Yoshuwa 23:1-16
23 Emva kwemihla emininzi uYehova emphumzile+ uSirayeli kuzo zonke iintshaba ezazimngqongile, xa uYoshuwa wayesele emdala,+
2 uYoshuwa wabiza wonke uSirayeli,+ abadala, iintloko, iijaji namagosa esizwe,+ wathi kubo: “Ndimdala ngoku, kwaye ndigugile.
3 Nizibonele ngokwenu zonke izinto uYehova uThixo wenu azenze kuzo zonke ezi ntlanga ngenxa yenu, kuba nguYehova uThixo wenu obenilwela kuzo.+
4 Ndanabela+ umhlaba weentlanga ezishiyekileyo ukuba ube lilifa lezizwe zenu,+ kunye nomhlaba weentlanga endazitshabalalisayo,+ osusela kwiYordan uye kutsho kuLwandle Olukhulu* ngasentshona.*
5 NguYehova uThixo wenu owaqhubeka ezigxotha* ukuze zimke kuni,+ naza nahlala kwilizwe lazo njengokuba uYehova uThixo wenu wayenithembisile.+
6 “Yibani nesibindi ukuze nithobele nize nenze yonke into ebhalwe kwincwadi yoMthetho+ KaMoses, kwaye ningaze niwushiye niye ekhohlo okanye ekunene,+
7 ngokuzixuba nezi ntlanga+ zisashiyekileyo. Ningawabizi nokuwabiza amagama oothixo bazo+ okanye nifunge ngabo, yaye ningaze nibakhonze okanye niqubude kubo.+
8 Kunoko, nimele nithi nca kuYehova uThixo wenu,+ kanye njengokuba nenzile de kwanamhlanje.
9 UYehova uza kugxotha iintlanga ezinkulu nezinamandla phambi kwenu,+ kuba akukho mntu uye wakwazi ukumelana nani de kwangoku.+
10 Indoda nje enye kuni iza kuleqa iwaka,+ kuba nguYehova uThixo wenu onilwelayo,+ kanye njengokuba wayenithembisile.+
11 Ngoko qinisekani*+ ukuba nisoloko nimthanda uYehova uThixo wenu.+
12 “Kodwa ukuba nikhe najika naza nathi nca kwezi ntlanga zishiyekileyo,+ natshatisa abantwana benu nabantwana bazo,+ naba ngabahlobo nazo,
13 ze nazi ngokuqinisekileyo ukuba uYehova uThixo wenu akazukuqhubeka ezigxotha ezi* ntlanga.+ Ziza kuba ngumgibe, zibe njengesabhokwe sokunitywatyusha+ nanjengameva emehlweni enu de niphele kulo mhlaba mhle niwunikwe nguYehova uThixo wenu.
14 “Ngoku jongani! Sele ndiza kufa, ibe niyazi ngentliziyo yenu yonke nangomphefumlo* wenu wonke ukuba, akukho nasinye isithembiso esingenzekanga kuzo zonke izithembiso ezilungileyo azithethileyo kuni uYehova uThixo wenu. Ziye zenzeka zonke. Akukho nalinye ilizwi elingenzekanga.+
15 Kodwa, kanye njengokuba ziye zenzeka zonke izinto ezintle ebenithembise zona uYehova uThixo wenu,+ uYehova uThixo wenu uza kuzenza nezinto ezimbi athe uza kuzenza kuni, aze anitshabalalise kweli lizwe lihle aninike lona uYehova uThixo wenu.+
16 Ukuba niyasaphula isivumelwano uYehova uThixo wenu aniyalele ukuba nisigcine nize nikhonze abanye oothixo, niqubude kubo, uYehova uza kuba nomsindo+ nize nithi shwaka kwilizwe elihle aninike lona.”+
Umbhalo osemazantsi
^ Oko kukuthi, kwiMeditera.
^ Okanye “ngasentshonalanga.”
^ Okanye “ethatha ilizwe lazo.”
^ Okanye “zigadeni.”
^ Okanye “eninika umhlaba wezi.”
^ Funda Ingcaciso Yamagama.
