UDuteronomi 1:1-33

Lawa angamazwi uMose awakhuluma kubo bonke abakwa-Israyeli ngaphesheya kweJordani ehlane e-Araba, malungana neSufi, phakathi kwePharanu, neThofeli, neLabani, neHaseroti, neDi Zahabi, kuyizinsuku eziyishumi nanye ukusuka eHorebe ngendlela yasentabeni yaseSeyiri ukuya eKadeshi Barineya. Kwathi ngomnyaka wamashumi amane ngenyanga yeshumi nanye ngolokuqala lwenyanga uMose wakhuluma kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli njengakho konke uJehova amyale ngakho ukuba akukhulume kubo, esenqobile uSihoni inkosi yama-Amori, owahlala eHeshiboni, no-Ogi inkosi yaseBashani, owahlala e-Ashitaroti ngase-Edireyi. Ngaphesheya kweJordani ezweni lakwaMowabi uMose waqala ukuchasisela lo mthetho ngokuthi: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wethu wakhuluma kithi eHorebe, wathi: ‘Sekuyisikhathi eside nihlale kule ntaba; phendukani nihambe, niye entabeni yama-Amori nasezindaweni zonke eziseduze nakhona e-Araba, ezintabeni, nangenzansi, naseningizimu, nangasogwini lolwandle, ezweni lamaKhanani, naseLebanoni, kuze kube semfuleni omkhulu, umfula u-Ewufrathe. Bhekani, ngilibekile izwe phambi kwenu; ngenani nilidle izwe uJehova alifungela oyihlo, o-Abrahama, no-Isaka, noJakobe ukulinika bona nenzalo yabo emva kwabo.’ “Ngakhuluma kini ngaleso sikhathi, ngathi: ‘Anginakunithwala mina ngedwa; uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu unandisile; bhekani, namuhla ningangezinkanyezi zezulu ngobuningi. UJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyihlo makathasisele kulokhu eniyikho kayinkulungwane, anibusise, njengalokho wakhuluma kini. Mina ngedwa ngingathwala kanjani izinhlupheko zenu, nemithwalo yenu, nokuxabana kwenu na? Nizithathele amadoda ahlakaniphileyo, aqondileyo, aziwayo ezizweni zenu, ngiwenze abe yizinhloko phezu kwenu.’ “Nangiphendula nathi: ‘Okukhulumileyo kuhle kithi ukukwenza.’ “Ngase ngithatha izinhloko zezizwe zenu, amadoda ahlakaniphileyo naziwayo, ngawenza aba yizinhloko phezu kwenu: izinduna zezinkulungwane, nezinduna zamakhulu, nezinduna zamashumi ayisihlanu, nezinduna zamashumi, neziphathimandla ezizweni zenu. Ngabayala abahluleli benu ngaleso sikhathi, ngathi: ‘Zwanini okuphakathi kwabafowenu, nahlulele ngokulungileyo phakathi komuntu nomfowabo, nomfokazi okuye. Maningakhethi abantu ekwahluleleni, nimuzwe omncane njengomkhulu, ningesabi ubuso bamuntu, ngokuba ukwahlulela kungokukaNkulunkulu; indaba elukhuni kini niyilethe kimi, ngiyizwe.’ Nganiyala ngaleso sikhathi ngakho konke ebeniyakukwenza. “Sasuka eHorebe, sadabula lelo hlane elikhulu nelesabekayo enalibonayo ngasendleleni yasentabeni yama-Amori, njengalokho uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu wasiyala, saze safika eKadeshi Barineya. Ngase ngithi kini: ‘Senifikile entabeni yama-Amori uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu asinika yona. Bhekani, uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ulibekile izwe phambi kwenu: khuphukani nilidle, njengalokho uJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyihlo akhuluma kini; ningesabi, ningapheli amandla.’ “Nasondela kimi nina nonke, nathi: ‘Masithume amadoda phambi kwethu ukuba asihlolele izwe, asibuyisele izwi ngendlela esimelwe ukukhuphuka ngayo, nangemizi esiyakufika kuyo.’ “Leyo nto yaba nhle emehlweni ami, ngathatha kini amadoda ayishumi nambili, kwaba yindoda inye kuleso naleso sizwe. Wona ayesephenduka, akhuphukela entabeni, afika esiGodini sase-Eshikoli, asihlola. Athatha ngezandla zawo ezithelweni zezwe, azehlisela kithi, asibuyisela izwi, athi: ‘Yizwe elihle uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu asinika lona.’ “Nokho anithandanga ukukhuphuka, kepha nahlubuka esiyalezweni sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu; nakhonona ematendeni enu, nathi: ‘Ngokuba uJehova wasizonda, wasikhipha ezweni laseGibithe ukuba asinikele esandleni sama-Amori, sichithwe. Siyakukhuphukelaphi na? Abafowethu benzile izinhliziyo zethu ziphele amandla ngokusho ukuthi: “Abantu bakhulu, bade kunathi; imizi mikhulu, ibiyelwe kuze kube sezulwini; futhi sibonile amadodana ama-Anaki khona.” ’ “Ngase ngithi kini: ‘Ningashaywa luvalo, ningabesabi. UJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ohamba phambi kwenu uyakunilwela njengakho konke anenzela khona eGibithe emehlweni enu, nasehlane lapho ubone khona ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho wakuthwala njengendoda ithwala indodana yayo, endleleni yonke enahamba ngayo, naze nafika kule ndawo.’ “Noma kunjalo, anikholwanga nokho nguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu owahamba phambi kwenu endleleni ukunifunela indawo ukuba nimise kuyo amatende enu, ngomlilo ebusuku ukunibonisa indlela ebeniyakuhamba ngayo, nangefu emini.