UDutheronomi 4

1 Khathesi-ke, Israyeli, zwana izimiso lezahlulelo engilifundisa zona, ukuzenza, ukuze liphile, lingene lidle ilifa lelizwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu waboyihlo elinika lona.

'And now, Israel, hearken unto the statutes, and unto the judgments which I am teaching you to do, so that ye live, and have gone in, and possessed the land which Jehovah God of your fathers is giving to you.

2 Kaliyikwengezelela elizwini engililaya lona, lingaphunguli lutho kulo, ukuze ligcine imilayo yeNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu engililaya yona.

Ye do not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor diminish from it, to keep the commands of Jehovah your God which I am commanding you.

3 Amehlo enu abonile iNkosi eyakwenzayo ngenxa kaBhali-Peyori; ngoba wonke umuntu owalandela uBhali-Peyori, iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu yambhubhisa phakathi kwenu;

'Your eyes are seeing that which Jehovah hath done in Baal-Peor, for every man who hath gone after Baal-Peor, Jehovah thy God hath destroyed him from thy midst;

4 kodwa lina elanamathela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wenu liyaphila lonke lamuhla.

and ye who are cleaving to Jehovah your God, [are] alive, all of you, to-day.

5 Bonani, ngilifundisile izimiso lezahlulelo, njengokungilaya kweNkosi uNkulunkulu wami, ukuthi lenze njalo phakathi kwelizwe eliya kulo ukudla ilifa lalo.

'See, I have taught you statutes and judgments, as Jehovah my God hath commanded me — to do so, in the midst of the land whither ye are going in to possess it;

6 Ngakho zigcineni, lizenze; ngoba lokhu kuyinhlakanipho yenu lokuqedisisa kwenu emehlweni ezizwe ezizakuzwa zonke lezizimiso zithi: Isibili lesisizwe esikhulu singabantu abahlakaniphileyo labaqedisisayo.

and ye have kept and done [them] (for it [is] your wisdom and your understanding) before the eyes of the peoples who hear all these statutes, and they have said, Only, a people wise and understanding [is] this great nation.

7 Ngoba yisiphi isizwe esikhulu esilabonkulunkulu abaseduze laso njengeNkosi uNkulunkulu ekumbizeni kwethu konke?

'For which [is] the great nation that hath God near unto it, as Jehovah our God, in all we have called unto him?

8 Futhi yisiphi isizwe esikhulu esilezimiso lezahlulelo ezilungileyo njengalumlayo wonke engiwubeka phambi kwenu lamuhla?

and which [is] the great nation which hath righteous statutes and judgments according to all this law which I am setting before you to-day?

9 Kuphela ziqaphele, ugcine kakhulu umphefumulo wakho, hlezi ukhohlwe izinto amehlo akho azibonileyo, njalo hlezi zisuke enhliziyweni yakho, zonke izinsuku zempilo yakho. Njalo uzazise abantwana bakho labantwana babantwana bakho,

'Only, take heed to thyself, and watch thy soul exceedingly, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they turn aside from thy heart, all days of thy life; and thou hast made them known to thy sons, and to thy sons' sons.

10 ukuthi ngosuku owema ngalo phambi kweNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho eHorebe, lapho iNkosi yathi kimi: Ngibuthanisela abantu ngibe sengibazwisa amazwi ami, ukuze bafunde ukungesaba zonke izinsuku abazaziphila emhlabeni, bafundise njalo abantwana babo.

'The day when thou hast stood before Jehovah thy God in Horeb — in Jehovah's saying unto me, Assemble to Me the people, and I cause them to hear My words, so that they learn to fear Me all the days that they are alive on the ground, and their sons they teach; —

11 Laselisondela, lema ngaphansi kwentaba, lentaba yayivutha umlilo kwaze kwaba phakathi kwamazulu, lomnyama, amayezi, lomnyama onzima.

and ye draw near and stand under the mountain, and the mountain is burning with fire unto the heart of the heavens — darkness, cloud, yea, thick darkness:

12 INkosi yasikhuluma kini iphakathi komlilo; lezwa ilizwi lamazwi, kodwa kalibonanga simo; ilizwi kuphela.

'And Jehovah speaketh unto you out of the midst of the fire; a voice of words ye are hearing and a similitude ye are not seeing, only a voice;

13 Yamemezela kini isivumelwano sayo, eyalilaya ukuthi lisenze, imilayo elitshumi; njalo yayibhala ezibhebheni zamatshe ezimbili.

and He declareth to you His covenant, which He hath commanded you to do, the Ten Matters, and He writeth them upon two tables of stone.

