Exodus 5

Izitina Kungelatshani

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

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

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

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

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

10Izinduna zezigqili kanye labaphathi baphuma bayatshela abantu bathi, “Nanku esikulaywe nguFaro, uthi, ‘Kangisoze ngilinike utshani futhi. 11Hambani liyesika utshani lapho elingabuthola khona. Kodwa umsebenzi wenu kawusoze uphungulwe lakancinyane.’ ” 12Ngakho abantu bahlakazeka kulolonke elaseGibhithe, besika imihlanga ukuze bayisebenzise esikhundleni sotshani. 13Izinduna zezigqili zaqhubeka zibakhahlameza zisithi, “Qedani imisebenzi yansuku zonke njengalokho elalikwenza lisazuza utshani.” 14Abaphathi bezisebenzi bako-Israyeli ababekhethwe yizinduna zezigqili zikaFaro batshaywa bebuzwa ukuthi, “Kungani inani lezolo lelanamuhla lingenelanga njengakuqala?”

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

17UFaro wathi, “Mavila, yikho eliyikho, mavila! Yikho lihlala lisithi, ‘Siyekele siyenikela kuThixo.’ 18Buyelani emsebenzini. Akulatshani elizabuphiwa. Kodwa kumele lenze izitina ezifika inani ebelivele lilenza.”

19Abaphathi bezisebenzi bako-Israyeli bananzelela ukuthi babesebunzimeni obukhulu baze batshelwe ukuthi, “Kakumelanga lehlise inani lezitina okumele lilenze nsuku zonke.” 20Sebesukile kuFaro, bafica uMosi lo-Aroni bebalindele. 21Basebesithi, “uThixo kalikhangele alahlulele. Selenze ukuthi senyanyeke kuFaro lakuziphathamandla zakhe, lafaka inkemba ezandleni zabo ukuba basibulale.”

UNkulunkulu Uthembisa Ukukhululwa Kwabako-Israyeli

22UMosi wabuyela kuThixo wathi kuye, “Thixo, kungani ulethe uhlupho ebantwini laba? Yiso yini isizatho sokungithuma. 23Selokhu ngaya kuFaro ukuyakhuluma ngebizo lakho, uselethe uhlupho ebantwini laba, njalo kawubahlenganga abantu bakho lakancane.”