Exodus 23

Imithetho yokulunga lomusa

1“Ungahambi ukhuluma izindaba zamanga. Ungahlanganyeli lomuntu ongalunganga ngokuba ngufakazi olomona.

2“Ungenzi okubi ulandela inengi labantu. Nxa ufakaza ecaleni ungaphenduleli iqiniso ngokuvumelana labanengi, 3njalo ungazweli umuntu ecaleni ngoba engumyanga.

4“Ungahlangana lenkomo kumbe ubabhemi wesitha sakho elahlekile, mnqande umbuyisele kumnikazi. 5Nxa ufica ubabhemi womuntu okuzondayo ewiswe ngumthwalo, ungamtshiyi, umncedise umvuse.

6“Yahlulela kuhle abayanga bakini emacaleni. 7Ungabungeni ubufakazi bamanga, njalo ungabulali umuntu ongelacala loba oqotho ngoba kangiyi kumkhulula olecala.

8“Ungemukeli isivalamlomo, ngoba sifiphaza ababonayo besebeguqula amazwi abantu abalungileyo.

9“Ungacindezeli owezizweni, lina ngokwenu liyakwazi ukuthi kunjani ukuba ngabezizweni, njengoba lalingabezizweni eGibhithe.

Imithetho yeSabatha

10“Okweminyaka eyisithupha lizalima amasimu enu livune amabele, 11kodwa kuzakuthi ngomnyaka wesikhombisa liyekele amasimu enu alaluke engalinywanga. Ngakho abangabayanga phakathi kwenu bazazuza ukudla kuwo, kuthi lezinyamazana zeganga zidle okuseleyo. Lizakwenza njalo okufananayo ngezivini zenu kanye lezihlahla zenu zamaoliva.

12“Uzakwenza imisebenzi yakho okwezinsuku eziyisithupha, kodwa ngosuku lwesikhombisa ungasebenzi, ukuze inkabi yakho lobabhemi wakho kuphumule, kuthi isigqili esazalelwa endlini yakho kanye lowezizweni baphumule. 13Qaphelisisani lenze konke engilitshela khona. Lingamemezi abanye onkulunkulu; mabangezwiwa ezindlebeni zenu.

Imikhosi emithathu yomnyaka

14“Kathathu ngomnyaka lifanele lingenzele umkhosi. 15Lizakuba lomkhosi weSinkwa esingelaMvubelo; okwezizinsuku eziyisikhombisa dlanini isinkwa esingelamvubelo, njengokulilaya kwami. Kwenzeni lokhu ngesikhathi esimisiweyo senyanga u-Abhibhi, ngoba yiyo leyo inyanga elaphuma ngayo eGibhithe. Kungabi lamuntu ozakuma phambi kwami engaphathanga lutho.

16Umkhosi weSivuno lizawenza ngezithelo zakuqala zamasimu enu, kuzakuthi ekupheleni komnyaka libe lomkhosi wokubutha lapho selibutha izilimo zenu emasimini. 17Kathathu ngomnyaka amadoda wonke kufanele ayeziveza phambi kukaNkulunkulu oPhezu Konke.

18“Linganikeli kimi igazi lomhlatshelo ndawonye laloba yini elemvubelo. Lingagcini amahwahwa eminikelo yomkhosi kuze kuse.

19“Lethani endlini kaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu izithelo zakuqala zomhlaba wenu ezinhle kakhulu. “Lingapheki izinyane ngochago lukanina.

Ingilosi kaNkulunkulu Izalungisa Indlela

20“Khangelani, sengithumela ingilosi phambi kwenu ukuze ilivikele endleleni yenu njalo ize ilifikise endaweni engililungisele yona.

21Liyinanzelele ingilosi yami njalo lilalele ekutshoyo. Lingayihlamukeli ngoba kayizukulithethelela nxa liyihlamuka, njengoba iBizo lami likuyo. 22Nxa lingalalelisisa ekutshoyo njalo lenze konke engikutshoyo, ngizakuba yisitha sezitha zenu njalo ngizabaphikisa abaliphikisayo. 23Ingilosi yami izahamba phambi kwenu ize ilingenise elizweni lama-Amori, lamaHithi, lamaPherizi, lamaKhenani lamaHivi kanye lamaJebusi njalo ngizababhuqa. 24Lingabakhothameli onkulunkulu babo, lingabakhonzi njalo lingalandeli imikhuba yabo. Kufanele libhidlize onkulunkulu babo njalo lidilize amatshe abo abawakhonzayo. 25Mkhonzeni uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, kuzakuthi isibusiso sakhe sibe phezu kokudla laphezu kwamanzi enu. Ngizasusa imikhuhlane phakathi kwenu,

26ngalokho-ke kakho ozaswela loba abe yinyumba ezweni lenu. Ngizaphelelisa izinsuku zenu.

27“Ngizathumela udlakela lwami phambi kwenu njalo ngiphazamise zonke izizwe elizahlangana lazo. Ngizakwenza zonke izitha zenu zifulathele zilibalekele. 28Ngizathumela olonyovu phambi kwenu ukuze basuse amaHivi, amaKhenani kanye lamaHithi endleleni yenu. 29Kodwa angiyikubasusa ngomnyaka munye, ngoba ilizwe lingasala lingasela muntu besekusithi izinyamazana zeganga zande zilikhulele. 30Ngizabasusa kancanencane phambi kwenu, lani lize lande lanelise ukuthatha ilizwe.

31“Ngizabeka imingcele kusukela eLwandle oluBomvu kusiya eLwandle lwamaFilisti, njalo kusuka enkangala kusiya emfuleni uYufrathe. Ngakho abantu abahlala kulelolizwe ngizabanikela ezandleni zenu ukuze libadudule.

32Lingenzi isivumelwano labo loba labonkulunkulu babo. 33Kabangahlali lani ezweni lenu, funa balenze lingonele, ngoba ukukhonza kwabo onkulunkulu babo kuzakuba yisithiyo kini.”