UDUTERONOMI 31

₁Yeke uMosi waragela phambili nokukhuluma amezwi la kiwo woke ama-Israyeli, ₂wathi kiwo: “Namhlanje sele ngineminyaka elikhulu namatjhumi amabili; angisakghoni ukunirhola epini begodu uSomnini uthe kimi angeze ngayama iJordani. ₃USomnini uZimenu ngokwakhe uzakukhamba phambi kwenu, nguye ozakurhayila izizwezi phambi kwenu ukuze nizithumbe. UJotjhuwa uzanirhola ekuyameni iJordani njengombana uSomnini akhulumile. ₄USomnini uzakwenza izizwezo lokho akwenza kuSirhoni no-Ogi, amakhosi wama-Amori nenarhenawo lokha nabarhayilako. ₅NguSomnini ozakunikela izizwezo ezandleni zenu bese nenza kizo ukuya ngokomyalo enginiyale ngawo. ₆Qinani nibe nesibindi, ningesabi nibe nevalo ngazo ngombana nguSomnini uZimenu okhamba nani, angeze anitjhiya namkha anilahle.”

₇UMosi wabiza uJotjhuwa wakhuluma naye phambi kwama-Israyeli woke wathi: “Qina, ube nesibindi ngombana nguwe ozakukhamba nabantwaba enarheni uSomnini ayifungela kiboyisemkhulu bona uzoyinikela bona. Nguwe-ke ozakwenza bonyana bathumbe inarha leyo. ₈NguSomnini okhamba phambi kwakho, nguye ozakuba nawe, angeze akutjhiya namkha akulahle. Ungesabi bewuphele amandla.”

₉UMosi watlola umthetho lo, wawunikela abaphristi abamadodana kaLevi ebegade bathwala umfaji wesivumelwano sakaSomnini kanye nabo boke abaphathi bakwa-Israyeli. ₁₀UMosi wabayala wathi: “Njalo ekupheleni kweminyaka elikhomba, ngesikhathi esibekiweko somnyaka wokusulwa kweenkolodo, ngomnyanya wemiTlhatlhana, ₁₁lokha woke ama-Israyeli nazokuvela phambi kwakaSomnini uZimenu endaweni azayikhetha, nizakufunda umthetho lo phambi kwawo ukuze azizwele wona. ₁₂Nizakubuthelela abantu okutjho amadoda, abafazi, ababuthakathaka kanye neenkhonzi emadorobhenenu ukuze bezwe bebafunde ukwesaba uSomnini uZimenu begodu batjheje ukwenza woke amezwi womthetho lo. ₁₃Nabantwababo abangakabi ukuwazi umthetho lo, kumele bawizwe bebafunde ukwesaba uSomnini uZimenu, qobe nisahlala enarheni eniyoyithumba naniyama iJordani.”

₁₄USomnini wathi kuMosi: “Qala, amalanga wokuhlongakala kwakho sele afikile. Biza uJotjhuwa nize nijame ngetendeni lokuhlanganela ukuze ngimthume.”

UMosi noJotjhuwa bakhamba-ke bajama ngetendeni lokuhlanganela. ₁₅USomnini wavela ngetendenapho ngesika yelifu. Isika leyo yajama emnyango.

₁₆USomnini wathi kuMosi: “Qala, sele uzokuhlongakala. Abantwaba bazakusuka badlhemadlheme ngemva kwabosingazimu benarha abayokuhlala kiyo, bazangitjhiya bebephule isivumelwano sami engasenza nabo. ₁₇Yeke itukuthelwami izakuvutha phezu kwabo mhlokho, ngifihle ubuso bami kibo. Bazakuba yinyamana kakatsu, behlelwe bubumbi obunengi namatshwenyeko. Mhlokho bazakuthi, ‘Uthi akusingebanga lokobana uZimethu angasinathi ukuze sehlelwe bubumbobu na?’ ₁₈Kodwana mina ngiqinisile ngithi mhlokho ngizakufihla ubuso bami ngebanga labo boke ubumbi ababenzileko ngokuphendukela kibosingazimu. ₁₉Yeke tlola ingoma nasi bese uyifundisa ama-Israyeli, uyihlohle ngemilonyenawo ukuze ibe bufakazi bami ngokujamelana nawo. ₂₀Nasele ngiwalethe enarheni egeleza ibisi neliju, engayifungela ukuyinikela aboyisemkhulu, sele agomile asuthi aziimputjuputjwana, azakuphendukela kibosingazimu abalotjhe, mina angeqise amehlo, ephule isivumelwano sami. ₂₁Nasele ehlelwe bubumbi obunengi namatshwenyeko, ingoma le izawakhumbuza ibe bufakazi obujamelene nawo ngombana izakuhlala isemilonyeni yeenzukulwana zawo zingasayikhohlwa. Koke esele asophe ukukwenza, ngikwazile ngaphambi kobana ngiwalethe enarheni engafunga bona ngizawanikela yona.”

₂₂Yeke uMosi watlola ingoma leyo khona mhlokho bewayifundisa ama-Israyeli.

₂₃USomnini wayala uJotjhuwa umsa kaNuni wathi: “Qina, ube nesibindi ngombana uzakungenisa ama-Israyeli enarheni engafunga bona ngizawanikela yona. Mina ngizakuba nawe.”

₂₄UMosi nasele aqedile ukutlola amezwi womthetho la ngencwadini bekube sekugcineni, ₂₅wayala amaLevi agade athwala umfaji wesivumelwano sakaSomnini wathi: ₂₆“Thathani incwadi yomthetho le, niyibeke ngeqadi komfaji wesivumelwano sakaSomnini uZimenu ukuze ibe bufakazi ngokujamelana nani. ₂₇Ngiyanazi bona nimahlubuka angangani nokobana iintamo zenu ziqinile. Nanihlubuka uSomnini ngisaphila nginani nje, alo, kuzokuba kangangani-ke nasele ngihlongakele! ₂₈Bizelani ndawonye kimapha boke abaphathi beenkoro zenu, neenkhulu zenu ukuze ngikhulume amezwi la eendlebeni zabo ngibize izulu nephasi kobana zibe bofakazi abajamelene nabo. ₂₉Iye, ngiyazi bonyana ngemva kokuhlongakala kwami, ngiqinisile ngithi nizokwenza amanyala, niphambuke endleleni enganiyala ngayo. Emalangeni ezako nizokwehlelwa bubumbi ngombana nizokwenza ubukhohlakali phambi kwakaSomnini, nimthukuthelise ngemisebenzi yezandla zenu.”

₃₀UMosi wakhuluma amezwi wengoma le eendlebeni zomkhambathi woke wama-Israyeli, bekwafika ekugcineni.