Eksodusi 1:1-22
1 Lapho uJakobe, okungukuthi u-Israyeli, eya eGibhithe, ngayinye yamadodana akhe yahamba nomndeni wayo kanye naye. Yilawa amagama amadodana kaJakobe: +
2 URubeni, uSimeyoni, uLevi noJuda; +
3 u-Isakare, uZebhuloni noBhenjamini;
4 uDani noNafetali; uGadi no-Asheri. +
5 Bonke abazalwa uJakobe* babengu-70, kodwa uJosefa yena wayeseseGibhithe + kakade.
6 Ekugcineni uJosefa wafa, + nabo bonke abafowabo naso sonke leso sizukulwane.
7 Ama-Israyeli* anda, aqala ukuba maningi kakhulu futhi ayelokhu anda, eba namandla ngendlela engavamile, kangangokuthi izwe lagcwala wona. +
8 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwavela inkosi entsha eGibhithe eyayingamazi uJosefa.
9 Yathi kubantu bayo: “Bhekani! Ama-Israyeli maningi kunathi futhi anamandla kunathi. +
10 Masisebenzelane nawo ngokuhlakanipha. Ngale kwalokho azoqhubeka anda, uma kuba nempi, ayohlangana nezitha zethu alwe nathi ahambe kuleli zwe.”
11 Ngakho bamisa izinduna* zomsebenzi oyimpoqo ukuze bawacindezele ngomsebenzi onzima, + bakha amadolobha kaFaro okugcina izinto, okuwukuthi, iPhithomu neRamsesi. +
12 Kodwa lapho bewacindezela kakhulu, kwakuba yilapho anda khona kakhulu futhi esakazeka kabanzi, kangangokuthi besaba kakhulu ngenxa yama-Israyeli. +
13 Ngakho abaseGibhithe baphoqa ama-Israyeli ukuba abe izigqila ngendlela enesihluku. +
14 Bakwenza kwaba munyu ukuphila kwawo ngokuwagqilaza, njengoba ayesebenza ngobumba nezitini nangazo zonke izinhlobo zobugqila ensimini. Yebo, babewasebenzisa ngaphansi kwezimo ezinzima ngazo zonke izinhlobo zobugqila. +
15 Kamuva inkosi yaseGibhithe yakhuluma nababelethisi abangamaHebheru, amagama abo kwakunguShifira noPhuwa,
16 yathi kubo: “Lapho nibelethisa + abesifazane abangamaHebheru futhi nibona ukuthi ingane eyomfana kumelwe niyibulale; kodwa uma kuyintombazane, kumelwe iphile.”
17 Nokho ababelethisi babemesaba uNkulunkulu weqiniso, abakwenzanga lokho inkosi yaseGibhithe eyayibatshele kona. Kunalokho, babengababulali abantwana besilisa. +
18 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi inkosi yaseGibhithe yababiza ababelethisi yathi kubo: “Anibabulalanga ngani abantwana besilisa?”
19 Ababelethisi bathi kuFaro: “Abesifazane bamaHebheru abafani nabesifazane baseGibhithe. Bayimiqemane, basuke sebebelethile kakade lapho umbelethisi efika kubo.”
20 Ngakho uNkulunkulu wababusisa ababelethisi, abantu baqhubeka banda futhi beba namandla nakakhulu.
21 Ngenxa yokuthi ababelethisi bamesaba uNkulunkulu weqiniso, kamuva wabapha imindeni.
22 Ekugcineni uFaro wayala bonke abantu bakhe wathi: “Kumelwe niphonse wonke amadodana asanda kuzalwa angamaHebheru eMfuleni iNayile, kodwa wonke amadodakazi kumelwe niwagcine ephila.” +
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ NgesiHebheru, “labo abaphuma ethangeni likaJakobe.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “Amadodana akwa-Israyeli.”
^ Noma, “abaqondisi.”
