Bantu bami, yizwani umthetho wami,
nibeke izindlebe zenu
emazwini omlomo wami.
Umlomo wami ngizowuvula,
ngisho umfanekiso,
ngizobonakalisa izimfihlakalo zasemandulo,
izinto esezwa ngazo sazazi,
esazitshelwa ngokhokho.
Asiyukubafihlela zona abantwana babo,
kodwa siyotshela izizukulwane
izibongo zikaSimakade,
amandla akhe nemisebenzi
emangalisayo ayenzileyo.
Wamisa isiyalo kwaJakobe,
washaya umthetho kwa-Israyeli,
wayala ukuba okhokho bethu
bawufundise abantwana babo,
ukuze waziwe yisizukulwane esilandelayo,
abantwana abayobazala nabo bavuke,
batshele abantwana babo ngawo.
Bayobeka ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu,
bangakhohlwa yimisebenzi kaNkulunkulu,
ukuze bagcine imiyalo yakhe.
Bangabi njengawoyisemkhulu,
isizukulwane esiphambeneyo nesihlubukayo,
isizukulwane esingaqinisanga inhliziyo yaso,
nesimoya waso wawungathembekile kuNkulunkulu.
Abantu bakwa-Efrayimi, sebehlomile bephethe iminsalo,
babuyela emuva ngosuku lwempi.
Kabasigcinanga isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu,
benqaba ukuhamba ngomthetho wakhe.
Bayikhohlwa imisebenzi yakhe
nezimangaliso zakhe ayebabonise khona.
Izimangaliso wazenza phambi koyisemkhulu
eGibhithe, eZowani.
Wehlukanisa ulwandle, wabadabulisa kulo,
amanzi wawamisa anjengodonga.
Emini wabahola ngefu,
ubusuku bonke, ngokukhanya komlilo.
Waqhekeza amadwala ehlane,
wabaphuzisa benela,
kungathi kuvela ekujuleni.
Wenza kwagobhoza imithombo edwaleni,
amanzi wawenza ageleza njengemifula.
Nokho baqhubeka bona kuye,
bamhlubuka Ophezukonke ehlane.
Bamlinga uNkulunkulu enhliziyweni yabo
ngokucela ukudla ababekufisa.
Bakhuluma kabi ngoNkulunkulu, bathi:
“UNkulunkulu angalendlala yini itafula ehlane na?
Noma ashaya idwala kwaphuma amanzi,
kwampompoza imifula;
angabapha yini isinkwa
noma abahlinzeke ngenyama
abantu bakhe na?”
Ngakho-ke lapho uSimakade ekuzwa lokho,
wathukuthela, kwavutha umlilo kwaJakobe,
ulaka lwakhe lwehlela ku-Israyeli,
ngoba abakholwanga nguNkulunkulu,
abaze bethembela ensindisweni yakhe.
Nokho wayala amafu,
wavula iminyango yezulu,
wanisela phezu kwabo imana ukuze badle,
wabapha ukudla kwasezulwini.
Abantu badla isinkwa sezingelosi,
wabathumelela insada yokudla.
Wadedela umoya wasempumalanga ezulwini,
ngamandla akhe waqhuba umoya waseningizimu.
Wanisa inyama phezu kwabo njengothuli,
nezinyoni ezinamaphiko
zafana nesihlabathi solwandle.
Lokho wakwehlisa phakathi kwenkambu yabo,
naphakathi kwezindlu zabo.
Badla basutha kakhulu,
ngokuba Yena wabapha ababekufisa.
Babengakehlukani nokufisa kwabo,
besakumumethe ukudla kwabo emilonyeni,
ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwehlela phezu kwabo,
wazibulala iziqhwaga,
waziqumba phansi izinsizwa zakwa-Israyeli.
Phezu kwakho konke lokho
baqhubeka nokona,
abaze bazikholwa izimangaliso zakhe.
Ngakho-ke izinsuku zabo waziqeda njengomoya,
neminyaka yabo, ngokwesaba.
Lapho ebabulala, bamfuna,
babuye bamfunisisa uNkulunkulu.
Bakhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyidwala labo;
uNkulunkulu Ophezukonke
ungumkhululi wabo.
Ngemilomo yabo babemthopha,
kodwa beqamba amanga bngezilimi zabo.
Inhliziyo yabo yayingabambelele kuye,
bengathembekile esivumelwanei sakhe.
Kepha Yena waba nobubele,
wabathethelela ububi babo,
akaze ababhubhisa,
yebo, wazibamba kaningi olakeni lwakhe,
wangayikhiphela kubo yonke intukuthelo yakhe.
Wakhumbula ukuthi bangabantu nje,
bangumoya owedlulayo ongenakubuya.
Uhlelo Lokusebenza lweBhayibheli
Uhlelo Lokusebenza LweBhayibheli yezingane
