UYoshuwa Ubiza amaSirayeli ukuba Anamathele

UYoshuwa, esaluphele, uhlanganisa iinkokeli, awenze lula umlumkiso wakhe: bambelelani, ningendiselani neentlanga eziseleyo nanoothixo bazo. Uphikisa ngokususela kumava—akukho nalinye idinga likaBawo wethu elingazalisekanga—athi namazwi onakalisayo aya kuba yinyaniso ngokunjalo.

Isahluko 23.

Emva kwexesha elide, emva kokuba uBawo wethu ewaphumzile amaSirayeli kuzo zonke iintshaba zabo eziningqongileyo, uYoshuwa wayesaluphele, eselekhulile ngeminyaka. Waza uYoshuwa wawabiza onke amaSirayeli—amadoda amakhulu, neentloko, nabagwebi, nababhali—wathi: “Sendaluphele, ndisekhulile kakhulu ngeminyaka. Nina nikubonile konke awakwenzayo uBawo wenu kuzo zonke ezi ntlanga ngenxa yenu; kuba nguBawo wenu owanilwelayo. Khangelani, ndinabele, njengelifa lezizwe zenu, ezi ntlanga ziseleyo, nazo zonke iintlanga endizinqumleyo, kususela eYordan kuse eLwandle Olukhulu ngasentshonalanga. UBawo wenu ngokwakhe uya kuzityhalela umva, aze azigqogqe phambi kwenu, nize nilidle ilifa ilizwe lazo, njengoko wathethayo kuni uBawo wenu.

Yomelelani kunene ukuba nigcine, nikwenze konke okubhaliweyo encwadini yomthetho kaMoses, ningaphambuki kuwo ngasekunene nangasekhohlo. Ningazihlanganisi nezi ntlanga ziseleyo phakathi kwenu. Ningawakhankanyi amagama oothixo bazo, ningafungi ngabo; ningabakhonzi, ningaqubudi kubo. Kodwa namathelani kuBawo wenu, njengoko nenze kude kube namhla.

UBawo wenu uzigxothile iintlanga ezinkulu nezinamandla phambi kwenu; akukho namnye obekwazi ukuma phambi kwenu kude kube namhla. Omnye kuni usukela iwaka, kuba uBawo wenu ngokwakhe unilwela, njengoko wathethayo kuni. Ngoko zigcineni kunene, ukuze nimthande uBawo wenu. Kodwa ukuba nithe nabuya umva, nanamathela kwezi ntlanga ziseleyo phakathi kwenu, nendiselana nazo, nixubana nazo, nazo zixubana nani, yazini ngokuqinisekileyo ukuba uBawo wenu akasayi kuzigxotha phambi kwenu ezi ntlanga. Ziya kuba ngumgibe nesibatha kuni, isabhokhwe emacaleni enu, nameva emehlweni enu, nide nitshabalale kweli lizwe lihle aninike lona uBawo wenu.

Ngoku sendihamba ngendlela yehlabathi lonke. Niyazi ngentliziyo yenu yonke nangomphefumlo wenu wonke ukuba akuwanga nanye phantsi kwizinto zonke ezilungileyo awazithethayo ngani uBawo wenu—zonke zenzekile kuni; akuwanga nanye phantsi. Njengoko lonke ilizwi elilungileyo awalithethayo kuni uBawo wenu lenzekile, ngokunjalo uya kunizisela yonke into embi, ade anitshabalalise kweli lizwe lihle aninike lona. Xa nithe nawaphula umnqophiso kaBawo wenu, awaniwisela wona, naya nakhonza thixo bambi, naqubuda kubo, uya kuvutha umsindo kaBawo wenu kuni, nize nitshabalaliswe kamsinya kweli lizwe lihle aninike lona.”