UJoshuwa Uyala Abantu
1Sekwedlule izinsuku eziningi, uSimakade esenike u-Israyeli ukuthula ezitheni zakhe nxazonke, noJoshuwa esemdala, iminyaka isihambile, 2uJoshuwa wabiza bonke abakwa-Israyeli, amalunga akhona, izinhloko, abehluleli, nezikhulu, wathi kubo: “Manje sengimdala, neminyaka yami isiminingi, 3futhi nikubonile konke uSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu akwenza kuzo zonke lezi zizwe ngenxa yenu, ngokuba nguSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu owanilwela. 4Bhekani, nginabele njengefa lezizwana zenu, zonke izizwe ezisasele, nazo zonke izizwe engazibhubhisa, kusukela eJordani kuze kufike oLwandle Olukhulu entshonalanga. 5USimakade uNkulunkulu wenu uyakuzixosha, azidungule phambi kwenu; niyakulidla izwe lazo, njengalokhu uSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu ethembisile kini.
6“Ngakho-ke qinani kakhulu ukuze nigcine futhi nenze konke okulotshwe encwadini yomthetho kaMose, ukuba ningachezukeli kwesokunene noma kwesokhohlo, 7ukuze ningahlangani nalezi zizwe ezisele phakathi kwenu, noma nibize amagama onkulunkulu bazo, nifunge ngabo, nibakhonze, noma nibakhothamele, 8kodwa nibambelele niqine kuSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu njengoba nenzile kuze kube namuhla. 9Ngokuba uSimakade uzixoshile phambi kwenu izizwe ezinkulu nezinamandla; nina-ke akukho muntu okwazile ukumelana nani kuze kube namuhla. 10Oyedwa kini uxoshe inkulungwane, ngokuba nguSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu onilwelayo njengalokhu ayekhulume kini. 11Qaphelani ukuba nimthande uSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu.
12“Ngokuba uma nihlehlela emuva, ninamathele kuleyo nsali yalezi zizwe ephakathi kwenu, niganiselane nazo, nize niganwe ngabesifazane bazo nazo ziganwe ngabenu, 13yazini impela ukuthi uSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu akayukuqhubeka axoshe lezi zizwe phambi kwenu, kodwa ziyoba wugibe nonoxhaka kini, nenkalivasi ezinhlangothini zenu, nameva emehlweni enu, nize nibhubhe kuleli lizwe elihle uSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu aninike lona.
14“Bhekani, namuhla sengizokufa; niyazi ezinhliziyweni nasemiphefumulweni yenu nonke ukuthi akukho nokukodwa okwaphuthayo kwangaphumelela kulokho uSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu akwethembisa mayelana nani; konke kwaphumelela, akukho nakunye okwaphutha. 15Kodwa njengoba zonke izinto ezinhle uSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu anethembisa zona zigcwalisekile, kanjalo uSimakade uyonehlisela konke okubi, aze anibhubhise kuleli lizwe elihle uSimakade aniphe lona. 16Uma nephula isivumelwano sikaSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu aniyala ngaso bese nihamba niyokhonza abanye onkulunkulu, nibakhothamele, ulaka lukaSimakade luyonivuthela, nibhubhe ngokushesha kuleli lizwe elihle aninike lona.”
