/completely destroy them) [MET]! They do not have anyone who will protect them, but Yahweh will be with us [and help us]. So do not be afraid of them!”
10 Kodwa inhlangano yonke yathi kabakhandwe ngamatshe. Inkazimulo yeNkosi yasibonakala ethenteni lenhlangano kubo bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli.
Then all the Israeli people talked about [killing Caleb and Joshua by] throwing stones at them. But [suddenly] Yahweh’s glory appeared to them at the Sacred Tent.
11 INkosi yasisithi kuMozisi: Koze kube nini lababantu bengidelela? Koze kube nini bengangikholwa, ngazo zonke izibonakaliso engizenze phakathi kwabo?
Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “How long will these people reject me [RHQ]? I am tired of them not believing in what I [can do], in spite of all the miracles I have performed among them [RHQ]!
12 Ngizabatshaya ngomatshayabhuqe wesifo, ngibathathele ilifa, ngikwenze ube yisizwe esikhulu lesilamandla kulabo.
So I will cause a (plague/widespread sickness) to strike them and get rid of them. But I will cause your [descendants] to become a great nation. They will be a nation that is much greater and stronger than these people are.”
13 UMozisi wasesithi eNkosini: Khona amaGibhithe azakuzwa; ngoba wenyuse lababantu phakathi kwawo ngamandla akho.
But Moses/I replied to Yahweh, “[Please do not do that, because] the people of Egypt will hear about it! You brought these Israeli people from Egypt by your great power,
14 Njalo azatshela abahlali balelilizwe. Bazwile ukuthi wena Nkosi uphakathi kwalababantu, ukuthi wena Nkosi ubonwa ubuso ngobuso, lokuthi iyezi lakho lima phezu kwabo, uhamba phambi kwabo usensikeni yeyezi emini lensikeni yomlilo ebusuku.
and the people of Egypt will tell that to the [descendants of Canaan] who live in this land. Yahweh, they have already heard about you. They know that you have (been with/helped) these people and that they have seen you face-to-face. They have heard that your cloud is like a huge pillar that stays over them, and by using that cloud you lead them during the day, and the cloud becomes like a fire at night [to give them light].
15 Uba ubulala lababantu njengomuntu oyedwa, izizwe ezizwe ngendumela yakho zizakhuluma zisithi:
If you kill these people all at one time, the people-groups who have heard about your [power] will say,
16 Ngoba iNkosi yayingelakho ukungenisa lababantu elizweni eyabafungela lona, ngakho ibabulele enkangala.
‘Yahweh was not able to bring them into the land that he promised to give to them, so he killed them in the desert.’
17 Khathesi-ke, ngiyancenga, kawabe makhulu amandla eNkosi yami, njengokutsho kwakho usithi:
“So Yahweh, now show that you are very powerful. You said,
18 INkosi iyaphuza ukuthukuthela, njalo inkulu emuseni, ithethelela ububi leziphambeko, kodwa engayikumyekela lokumyekela olecala, iphindisela ububi baboyise phezu kwabantwana kwesesithathu lesesine isizukulwana.
‘I do not quickly become angry; instead, I love people very much, and I forgive people for having sinned and having disobeyed my laws. But I will always punish [LIT] people who are guilty of doing what is wrong. When parents sin, I will punish them, but I will also punish their children and their grandchildren and their great-grandchildren and their great-great-grandchildren.’
19 Thethelela, ngiyancenga, ububi balababantu njengobukhulu bomusa wakho, lanjengalokho ubathethelele lababantu kusukela eGibhithe kuze kube khathesi.
So, because you love people like that, forgive these people for the sins that they have committed, just like you have continued to forgive them ever since they left Egypt.”
20 INkosi yasisithi: Sengibathethelele njengokwelizwi lakho.
Then Yahweh replied, “I have forgiven them, as you requested me to.
21 Kodwa isibili, njengalokhu ngiphila, umhlaba wonke uzagcwala ngenkazimulo yeNkosi.
But, just as certainly as I live and that people all over the world [can see] my (glory/glorious power), [I solemnly declare this: ]
22 Ngoba wonke amadoda abone inkazimulo yami lezibonakaliso zami engazenza eGibhithe lenkangala, langilingileyo lezizikhathi ezilitshumi, kawezwanga ilizwi lami,
All these people saw my glory and all the miracles that I performed in Egypt and in the desert, but they disobeyed me, and many times they tested [whether they could continue to do evil things without my punishing them].
23 isibili kabayikubona ilizwe engalifungela oyise; futhi kakho owalabo abangideleleyo ozalibona.
Because of that, not one of them will see the land that I promised their ancestors [that I would give to them]. No one who rejected me will see that land.
24 Kodwa inceku yami uKalebi, ngoba omunye umoya ubulaye, wangilandela ngokupheleleyo; ngakho ngizamngenisa elizweni ayengene kilo; lenzalo yakhe izakudla ilifa lalo.
But Caleb, who serves me [well], is different from the others. He obeys me completely. So I will bring him into that land that he has already seen, and his descendants will inherit/possess some of it.
25 (AmaAmaleki lamaKhanani ahlala-ke esigodini.) Kusasa phendukani, lisuke liziyele enkangala ngendlela yoLwandle oluBomvu.
So, since the descendants of Amalek and Canaan who are living in the valleys [in Canaan are very strong], when you leave here tomorrow, [instead of traveling toward Canaan], go back along the road through the desert towards the Red Sea.”
