< UZekhariya 3 >

1 Yasingitshengisa uJoshuwa umpristi omkhulu emi phambi kwengilosi yeNkosi; loSathane emi esandleni sakhe sokunene ukumelana laye.
Yase ingitshengisa uJoshuwa umphristi omkhulu emi phambi kwengilosi kaThixo, loSathane emi kwesokunene sakhe ephikisana laye.
2 INkosi yasisithi kuSathane: INkosi kayikukhuze, wena Sathane, yebo kayikukhuze iNkosi, eyikhethileyo iJerusalema. Lo kayisiso isikhuni yini esophulwe emlilweni?
UThixo wathi kuSathane, “UThixo uyakukhuza, Sathane! UThixo oyikhethileyo iJerusalema, uyakukhuza! Umuntu lo kasisikhuni esihwatshwe sibhebha na?”
3 UJoshuwa-ke wayembethe izigqoko ezingcolileyo; wayemi phambi kwengilosi.
UJoshuwa wema phambi kwengilosi egqoke ezingcolileyo.
4 Yasiphendula yakhuluma kulabo ababemi phambi kwayo isithi: Susani izigqoko ezingcolileyo kuye. Yasisithi kuye: Bona, ngenzile isiphambeko sakho sedlule kuwe, ngikugqokise izembatho zomkhosi.
Ingilosi yasisithi kulabo ababemi phambi kwayo, “Mkhululeni izigqoko lezi ezingcolileyo.” Yasisithi kuJoshuwa, “Uyabona, sengisisusile isono sakho, yikho sengizakugqokisa izigqoko ezinhle kakhulu.”
5 Ngasengisithi: Kababeke iqhiye ehlambulukileyo ekhanda lakhe. Basebebeka iqhiye ehlambulukileyo ekhanda lakhe, bamgqokisa izembatho; njalo ingilosi yeNkosi yayimi khona.
Ngasengisithi, “Mthwaliseni iqhiye ehlanzekileyo ekhanda lakhe.” Basebemthwalisa iqhiye ehlanzekileyo ekhanda, bamgqokisa njalo, ingilosi kaThixo ilokhu imi khonapho.
6 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasifakaza kuJoshuwa isithi:
Ingilosi kaThixo yasimupha umlayo lo uJoshuwa, yathi:
7 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Uba uzahamba ezindleleni zami, njalo uba uzagcina umlindo wami, lapho lawe uzakwahlulela indlu yami, ugcine lamaguma ami; njalo ngizakunika ilungelo lokuhamba phakathi kwalaba abemi khona.
“Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla: ‘Nxa uzahamba ngezindlela zami ugcine izimiso zami, lapho-ke uzabusa indlu yami, uwaphathe lamaguma ami, njalo mina ngizakupha indawo phakathi kwalaba abemiyo lapha.
8 Zwana khathesi, Joshuwa mpristi omkhulu, wena labangane bakho abahlezi phambi kwakho, ngoba bangabantu besibonakaliso. Ngoba, khangela, ngizaveza inceku yami, iHlumela.
Lalela, wena mphristi omkhulu Joshuwa, kanye labakhula bakho abahlezi phambi kwakho, abangamadoda ayisitshengiselo sezinto ezizayo: Ngizaletha inceku yami iHlumela.
9 Ngoba khangela ilitshe engilibeke phambi kukaJoshuwa; phezu kwelitshe elilodwa kuzakuba lamehlo ayisikhombisa. Khangela, ngizabhala ngokugubha okugujiweyo kwalo, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, njalo ngizasusa isiphambeko salelolizwe ngosuku olulodwa.
Uyabona, ilitshe engilimise phambi kukaJoshuwa! Kulamehlo ayisikhombisa phezu kwelitshe lilinye, njalo ngizagubha umbhalo kulo,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla, ‘njalo ngizasisusa isono salelilizwe ngelanga elilodwa zwi.
10 Ngalolosuku, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, lizabiza, ngulowo lalowo umngane wakhe ngaphansi kwesivini langaphansi komkhiwa.
Ngalelolanga lowo lalowo wenu uzamema umakhelwane wakhe ukuthi ahlale ngaphansi kwevini lomkhiwa wakhe,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla.”

< UZekhariya 3 >