U-Eksodusi 1

1 La ngamabizo amadodana ka-Israyeli aya eGibhithe loJakhobe, munye ngamunye lemuli yakhe:

Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt (every man and his household came with Jacob):

2 uRubheni, uSimiyoni, uLevi loJuda;

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

3 u-Isakhari, uZebhuluni loBhenjamini,

Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

4 uDani loNafithali; uGadi lo-Asheri.

Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

5 Inzalo yonke kaJakhobe yayingamatshumi ayisikhombisa. UJosefa wayevele eseseGibhithe.

And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: and Joseph was in Egypt already.

6 Kwathi uJosefa labo bonke abafowabo kanye lasosonke lesosizukulwane sebefile,

And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.

7 abako-Israyeli bazalana banda kakhulu, okokuthi ilizwe lonke lagcwala ngabo.

And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

8 Kwasekusiba lenye inkosi eyayingazi lutho ngoJosefa, yaba ngumbusi eGibhithe.

Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.

9 Yathi ebantwini bayo, “Khangelani, abantu bako-Israyeli sebebanengi kakhulu kulathi.

And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:

10 Asiboneni amacebo esingawenza ngabo funa bande kakhulu kuthi lapho kuqhamuka impi, babambane lezitha zethu, balwe lathi, besebesuka elizweni.”

come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they also join themselves unto our enemies, and fight against us, and get them up out of the land.

11 Ngakho babeka izinduna zezigqili ukuthi zibasebenzise kanzima, bakha iPhithomi leRamesesi aba ngamadolobho eziphala zikaFaro.

Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Raamses.

12 Kodwa kwathi ngokuhlutshwa kwabo ngamandla, labo banda kakhulu basabalala; okwenza amaGibhithe abesaba abako-Israyeli

But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

13 asebasebenzisa ngochuku.

And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor:

14 Enza impilo yabo yaba nzima kakhulu betshaya izitina lokuvoxa udaka besenza leminye yonke imisebenzi yemasimini. Kuyo yonke imisebenzi enzima amaGibhithe abasebenzisa ngochuku.

and they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field, all their service, wherein they made them serve with rigor.

15 Inkosi yaseGibhithe yathi kubabelethisi bamaHebheru okwakuthiwa nguShifira loPhuwa,

And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:

16 “Nxa libelethisa abafazi bamaHebheru, lingabona kuzelwe umfana kufanele limbulale; kodwa nxa kuyinkazana, liyiyekele iphile.”

and he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the birth-stool; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him; but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

17 Kodwa ababelethisi babemesaba uNkulunkulu, ngakho abakwenzanga lokho ababekutshelwe yinkosi yaseGibhithe.

But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men-children alive.

18 Sekube njalo, inkosi yaseGibhithe yababiza ababelethisi yathi kubo, “Kungani lenze lokhu? Kungani liyekele abafana baphila?”

And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men-children alive?

19 Ababelethisi bamphendula uFaro bathi, “Abafazi bamaHebheru abafani labafazi bamaGibhithe; balamandla baphanga babelethe ababelethisi bengakafiki.”

And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwife come unto them.

20 Ngakho uNkulunkulu waba lomusa kubo ababelethisi, abantu banda baba banengi kakhulu.

And God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

21 Njalo njengoba ababelethisi bamesaba uNkulunkulu, wabapha ezabo izimuli.

And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them households.

22 UFaro wasesipha abantu bakhe bonke umlayo othi: “Wonke umfana womHebheru ozalwayo kufanele aphoselwe emfuleni uNayili, kodwa wonke amankazana liwayekele aphile.”

And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.