14 INkosi yasingilaya ngalesosikhathi ukuthi ngilifundise izimiso lezahlulelo, ukuze lizenze elizweni elidlulela kulo ukudla ilifa lalo.

'And me hath Jehovah commanded at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, for your doing them in the land whither ye are passing over to possess it;

15 Ngakho-ke qaphelani kakhulu ngenxa yemiphefumulo yenu. Ngoba kalibonanga lasimo ngosuku iNkosi ikhuluma kini eHorebe iphakathi komlilo,

and ye have been very watchful of your souls, for ye have not seen any similitude in the day of Jehovah's speaking unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire,

16 hlezi lizone, lizenzele isithombe esibaziweyo, isimo saloba yiwuphi umfanekiso, isifanekiso sowesilisa loba sowesifazana,

lest ye do corruptly, and have made to you a graven image, a similitude of any figure, a form of male or female —

17 isifanekiso saloba yiyiphi inyamazana esemhlabeni, isifanekiso saloba yiyiphi inyoni elempiko ephapha emazulwini,

a form of any beast which [is] in the earth — a form of any winged bird which flieth in the heavens —

18 isifanekiso saloba yikuphi okuhuquzelayo emhlabeni, isifanekiso saloba yiyiphi inhlanzi esemanzini ngaphansi komhlaba.

a form of any creeping thing on the ground — a form of any fish which [is] in the waters under the earth;

19 Futhi hlezi uphakamisele amehlo akho emazulwini, lapho ubona ilanga lenyanga lezinkanyezi, ibutho lonke lamazulu, uyengwe, ukukhothamele, ukukhonze, iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ekwabele izizwe zonke ngaphansi kwamazulu wonke.

'And lest thou lift up thine eyes towards the heavens, and hast seen the sun, and the moon, and the stars, all the host of the heavens, and thou hast been forced, and hast bowed thyself to them, and served them, which Jehovah thy God hath apportioned to all the peoples under the whole heavens.

20 Kodwa lina iNkosi yalithatha, yalikhupha esithandweni sensimbi, eGibhithe, ukuze libe kuyo ngabantu belifa, njengalamuhla.

'And you hath Jehovah taken, and He is bringing you out from the iron furnace, from Egypt, to be to Him for a people — an inheritance, as [at] this day.

21 Futhi iNkosi yangithukuthelela ngenxa yenu, yafunga ukuthi kangiyikuchapha iJordani, lokuthi kangiyikungena kulelolizwe elihle iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ekunika lona libe yilifa.

'And Jehovah hath shewed himself wroth with me because of your words, and sweareth to my not passing over the Jordan, and to my not going in unto the good land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee — an inheritance;

22 Ngoba ngizafela kulelilizwe, ngingachaphi iJordani; kodwa lina lizachapha, lidle ilifa lalelolizwe elihle.

for I am dying in this land; I am not passing over the Jordan, and ye are passing over, and have possessed this good land.

23 Ziqapheleni hlezi likhohlwe isivumelwano seNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu eyasenza lani, lizenzele isithombe esibaziweyo, umfanekiso waloba yikuphi iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ekwenqabele khona.

'Take heed to yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of Jehovah your God, which He hath made with you, and have made to yourselves a graven image, a similitude of anything [concerning] which Jehovah thy God hath charged thee:

24 Ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ingumlilo oqothulayo, uNkulunkulu olobukhwele.

for Jehovah thy God is a fire consuming — a zealous God.

