Exo 5 | NdeIBE | STEP | Emva kwalokho uMosi lo-Aroni baya kuFaro. Bathi kuye, “Sikulethele ilizwi elivela kuJehova, uNkulunkulu wabantu bako-Israyeli. Uthi, ‘Vumela abantu bami bahambe, ukuze bangenzele idili enkangala.’ ”

Exodus 5

Izitina kungelatshani

1 Emva kwalokho uMosi lo-Aroni baya kuFaro. Bathi kuye, “Sikulethele ilizwi elivela kuJehova, uNkulunkulu wabantu bako-Israyeli. Uthi, ‘Vumela abantu bami bahambe, ukuze bangenzele idili enkangala.’ ”

2 UFaro wathi, “Ungubani uJehova okufanele ngimlalele ngivumele abako-Israyeli ukuba bahambe na? Mina kangimazi uJehova, njalo kangiyikubavumela abako-Israyeli ukuba bahambe.”

3 Yikho-ke bona bathi, “UNkulunkulu wamaHebheru ubonakele kithi. Kumele sithathe uhambo lwamalanga amathathu siye enkangala ukuze siyenikela iminikelo funa asibulale ngemikhuhlane loba ngenkemba.”

4 Kodwa inkosi yaseGibhithe yathi, “Mosi lo-Aroni, kungani lisusa abantu emsebenzini wabo? Buyelani emisebenzini yenu.” 5 UFaro wasesithi, “Khangelani abantu sebebanengi elizweni kodwa lina liyabamisa ukusebenza.”

6 Ngalelolanga uFaro wathumela lelilizwi kuzinduna zezigqili ezazisebenzisa abantu wathi: 7 “Lingabe lisabapha abantu utshani bokwenza izitina. Yekelani bayezidingela utshani babo kodwa lingehlisi inani lezitina okumele bazenze. 8 Kumele ukuthi batshaye inani lakudala. Bangamavila, yikho besuka bakhale besithi, ‘Kasihambeni siyenikela kuNkulunkulu wethu.’ 9 Yenzani umsebenzi ubenzima kwabesilisa ukuze baqhubekele phambili ngomsebenzi batshiyane lokulalela amanga.”

10 Izinduna zezigqili kanye labaphathi baphuma bayatshela abantu bathi, “Nanku esikulaywe nguFaro: uthi, ‘Kangisoze ngilinike utshani futhi.

11 Hambani liyesika utshani lapho elingabuthola khona. Kodwa umsebenzi wenu kawusoze uphungulwe lakancinyane.’ ”

12 Ngakho abantu bahlakazeka kulo lonke eleGibhithe, besika imihlanga ukuze bayisebenzise esikhundleni sotshani.

13 Izinduna zezigqili zaqhubeka zibakhahlameza zisithi, “Qedani imisebenzi yansuku zonke njengalokho elalikwenza lisazuza utshani.

14 Abaphathi bezisebenzi bako-Israyeli ababekhethwe yizinduna zezigqili zikaFaro batshaywa babuzwa ukuthi, “Kungani inani lezolo lelalamhla linganelanga njengakudala?”

15 Yikho-ke abaphathi bezisebenzi bako-Israyeli baya kuFaro bamncenga besithi, “Kungani uphatha izisebenzi zakho ngale indlela? 16 Izisebenzi zakho kazinikwa utshani kodwa sitshelwa ukuthi, ‘Tshayani izitina!’ Izisebenzi zakho ziyatshaywa kodwa umlandu ngowabantu bakho.”

17 UFaro wathi, “Mavila, yikho eliyikho – mavila! Yikho lihlala lisithi, ‘Siyekele siyenikela kuJehova.’ 18 Buyelani emsebenzini. Akulatshani elizabuphiwa. Kodwa kumele lenze izitina ezifika inani elivele lilenza.” 19 Abaphathi bezisebenzi bako-Israyeli bananzelela ukuthi babesebunzimeni obukhulu baze batshelwe ukuthi, “Kakumelanga lehlise inani lezitina okumele lilenze nsuku zonke.” 20 Sebesukile kuFaro, bafica uMosi lo-Aroni bebamelele.

21 Basebesithi, “UNkulunkulu kalikhangele alahlulele. Selenze ukuthi senyanyeke kuFaro lakuziphathamandla zakhe, lafaka inkemba ezandleni zabo ukuba basibulale.”

UNkulunkulu wethembisa ukukhululwa kwabako-Israyeli

22 UMosi wabuyela kuJehova wathi kuye, “Jehova, kungani ulethe uhlupho ebantwini laba? Yiso yini isizatho sokungithuma.

23 Selokhu ngaya kuFaro ukuyakhuluma ngegama lakho uselethe uhlupho ebantwini laba, yikho kawubahlenganga abantu bakho lakancane.”