UGenesisi 37:1-36
37 UJakhobe waqhubeka ehlala elizweni laseKhenani lapho okwahlala khona uyise engowezizweni.+
2 Le yimbali kaJakhobe.
Ngesikhathi uJosefa+ elijaha elileminyaka engu-17, wayeselusa umhlambi wezimvu lembuzi+ elamadodana kaBhiliha+ lamadodana kaZilipha,+ amakhosikazi kayise. UJosefa wasetshela uyise okubi okwakwenziwe ngabafowabo.
3 U-Israyeli wayemthanda uJosefa ukwedlula wonke amanye amadodana akhe+ ngenxa yokuthi wamzala eseluphele; ngakho wamthungisela ijazi elihle kakhulu.
4 Abafowabo bathi bebona ukuthi uyise wayemthanda ukwedlula bona, baqalisa ukumzonda njalo babengasakhulumi laye kuhle.
5 Ngemva kwesikhathi uJosefa waphupha iphupho, waselitshela abafowabo.+ Lokhu kwenza ukuthi bamzonde kakhulu.
6 Wathi kubo: “Zwanini ukuthi ngiphupheni.
7 Besibopha izithungo phakathi kwensimu, esami isithungo sasesiphakama sama mpo, kwathi ezenu izithungo zasigombolozela zasikhothamela.”+
8 Abafowabo bathi kuye: “Utsho ukuthi wena uzazenza inkosi phezu kwethu njalo usibuse?”+ Ngakho bamzonda kakhulu kulakuqala ngenxa yamaphupho akhe lalokho ayekukhulumile.
9 Ngemva kwalokho waphupha lelinye iphupho walilandisela abafowabo, wathi: “Ngiphuphe elinye iphupho. Khathesi ngiphuphe ilanga lenyanga kanye lenkanyezi ezingu-11 kungikhothamela.”+
10 Waphinda walandisela uyise iphupho lakhe labafowabo bekhona, uyise wasemkhuza wathi kuye: “Liphupho bani leli? Utsho ukuthi mina lonyoko kanye labafowenu sizabuya sikukhothamele?”
11 Abafowabo baba lomona ngaye+ kodwa uyise wawagcina amazwi la.
12 Abafowabo basebehamba lomhlambi wezimvu lembuzi zikayise emadlelweni eduze kweShekhemu.+
13 U-Israyeli wasesithi kuJosefa: “Abafowenu bayekwelusa izimvu lembuzi eduze kweShekhemu. Woza ngikuthume kubo.” UJosefa waphendula wathi: “Kulungile baba.”
14 Ngakho uyise wathi kuye: “Hamba uyebona ukuthi abafowenu baphilile yini lokuthi umhlambi unjani ubusuphenduka uzongitshela.” Yikho uJosefa wasuka esigodini saseHebroni+ waqonda eShekhemu.
15 Ngemva kwesikhathi indoda ethile yamfica elokhu ezulazula egangeni yambuza yathi: “Udingani?”
16 Wayiphendula wathi: “Ngidinga abafowethu. Ngicela ukubuza, belusele ngaphi imihlambi?”
17 Indoda le yasisithi: “Sebesukile lapha ngibazwe besithi, ‘Asambeni eDothani.’” Ngakho uJosefa wasuka walandela abafowabo waze wabathola eDothani.
18 Abafowabo bambona esesekhatshana njalo wathi engakafiki lakubo baqalisa ukubumba icebo lokumbulala.
19 Bathi: “Khangelani! Nanguyana umaphupha+ lowana uyeza.
20 Wozani simbulale simjikele emgodini* njalo sizakuthi udliwe yinyamazana yeganga eyingozi, besesibona ukuthi amaphupho akhe azaphelela ngaphi.”
21 URubheni+ wathi ekuzwa lokhu wazama ukumvikela wathi: “Kasingambulali.”+
22 Waphinda wathi kubo: “Lingambulali.+ Mjikeleni emgodini lo osenkangala kodwa lingamfaki isandla.”+ Lokhu wayekwenzela ukuthi amkhulule kubo ukuze ambuyisele kuyise.
23 UJosefa wathi efika kubafowabo bahle bamkhipha ijazi lakhe elihle ayeligqokile,+
24 basebemthatha bamjikela emgodini. Umgodi lo wawungelamanzi ngalesosikhathi.
25 Ngemva kwalokho bahlala phansi ukuze badle. Bathi bayakhangela babona ama-Ishmayeli+ esiza eludwendwe evela eGiliyadi. Amakamela awo ayethwele inhlaka* enukelelayo lebhalisamu kanye lamaxolo alenhlaka+ njalo ayelubangise eGibhithe.
26 UJuda wasesithi kubafowabo: “Kambe sizazuzani nxa singabulala umfowethu sigqibele igazi lakhe?+
27 Singamfaki isandla, asimthengiseleni+ ama-Ishmayeli. Phela ungumfowethu, igazi lethu.” Ngakho abafowabo bavuma.
28 Kwathi abathengisi bakoMidiyani+ bedlula khonapho abafowabo bamkhipha emgodini, basebemthengisela ama-Ishmayeli ngenhlamvu zesiliva ezingu-20.+ Amadoda la athatha uJosefa ahamba laye eGibhithe.
29 URubheni wathi ebuyela wathola uJosefa engasekho emgodini, wasedabula izigqoko zakhe.
30 Wasesiya kubafowabo wafika wathi: “Umfana kasekho emgodini! Manje sengizakwenza njani?”
31 Ngakho babulala impongo basebethatha ijazi likaJosefa baligxamuza egazini layo.
32 Ngemva kwalokho bathumela ijazi lelo kuyise bathi: “Nanku esikutholileyo. Sicela uhlole ukuthi leli ayisilo yini ijazi lendodana yakho.”+
33 UJakhobe walihlola wasememeza wathi: “Yilo kanye ijazi lendodana yami! Kutsho ukuthi idliwe yinyamazana yeganga eyingozi! UJosefa udlithiziwe sibili!”
34 UJakhobe wasedabula izigqoko zakhe wathandela isaka ekhalweni, walilela indodana yakhe okwamalanga amanengi.
35 Wonke amadodana akhe lamadodakazi akhe ayelokhu ezama ukumduduza kodwa yena waqhubeka esala ukududuzwa esithi: “Ngizaze ngiyengena engcwabeni*+ ngilokhu ngililela indodana yami!” Yikho uyise waqhubeka emkhalela.
36 Ama-Ishmayeli afika laye eGibhithe amthengisa kuPhothifa isiphathamandla sikaFaro+ esasiyinduna yabalindi.+
Amabala angaphansi
^ Kumbe, “komunye wemigodi.”
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Kumbe, “eShiyoli.” Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
