UDutheronomi 18
1 Abapristi, amaLevi, isizwe sonke sakoLevi, kasiyikuba lesabelo lelifa kanye loIsrayeli; bazakudla iminikelo yeNkosi eyenziwe ngomlilo, lelifa layo.
The priests and the Levites—all the tribe of Levi—shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire and his portion.
2 Ngakho kabayikuba lelifa phakathi kwabafowabo; iNkosi iyilifa labo, njengokukhuluma kwayo kibo.
They shall have no inheritance amongst their brothers. The LORD is their inheritance, as he has spoken to them.
3 Lalokhu kuzakuba lilungelo labapristi elivela ebantwini, kulabo abahlaba umhlatshelo, loba inkabi loba imvu; njalo bazanika umpristi umkhono lemihlathi yomibili lolusu.
This shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give to the priest: the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the inner parts.
4 Okokuqala kwamabele akho, yewayini lakho elitsha, leyamafutha akho, lengqabutho yoboya bezimvu zakho, uzamupha yona.
You shall give him the first fruits of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep.
5 Ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho imkhethile kuzo zonke izizwe zakho, ukuthi eme akhonze ebizweni leNkosi, yena lamadodana akhe, zonke izinsuku.
For the LORD your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand to minister in the LORD’s name, him and his sons forever.
6 Uba-ke umLevi esiza evela loba kukuliphi lamasango akho kuIsrayeli wonke lapho ahlala khona njengowezizwe, eze ngesifiso sonke somphefumulo wakhe endaweni iNkosi ezayikhetha,
If a Levite comes from any of your gates out of all Israel where he lives, and comes with all the desire of his soul to the place which the LORD shall choose,
7 khona ezakhonza ebizweni leNkosi uNkulunkulu wakhe njengabo bonke abafowabo amaLevi, emiyo khona phambi kweNkosi.
then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before the LORD.
8 Azakudla izabelo ezilinganayo, ngaphandle kwezinto zakhe ezathengiswayo zaboyise.
They shall have like portions to eat, in addition to that which comes from the sale of his family possessions.
9 Lapho usufikile elizweni iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ekunika lona, ungafundi ukwenza ngokwezinengiso zalezozizwe.
When you have come into the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the abominations of those nations.
10 Kakuyikutholakala phakathi kwakho owenza indodana yakhe lendodakazi yakhe idabule emlilweni, owenza ukuvumisa, ochasisa ngemibono, lowenza imilingo, lomthakathi,
There shall not be found with you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who tells fortunes, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,
11 lophosayo, lolamadlozi, lolumbayo, lobuza kwabafileyo.
or a charmer, or someone who consults with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 Ngoba wonke owenza lezizinto uyisinengiso eNkosini. Langenxa yalezizinengiso iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho iyabaxotsha elifeni phambi kwakho.
For whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. Because of these abominations, the LORD your God drives them out from before you.
13 Uzakuba ngopheleleyo eNkosini uNkulunkulu wakho.
You shall be blameless with the LORD your God.
14 Ngoba izizwe lezi, ozakudla ilifa lazo, zalalela abachasisa ngemibono labavumisi; kodwa wena, iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho kayikuvumelanga okunjalo.
For these nations that you shall dispossess listen to those who practise sorcery and to diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you so to do.
15 INkosi uNkulunkulu wakho izakuvusela uMprofethi ophuma phakathi kwakho kubafowenu onjengami; yena limlalele.
The LORD your God will raise up to you a prophet from amongst you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him.
16 Njengakho konke owakucelayo eNkosini uNkulunkulu wakho eHorebe ngosuku lokuhlangana, usithi: Kangingaphindi ngilizwe ilizwi leNkosi uNkulunkulu wami, ngingabe ngisawubona lumlilo omkhulu, ukuze ngingafi.
This is according to all that you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not hear again the LORD my God’s voice, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I not die.”
17 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Benze kuhle kwabakukhulumileyo.
The LORD said to me, “They have well said that which they have spoken.
18 Ngizabavusela uMprofethi ophuma phakathi kwabafowabo onjengawe; ngizabeka amazwi ami emlonyeni wakhe, njalo akhulume kibo konke engizamlaya khona.
I will raise them up a prophet from amongst their brothers, like you. I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him.
19 Kuzakuthi-ke loba ngubani ongayikulalela amazwi ami azawakhuluma ebizweni lami, ngizakubuza kuye.
It shall happen, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
20 Kodwa umprofethi oziqhenya ekhuluma ilizwi ebizweni lami engingamlayanga ukulikhuluma, loba ekhuluma ebizweni labanye onkulunkulu, lowomprofethi uzakufa.
But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.”
21 Njalo uba usithi enhliziyweni yakho: Sizakwazi njani ilizwi iNkosi engalikhulumanga?
You may say in your heart, “How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?”
22 Lapho umprofethi ekhuluma ebizweni leNkosi, uba leyonto ingenzeki kumbe ingafiki, lelo yilizwi iNkosi engalikhulumanga; umprofethi ulikhulume ngokuziqhenya; ungamesabi.
When a prophet speaks in the LORD’s name, if the thing doesn’t follow, nor happen, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You shall not be afraid of him.
