I-Eksodusi 5

5 ¹Emva kwalokho uMose no-Aroni baya kuFaro bathi: “Usho kanje uBaba wethu wakwa-Israyeli: Vumela abantu bami bahambe, bangigcinele umkhosi ehlane.”

²UFaro wathi: “Ungubani uNkulunkulu, ukuze ngilalele izwi lakhe, ngivumele u-Israyeli ahambe? Angimazi uNkulunkulu, futhi angiyikumvumela u-Israyeli ahambe.”

³Bathi: “UBaba wethu uhlangene nathi. Ake sihambe uhambo lwezinsuku ezintathu siye ehlane siyohlabela uBaba wethu, funa asishaye ngesifo noma ngenkemba.”

⁴Kodwa inkosi yaseGibhithe yathi kubo: “Mose no-Aroni, nibamiselani abantu emsebenzini wabo? Buyelani emisebenzini yenu!” ⁵UFaro wathi: “Bheka, abantu baleli zwe sebebaningi manje, kodwa nina nifuna ukuba bayeke ukusebenza!”

⁶Ngalolo suku uFaro wabayala abaqhubi bezigqila nezinduna eziphezu kwabantu, wathi: ⁷“Yekani ukunika abantu utshani lokwenza izitini njengakuqala. Mabahambe bona ngokwabo bayoziqoqela utshani.

⁸Nibabekele inani lezitini elifanayo njengakuqala, ningalinciphisi. Bayavilapha; yingakho bekhala bethi: ‘Masihambe siyohlabela uNkulunkulu wethu.’ ⁹Umsebenzi mawube nzima kakhulu kulamadoda, ukuze aqhubeke nawo, anganaki amanga.”

¹⁰Abaqhubi bezigqila nezinduna baphuma bawatshela abantu bathi: “Usho kanje uFaro: ‘Angisayikuninika utshani.’ ¹¹Hambani niyozitholela utshani benu lapho ningabuthola khona—kodwa umsebenzi wenu awuyikuncishiswa nakancane.’” ¹²Ngakho abantu bahlakazeka ezweni lonke laseGibhithe beyobutha izibi esikhundleni sotshani. ¹³Abaqhubi bezigqila babelokhu bebacindezela bethi: “Qedani umsebenzi wenu wosuku, njengakuqala ngesikhathi ninotshani.” ¹⁴Izinduna zama-Israyeli, ezazibekwe abaqhubi bezigqila bakaFaro phezu kwazo, zashaywa, zabuzwa kwathiwa: “Kungani ningaphelelisanga inani lezitini zenu izolo nanamuhla njengakuqala?”

¹⁵Izinduna zama-Israyeli zeza zakhala kuFaro zathi: “Ubaphathelani kanje izinceku zakho? ¹⁶Azinikwa utshani izinceku zakho, kodwa bathi kithi: ‘Yenzani izitini!’ Bheka, izinceku zakho ziyashaywa, kanti iphutha lisebantwini bakho.”

¹⁷UFaro wathi: “Nivilaphile! Niyavilapha! Yingakho nithi: ‘Masihambe siyohlabela uNkulunkulu.’ ¹⁸Manje hambani, nisebenze. Aniyikunikwa utshani, kodwa kumele nilethe inani eligcwele lezitini zenu.”

¹⁹Izinduna zama-Israyeli zabona ukuthi zisenkingeni lapho zitshelwa ukuthi: “Ningalinciphisi inani lezitini zenu zosuku.” ²⁰Zathi ziphuma kuFaro, zafica uMose no-Aroni belindele ukuhlangabezana nazo, ²¹zathi kubo: “UBaba wethu makanibheke, ahlulele, ngokuba nisenze saba yiphunga elibi kuFaro nakuzikhulu zakhe, nafaka inkemba esandleni sabo ukuba basibulale.”

²²UMose wabe esebuyela kuBaba wethu wathi: “Baba wami oyiNkosi, ubehliselani lobu bunzima phezu kwalaba bantu? Wangithumelani nhlobo?

²³Selokhu ngaya kuFaro ukuyokhuluma egameni lakho, uye wabenzela okubi laba bantu, kanti wena awubakhululanga nakancane abantu bakho.”