U-Eksodusi 5:1-23
5 Ngemva kwalokho uMosi lo-Aroni baya kuFaro bathi kuye: “UJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi, ‘Vumela abantu bami bahambe ukuze bayengenzela umkhosi enkangala.’”
2 Kodwa uFaro wathi: “Ungubani uJehova+ ukuthi sengingaze ngilalele ilizwi lakhe ngivumele u-Israyeli ahambe?+ Angimazi ngitsho uJehova njalo angisoze ngivumele u-Israyeli ahambe.”+
3 Bona bamphendula bathi: “UNkulunkulu wamaHebheru ukhulume lathi, sicela usivumele sithathe uhambo lwamalanga amathathu siye enkangala siyenikela imihlatshelo kuJehova uNkulunkulu+ wethu, ngoba singayekela ukwenza njalo uzasitshaya ngomkhuhlane kumbe ngenkemba.”
4 Inkosi yaseGibhithe yabaphendula yathi: “Kanti wena Mosi lo-Aroni yindaba lisusa abantu emsebenzini wabo? Buyelani emsebenzini wenu!”*+
5 UFaro waqhubeka wathi: “Khangelani ukuthi abantu abasebenzayo banengi njani elizweni, kodwa lina lifuna ukubamisa umsebenzi.”
6 Ngalelolanga uFaro watshela abaphathi bomsebenzi labofolomane wathi:
7 “Lingasabaniki abantu utshani bokwenza izitina.+ Bayekeleni bayezidingela.
8 Kodwa kumele libatshele ukuthi batshaye inani lezitina akade bevele bezitshaya. Lingabaphunguleli inani lazo ngoba bangamavila.* Yikho belokhu bekhala besithi, ‘Sifuna ukuhamba, sifuna ukuyanikela imihlatshelo kuNkulunkulu wethu!’
9 Basebenziseni nzima, bangahlali phansi ukuze bengalaleli amanga.”
10 Ngakho abaphathi+ bomsebenzi labofolomane baya ebantwini bafika bathi kubo: “UFaro uthi, ‘Angisaliniki futhi utshani.
11 Hambani liyezidingela utshani loba ngaphi elingabuthola khona, kodwa umsebenzi wenu awusoze uphungulwe ngitsho.’”
12 Abantu basebegcwala yonke indawo elizweni laseGibhithe besiyadinga amahlanga esikhundleni sotshani.
13 Abaphathi bomsebenzi babelokhu besithi kubo: “Nsuku zonke umuntu ngamunye kumele aqede umsebenzi wakhe njengalokhu elalikwenza lisanikwa utshani.”
14 Kanti njalo ofolomane abangama-Israyeli ababekhethwe ngabaphathi bomsebenzi kaFaro ukuthi bawakhangele batshaywa.+ Babuza ofolomane bathi: “Kungani lingafikisanga inani lezitina elalivele lizitshaya kuqala? Izolo lenze njalo lalamuhla seliphindile.”
15 Ngakho ofolomane bama-Israyeli bahamba bayakhalaza kuFaro bathi: “Kungani uziphatha kanje izinceku zakho?
16 Izinceku zakho kazisabuphiwa utshani kodwa bathi kithi, ‘Tshayani izitina!’ Izinceku zakho ziyatshaywa kodwa abantu bakho yibo abaphambanisayo.”
17 Yena wathi kubo: “Lingamavila,* lingamavila*+ sibili! Yikho lisithi, ‘Sifuna ukuhamba, sifuna ukuyanikela imihlatshelo kuJehova.’+
18 Sukani lapha, buyelani emsebenzini khathesi! Akulatshani elizabuphiwa futhi kumele liqhubeke litshaya inani lezitina elifunekayo.”
19 Ofolomane bama-Israyeli babona ukuthi basebephakathi kwelitshe lembokodo ngenxa yomlayo lo othi: “Lingaqali ukwehlisa inani lezitina okumele lizitshaye nsuku zonke.”
20 Ngemva kwalokho bahlangana loMosi lo-Aroni. Phela babebamelele khonapho ukuze babahlangabeze nxa sebephuma kuFaro.
21 Ofolomane bahle bathi kubo: “UJehova kakhangele elikwenzileyo ahlulele, ngoba selenze ukuthi uFaro lezinceku zakhe basenyanye* njalo selifake inkemba esandleni sabo ukuze basibulale.”+
22 UMosi wasesithi kuJehova: “Jehova kanti ubahluphelani abantu laba? Ungithumeleni vele?
23 Ukuhamba kwami kuFaro ngisiyakhuluma ebizweni+ lakho kuhle kwenza ukuthi abaphathe kubi kakhulu abantu+ laba njalo wena awuzange ubakhulule ngitsho abantu bakho.”+
Amabala angaphansi
^ Kumbe, “liyethwala imithwalo yenu.”
^ Kumbe, “bayadlala.”
^ Kumbe, “Liyadlala.”
^ Kumbe, “liyadlala.”
^ Kumbe, “selenze saba lephunga elibi kuFaro lezinceku zakhe.”