25 Lapho uzala abantwana labantwana babantwana, njalo selihlale elizweni isikhathi eside, uba lisonakala, lenze isithombe esibaziweyo, umfanekiso waloba yikuphi, lenze okubi emehlweni eNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ukuze liyithukuthelise,

'When thou begettest sons and sons' sons, and ye have become old in the land, and have done corruptly, and have made a graven image, a similitude of anything, and have done the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, to provoke Him to anger: —

26 ngibiza amazulu lomhlaba lamuhla ukuze kufakaze kumelene lani ukuthi lizabhubha lokubhubha masinyane lisuka elizweni elichapha iJordani ukuya kilo ukuze libe yilifa lenu; kaliyikwelula insuku zenu phezu kwalo, ngoba lizabhujiswa lokubhujiswa.

I have caused to testify against you this day the heavens and the earth, that ye do perish utterly hastily from off the land whither ye are passing over the Jordan to possess it; ye do not prolong days upon it, but are utterly destroyed;

27 Njalo iNkosi izalichithachitha phakathi kwezizwe, lisale libalutshwana ngenani phakathi kwezizwe, lapho iNkosi ezalixotshela khona.

and Jehovah hath scattered you among the peoples, and ye have been left few in number among the nations, whither Jehovah leadeth you,

28 Lapho lizakhonza onkulunkulu, umsebenzi wezandla zabantu, izigodo lamatshe, abangaboniyo, abangezwayo, abangadliyo, labanganukiyo.

and ye have served there gods, work of man's hands, wood and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

29 Kodwa lilapho liyidinge iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, uzayithola uba uyidinga ngenhliziyo yakho yonke langomphefumulo wakho wonke.

'And — ye have sought from thence Jehovah thy God, and hast found, when thou seekest Him with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,

30 Lapho usekuhluphekeni, lezizinto zonke zikwehlela, ekupheleni kwezinsuku, uzaphendukela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wakho, ulalele ilizwi layo;

in distress [being] to thee, and all these things have found thee, in the latter end of the days, and thou hast turned back unto Jehovah thy God, and hast hearkened to His voice;

31 ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho inguNkulunkulu olomusa, kayiyikukutshiya, kayiyikukubhubhisa, kayiyikukhohlwa isivumelwano saboyihlo, eyasifunga kubo.

for a merciful God [is] Jehovah thy God; He doth not fail thee, nor destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers, which He hath sworn to them.

32 Ngoba buza-ke ngensuku zamandulo ezazingaphambi kwakho, kusukela osukwini uNkulunkulu adala ngalo umuntu emhlabeni, kusukela komunye umkhawulo wamazulu kuze kube komunye umkhawulo wamazulu, ukuthi kwake kwaba khona yini into enje njengale into enkulu, kumbe kwezwakala enjengayo yini?

'For, ask, I pray thee, at the former days which have been before thee, from the day that God prepared man on the earth, and from the [one] end of the heavens even unto the [other] end of the heavens, whether there hath been as this great thing — or hath been heard like it?

33 Abantu bake bezwa yini ilizwi likaNkulunkulu likhuluma livela phakathi komlilo, njengalokhu ulizwile wena, waphila?

Hath a people heard the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, thou — and doth live?

34 Futhi uNkulunkulu wake wazama yini ukuyazithathela isizwe phakathi kwesizwe, ngezilingo, ngezibonakaliso, langezimangaliso, langempi, langesandla esilamandla, langengalo eyeluliweyo, langezesabiso ezinkulu, njengakho konke iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu eyalenzela khona eGibhithe phambi kwamehlo akho?

Or hath God tried to go in to take to Himself, a nation from the midst of a nation, by trials, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a strong hand, and by a stretched-out arm, and by great terrors — according to all that Jehovah your God hath done to you, in Egypt, before your eyes?

35 Wena wakutshengiswa, ukuze wazi ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu; kakho omunye ngaphandle kwakhe.

Thou, thou hast been shewn [it], to know that Jehovah He [is] God; there is none else besides Him.

36 Esemazulwini wakuzwisa ilizwi lakhe ukukufundisa; lemhlabeni wakutshengisa umlilo wakhe omkhulu, lamazwi akhe wawezwa evela phakathi komlilo.

