1Kwathi ngomnyaka weshumi nanye ngenyanga yesithathu ngolokuqala lwenyanga lafika kimi izwi likaJehova, lathi: 2“Ndodana yomuntu, thana kuFaro inkosi yaseGibithe nasesixukwini sakhe:
“ ‘Ufana nobani ebukhulwini bakho na?
3Bheka, ungumkhoba,
ungumsedari* waseLebanoni;
unamagatsha amahle,
namaqabunga anomthunzi,
nesiqu esiphakemeyo;
isihloko sawo siphakathi kwamafu.
4Amanzi awukhulisa,
utwa lwawuphakamisa;
imifula yawo yahamba yazungeza indawo yokutshalwa kwawo;
yayisithuma imisele yayo kuyo yonke imithi yasendle.
5Ngalokho isiqu sawo sasiphakeme kunayo yonke imithi yasendle;
izingatsha zawo zandiswa,
namagatsha awo elulwa
ngamanzi amaningi ekuwaxhantiseni kwawo.
6Zonke izinyoni zezulu zakha emagatsheni awo,
zonke izilwane zasendle zazalela phansi kwezingatsha zawo;
emthunzini wawo zahlala zonke izizwe ezinkulu.
7Wawusumuhle ebukhulwini bawo,
ngobude bamagatsha awo,
ngokuba impande yawo yayingasemanzini amaningi.
8Imisedari* yasensimini kaNkulunkulu yayingenakuwusitha,
imisayipuresi* yayingafani nezingatsha zawo,
nemipelatani* yayingenjengamagatsha awo,
futhi kwakungekho nowodwa umuthi ensimini kaNkulunkulu ofana nawo ngobuhle.
9Ngawenza waba muhle ngobuningi bamagatsha awo,
imithi yonke yase-Edene eyayisensimini kaNkulunkulu
yaze yaba nomhawu.
10“ ‘Ngalokho isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Ngenxa yokuba uphakeme ngobude, wabeka isihloko sawo phakathi kwamafu, nenhliziyo yakhukhumala ngokuphakama kwawo, 11ngiyakuwunikela esandleni sonamandla wezizwe uyakwenza nokwenza kuye njengobubi bawo ngiwuxoshe. 12Abafokazi, abesabekayo bezizwe, bawunqumile, bawushiya. Amagatsha awo awele ezintabeni nasezigodini, nezingatsha zawo zaphukile kuyo yonke imifudlana yezwe, nabo bonke abantu behlile emthunzini wawo, bawushiya. 13Encithakalweni yawo kuyakuhlala zonke izinyoni zezulu, zonke izilwane zasendle zibe semagatsheni awo 14ukuba kungabikho muthi ngasemanzini okhukhumala ngokuphakama kwawo, ungabeki isihloko sawo emafwini, yebo, nenamandla ingemi ngokuziphakamisa, yonke ephuze amanzi; ngokuba yonke inikelwe ekufeni kokuphansi komhlaba phakathi kwabantwana babantu, kwabehlelayo egodini.
15“ ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Ngosuku owehlela ngalo endaweni yabafileyo ngalwenza utwa ukuba lulile, ngalusibekela, ngavimba imifula yalo, namanzi amaningi avalelwa; ngalenza iLebanoni libe mnyama ngenxa yawo; imithi yonke yasendle yadangala ngenxa yawo. 16Ngomdumo wokuwa kwawo ngathuthumelisa izizwe, lapho ngiwehlisela endaweni yabafileyo kanye nabehlela egodini; yonke imithi yase-Edene ekhethekileyo nemihle yaseLebanoni, yonke ephuze amanzi, yaduduzwa kokuphansi komhlaba. 17Nayo yehlela kanye nawo endaweni yabafileyo kwabagwaziweyo ngenkemba, ababe yingalo yawo, ababehlela emthunzini wawo phakathi kwezizwe.
18“ ‘Pho, ufana nobani ngodumo nangobukhulu phakathi kwemithi yase-Edene na? Nokho uyakwehliselwa kokuphansi komhlaba kanye nemithi yase-Edene, ulale phakathi kwabangasokile nabagwazwe ngenkemba. Lo unguFaro nesixuku sakhe sonke, isho iNkosi uJehova.’ ”
