Ukuziqhenya Ngaphambi Kokuwa
UFaro uyabuzwa ukuthi ubani ongafaniswa naye, abese ekhonjiswa i-Asiriya: umsedari omude kangangokuthi izinyoni zakha izidleke kuwo, nezihlahla zase-Edeni zawuhavela, wagawulwa ngenxa yokuziqhenya kwawo, umthunzi wawo washiywa, isiqu sawo sathunyelwa emgodini. Ukuqhathanisa kuyiwona mongo wonke.
31 1Ngonyaka weshumi nanye, ngenyanga yesithathu, ngosuku lokuqala, izwi likaBaba wethu lafika kimi, lathi:
2“Ndodana yomuntu, tshela uFaro inkosi yaseGibhithe nezixuku zakhe uthi: Ngubani ongafaniswa nawe ebukhulwini bakho? 3I-Asiriya yayingumsedari eLebhanoni, onamagatsha amahle nomthunzi wehlathi, ophakeme kakhulu, isiqongo sawo siphakathi kwamafu. 4Amanzi awenza waba mkhulu, inziki yawenza waba mude, imifula yawo igeleza nxazonke zendawo awutshalwe kuyo, ithumela imisele yawo kuyo yonke imithi yasendle. 5Ngakho ubude bawo baphakama ngaphezu kwayo yonke imithi yasendle; izingatsha zawo zanda namagatsha awo aba made ngenxa yamanzi amaningi njengoba usabalala. 6Ezingatsheni zawo zonke izinyoni zezulu zakhela izidleke, ngaphansi kwamagatsha awo zonke izilwane zasendle zazala, futhi emthunzini wawo kwakuhlala zonke izizwe ezinkulu. 7Wawumuhle ebukhulwini bawo, unamagatsha awo amade, ngokuba izimpande zawo zazifinyelela emanzini amaningi. 8Imisedari esensimini kaBaba wethu yayingenakuqhudelana nawo; imisayiphuresi yayingenakulingana nezingatsha zawo, nemiphulane yayingenjengamagatsha awo. Awukho umuthi owawusensimini kaBaba wethu owawufana nawo ngobuhle. 9Ngawenza waba muhle ngamagatsha awo amaningi, yonke imithi yase-Edeni eyayisensimini kaBaba wethu yawumonela.’
10Ngakho iNkosi uBaba wethu ithi: “Ngenxa yokuthi waphakama kakhulu, wabeka isiqongo sawo phakathi kwamafu, nenhliziyo yawo yazidla ngobude bawo, 11‘ngawunikela ezandleni zolonamandla phakathi kwezizwe, owenze kuwo ngempela ngokuwufanele; ngawuxosha ngenxa yobubi bawo. 12Abezizwe, abanonya kakhulu phakathi kwazo zonke izizwe, bawugawula bawushiya. Amagatsha awo awela ezintabeni nasezigodini zonke, izingatsha zawo zalala zaphukile kuzo zonke izingoxi zezwe, futhi bonke abantu bomhlaba basuka emthunzini wawo bawulahla. 13Esiqwini sawo esiwele kuhlala zonke izinyoni zezulu, naphakathi kwamagatsha awo zonke izilwane zasendle, 14ukuze kungabikho mithi eniselwa kahle ngamanzi ephakama kangako noma ebeke iziqongo zayo phakathi kwamafu, kungabikho nayinye ephuza amanzi ephakama kangako. Ngokuba yonke inikelwe ekufeni, ekujuleni komhlaba, phakathi kwabantu abafayo, kanye nalabo abehlela egodini.’
15Nakhu iNkosi uBaba wethu ekushoyo: “Ngosuku owehlela ngalo ethuneni, ngenza inziki yalila ngayimbesa ngenxa yawo; ngavimba imifula yawo, amanzi amaningi anqandwa. Ngenza iLebhanoni laba mnyama ngenxa yawo, futhi yonke imithi yasendle yabuna ngenxa yawo. 16Ngomsindo wokuwa kwawo ngenza izizwe zathuthumela, mhla ngawuphosela ethuneni kanye nalabo abehlela egodini. Khona-ke ekujuleni komhlaba, yonke imithi yase-Edeni, eyinhle nekhethekileyo yaseLebhanoni, yonke ephuza amanzi, yaduduzeka. 17Nabo behla kanye nawo baya ethuneni, kulabo ababulawa ngenkemba—labo ababengamandla awo, abahlala emthunzini wawo phakathi kwezizwe.’
18“Yimuphi umuthi wase-Edeni owawulingana nawe ngenkazimulo nangobukhulu? Kodwa kanye nemithi yase-Edeni uyakwehliselwa phansi ekujuleni komhlaba, uyokulala phakathi kwabangasokile, kanye nalabo ababulawa ngenkemba. Lona nguFaro nazo zonke izixuku zakhe, kusho iNkosi uBaba wethu.””