'From the heavens He hath caused thee to hear His voice, to instruct thee, and on earth He hath shewed thee His great fire, and His words thou hast heard out of the midst of the fire.

37 Njalo ngoba wabathanda oyihlo, wakhetha inzalo yabo emva kwabo, wakukhupha eGibhithe ebusweni bakhe ngamandla akhe amakhulu,

'And because that He hath loved thy fathers, He doth also fix on their seed after them, and doth bring thee out, in His presence, by His great power, from Egypt:

38 ukuxotsha elifeni izizwe ezinkulu lezilamandla kulawe phambi kwakho, ukukungenisa, ukukupha ilizwe lazo, libe yilifa, njengalamuhla.

to dispossess nations greater and stronger than thou, from thy presence, to bring thee in to give to thee their land — an inheritance, as [at] this day.

39 Ngakho yazi lamuhla, ukukhumbule enhliziyweni yakho ukuthi iNkosi inguNkulunkulu emazulwini phezulu, lemhlabeni phansi; kakho omunye.

'And thou hast known to-day, and hast turned [it] back unto thy heart, that Jehovah He [is] God, in the heavens above, and on the earth beneath — there is none else;

40 Ngakho uzagcina izimiso zakhe lemilayo yakhe engikulaya yona lamuhla, ukuze kukulungele labantwana bakho emva kwakho, lokuze welule izinsuku phezu kwelizwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ekunika lona, zonke izinsuku.

and thou hast kept His statutes and His commands which I am commanding thee to-day, so that it is well to thee, and to thy sons after thee, and so that thou prolongest days on the ground which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee — all the days.'

41 Khona uMozisi wehlukanisa imizi emithathu nganeno kweJordani ngasempumalanga,

Then Moses separateth three cities beyond the Jordan, towards the sun-rising,

42 ukuthi abalekele kuyo umbulali obulele umakhelwane wakhe kungeyisikho ngabomo, obengamzondi mandulo, ukuze abalekele komunye waleyomizi aphile;

for the fleeing thither of the man-slayer, who slayeth his neighbour unknowingly, and he is not hating him heretofore, and he hath fled unto one of these cities, and he hath lived:

43 iBezeri enkangala elizweni lamagceke, elabakoRubeni; leRamothi eGileyadi, elabakoGadi; leGolani eBashani, elabakoManase.

Bezer, in the wilderness, in the land of the plain, of the Reubenite; and Ramoth, in Gilead, of the Gadite; and Golan, in Bashan, of the Manassahite.

44 Njalo yilo umlayo uMozisi awubeka phambi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli.

And this [is] the law which Moses hath set before the sons of Israel;

45 Lobu yibufakazi lezimiso lezahlulelo uMozisi akukhuluma ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli ekuphumeni kwabo eGibhithe,

these [are] the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which Moses hath spoken unto the sons of Israel, in their coming out of Egypt,

46 nganeno kweJordani, esigodini maqondana leBeti-Peyori, elizweni likaSihoni inkosi yamaAmori, owayehlala eHeshiboni, uMozisi labantwana bakoIsrayeli abamtshayayo ekuphumeni kwabo eGibhithe.

beyond the Jordan, in the valley over-against Beth-Peor, in the land of Sihon, king of the Amorite, who is dwelling in Heshbon, whom Moses and the sons of Israel have smitten, in their coming out of Egypt,

47 Basebesidla ilifa lelizwe lakhe lelizwe likaOgi inkosi yeBashani, amakhosi amabili amaAmori, ayenganeno kweJordani ngasempumalanga,

and they possess his land, and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorite who [are] beyond the Jordan, [towards] the sun-rising;

48 kusukela eAroweri esekhunjini lwesifula seArinoni, kuze kufike entabeni yeSiyoni, eyiHermoni,

from Aroer, which [is] by the edge of the brook Arnon, even unto mount Sion, which [is] Hermon —

49 lamagceke wonke nganeno kweJordani ngasempumalanga, kuze kube selwandle lwamagceke, ngaphansi kweAshidodi-Pisiga.

and all the plain beyond the Jordan eastward, even unto the sea of the plain, under the springs of Pisgah.