UYoshuwa
3:1 Wavuka uYoshuwa kusasa ngengomso; banduluka eShitim, baya
bafika eYordan, yena noonyana bonke bakaSirayeli, balala khona
ngaphambi kokuba bawele.
3:2 Kwathi, emva kweentsuku ezintathu, ahamba amadindala ententeni
umamkeli;
3:3 babawisela abantu umthetho, besithi, Xa nithe nayibona ityeya kaYehova
umnqophiso kaYehova uThixo wenu, nababingeleli abangabaLevi bewuthwele;
nize nimke endaweni yenu, niyilandele.
3:4 Kodwa makubekho ithuba phakathi kwenu nayo, elingathi ngamawaka amabini eekubhite
ngomlinganiselo; musani ukusondela kuwo, ukuze nazi indlela eniya kukwazi ngayo
kuba aniyihambi ngale ndlela ngaphambili.
3:5 Wathi uYoshuwa ebantwini, Zingcwaliseni;
UYehova uya kwenza imisebenzi ebalulekileyo phakathi kwakho.
3:6 Wathi uYoshuwa kubabingeleli, Thwalani ityeya yomnqophiso
nqophisani, niwele phambi kwabantu. Bayithwala ke ityeya
umnqophiso, wahamba phambi kwabantu.
3:7 Wathi uYehova kuYoshuwa, Namhla ndiya kuqala ukukwenza mkhulu
emehlweni amaSirayeli onke, ukuze azi ukuba, njengoko ndibe ndinoMoses,
ngoko ndiya kuba nawe.
3:8 Uze ubawisele wena umthetho ababingeleli abathwele ityeya yomnqophiso;
besithi, Xa nithe nafika elunxwemeni lwamanzi aseYordan, noyenza
yima ngxi eYordan.
3:9 Wathi uYoshuwa koonyana bakaSirayeli, Sondelani apha, nive ilizwi likaYehova
amazwi kaYehova uThixo wakho.
3:10 Wathi uYoshuwa, Niya kwazi ngale nto ukuba uThixo ophilileyo uphakathi kwenu;
uya kuwagqogqa okunene amaKanan phambi kwenu;
namaHeti, namaHivi, namaPerizi, namaPerizi;
namaGirgashi, nama-Amori, namaYebhusi.
3:11 Nantso ityeya yomnqophiso weNkosi yehlabathi lonke, iyeza
ngaphaya kwenu eYordan.
3:12 Zithabatheleni ngoko amadoda abe lishumi elinamabini kuzo izizwe zakwaSirayeli, kuzo
kwisizwe ngasinye indoda.
3:13 Kuya kuthi, kamsinya nje, xa iintende zeenyawo zenkosi
ababingeleli abathwele ityeya kaYehova, uYehova wehlabathi lonke, baya kuba ngabo
aphumle emanzini aseYordan, anqamka amanzi aseYordan
kumanzi ahlayo evela phezulu; baya kuma phezu kwelitye
imfumba.
3:14 Kwathi, banduluka abantu ezintenteni zabo, ukuba badlule
phesheya kweYordan, nababingeleli bethwele ityeya yomnqophiso phambi koYehova
abantu;
3:15 Kwathi, bakufika abathwali betyeya eYordan, neenyawo zetyeya
ababingeleli ababethwele ityeya bantywiliselwa eludinini lwamanzi;
IYordan iyazalalisa zonke iindonga zayo ngamaxesha okuvuna;
3:16 ukuze amanzi ahlayo evela phezulu ema, anduluka phezu komhlaba
mafumba kude kakhulu nomzi wakwaAdam, osecaleni leTsaretan;
yehla, yasinga elwandle lweNtili, uLwandle lweTyuwa, lwaphela;
anqamka; abantu bawela kanye malunga neYeriko.
3:17 Ke ababingeleli abathwele ityeya yomnqophiso kaYehova bema beqinile
kumhlaba owomileyo phakathi kweYordan, awela onke amaSirayeli
emhlabeni owomileyo, bada bawela bonke abantu eYordan.