26 INkosi yasikhuluma kuMozisi lakuAroni isithi:
Then Yahweh said to Aaron and Moses/me,
27 Koze kube nini ngilalinhlangano embi, engingungunelayo? Ngizwile ukungunguna kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli abangunguna ngakho bemelene lami.
“How long will the wicked people of this nation keep complaining about me [RHQ]? I have heard everything that they have grumbled/complained against me.
28 Tshono kibo uthi: Sibili njengoba ngiphila, kutsho iNkosi, njengalokhu likhulume endlebeni zami, ngizakwenza njalo kini.
So now tell them this: ‘Just as certainly as I, Yahweh, live, I will do exactly what you said would happen.
29 Izidumbu zenu zizawela enkangala le, labo bonke ababaliweyo benu, njengokwenani lonke lenu, kusukela koleminyaka engamatshumi amabili langaphezulu, lina abangingunguneleyo;
[I will cause] all of you to die here in this desert! Because you grumbled about me, none of you who are more than 20 years old and who were counted when Moses counted everyone
30 sibili lina kaliyikungena elizweni engiliphakamisele isandla sami ukulihlalisa kulo, ngaphandle kukaKalebi indodana kaJefune loJoshuwa indodana kaNuni.
will enter the land that I solemnly promised to give to you. Only Caleb and Joshua will enter that land.
31 Kodwa abantwanyana benu elathi ngabo bazakuba yimpango, ngizabangenisa, bazalazi ilizwe elalilahlayo.
You said that your children would be taken from you [to become slaves], but I will take them into the land, and they will enjoy living in the land that you (rejected/said that you could not conquer).
32 Lina-ke, izidumbu zenu zizawela kulinkangala.
But as for you [adults], you will die here in this desert.
33 Labantwana benu bazakuba ngabelusi enkangala iminyaka engamatshumi amane, bathwale ukuphinga kwenu, izidumbu zenu zize ziphele enkangala.
And like shepherds [wander around in the desert as they take care of their sheep], your children will wander around in this desert for 40 years. Because you adults were not loyal/faithful to me, your children will suffer until you all die in the desert.
34 Njengokwenani lezinsuku elahlola ngazo ilizwe, insuku ezingamatshumi amane, usuku ngomnyaka, usuku ngomnyaka, lizathwala ububi benu, iminyaka engamatshumi amane, lazi ukufulathela kwami.
You will suffer for your sins for 40 years. That will be one year for each of the 40 days that the twelve men explored Canaan land. And I will be like an enemy to you.’
35 Mina Nkosi ngikhulumile. Isibili ngizakwenza lokhu kulinhlangano yonke embi ebuthene imelene lami; kulinkangala bazaphela, bafele khona.
[This will certainly happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it! I will do these things to every one in this group who conspired against me. They (conspired against/decided together to reject) me here in the desert, and they will all die right here in this desert!”
36 Njalo amadoda uMozisi awathumayo ukuhlola ilizwe, esephenduka, enza inhlangano yonke yamngungunela ngokuletha umbiko omubi mayelana lelizwe,
Then the ten men [who had explored Canaan and] who had urged the people to rebel against Yahweh by giving reports that discouraged the people
37 lamadoda aletha umbiko omubi ngelizwe afa ngenhlupheko phambi kweNkosi.
were immediately struck with a plague/disease that Yahweh sent, and they died.
38 Kodwa uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni loKalebi indodana kaJefune, kulawomadoda ayeyehlola ilizwe, asala ephila.
Of the twelve men who had explored Canaan, only Joshua and Caleb remained alive.
39 Njalo uMozisi wakhuluma la amazwi kubo bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli; abantu basebelila kakhulu.
When Moses/I reported to the Israeli people what Yahweh had said, many of them were very sad.
40 Basebevuka ekuseni kakhulu, benyukela engqongeni yentaba, besithi: Khangelani silapha, sizakwenyukela endaweni iNkosi eyithembisileyo; ngoba sonile.
So the people got up early the next morning and started to go toward the hilly area in Canaan. They said, “[We know that] we have sinned, but now we [are ready to] enter the land that Yahweh promised to give to us.”
41 Kodwa uMozisi wathi: Kungani-ke liseqa umlayo weNkosi? Ngoba kakuyikuphumelela.
But Moses/I said, “Yahweh commanded you [to return to the desert, so] why are you now disobeying him [RHQ]? It will not (succeed/be possible).
42 Lingenyuki, ngoba iNkosi kayikho phakathi kwenu, ukuze lingatshaywa phambi kwezitha zenu.
Do not try to enter the land now! [If you try], your enemies will defeat you, because Yahweh will not (be with/help) you.
43 Ngoba amaAmaleki lamaKhanani alapho phambi kwenu; njalo lizakuwa ngenkemba, ngoba njengoba liphendukile ekulandeleni iNkosi, iNkosi kayiyikuba lani.
When you begin to fight the descendants of Amalek and Canaan, they will slaughter you! Yahweh will abandon you, because you have abandoned him.”
44 Kodwa ngokuziqhenya benyukela engqongeni yentaba, kodwa umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi loMozisi kawuphumanga phakathi kwenkamba.
But even though Moses/I did not leave the camp, and the sacred chest that contained the Ten Commandments was not taken from the camp, the people began to go towards the hilly area in Canaan.
45 AmaAmaleki asesehla, lamaKhanani ahlala kulezozintaba, abatshaya, abahlakaza kwaze kwaba seHorma.
Then the descendants of Amalek and Canaan who lived in that hilly area came down and attacked them and chased them as far [south] as [the town of] Hormah.
