Eksodusi
5 Ngemva kwalokho, uMosi no-Aroni baya kuFaro bathi kuye: “UJehova uZimu ka-Israyeli uthi, ‘Vumela abantu bami bakhambe ukwenzela bona bayongigidingela umnyanya emmangweni.’” 2 UFaro wathi: “Ngubani uJehova+ kobana ngingabe ngimlalele bengikhambise ama-Israyeli?+ Angimazi uJehova loyo begodu ngeze ngalisa ama-Israyeli akhambe.”+ 3 Bathi: “UZimu wama-Israyeli ukhulume nathi. Nje-ke sibawa ukuthatha ikhambo lamalanga amathathu siyokwenzela uJehova uZimethu umhlatjelo emmangweni;+ nakungasinjalo uzosibetha ngokugula namkha ngesabula.” 4 Ikosi yeGibhide yathi: “Kubayini nilisisa abantu umsebenzi abawenzako? Buyelani emsebenzini!”+ 5 UFaro waraga wathi: “Qalani ukuthi abantu benu banengi kangangani enarheni begodu nifuna ukubalisisa umsebenzi.”
6 Mhlokho uFaro watjela iinduna* nabasizi* bazo wathi: 7 Ningasanikeli abantu utjani bona benze iintina.+ Abakhambe bayozifunela bona. 8 Kodwana kufuze nibenzise inani leentina ebebalenza phambilini. Ningabaphunguleli ngombana bayavilapha. Kungebangelo bahlalele ukuthi, ‘Sifuna ukukhamba siyokwenzela uZimethu umhlatjelo!’ 9 Basebenziseni budisi babe majadu ukwenzela bona bangasolo balalela amala.”
10 Yeke iinduna+ nabasizi bazo bathi ebantwini: “Nakhu okutjhiwo nguFaro, ‘Angekhe ngisaninikela utjani. 11 Khambani niyozifunela utjani nizakubona bona nibufumanaphi kodwana umsebenzenu angeze uphunguke.’” 12 Abantu bakhamba yoke inarha yeGibhide bafunana notjani. 13 Iinduna bezisolo zithi: “Qobe langa omunye nomunye wenu kufuze awuqede umsebenzakhe njengalokha nanisanikelwa utjani.” 14 Abasizi beenduna ebebakhethwe kuma-Israyeli, iinduna zakaFaro ebezibabeke phezu kwawo babetjhwa.+ Babuzwa ukuthi: “Kubayini ningakhenge nenze inani leentina ebenilenza phambilini? Lokhu kwenzeke izolo nanamhlanjesi.”
15 Yeke abasizi beenduna abakhethwe kuma-Israyeli bayokunghonghoyila kuFaro bathi: “Kubayini uphatha iinsebenzi zakho ngendlela le? 16 Iinsebenzi zakho azinikelwa utjani kodwana kuthiwa kizo, ‘Yenzani iintina!’ Iinsebenzi zakho ziyabetjhwa ngebanga lomtjhapho wabantu bakho.” 17 Wabaphendula wathi: “Niyavilapha! Niyavilapha!+ Kungebangelo nihlalele ukuthi, ‘Sifuna ukuyokwenzela uJehova umhlatjelo.’+ 18 Nje-ke buyelani emsebenzini! Akunatjani enizokunikelwa bona kodwana kufuze nenze isilinganiso seentina esifanako.”
19 Abasizi beenduna abakhethwe kuma-Israyeli babona ukuthi basemrarweni omkhulu ngombana batjelwa ukuthi kufuze benze inani leentina ebebalenza phambilini.” 20 Ngemva kwalokho bakhamba bayokuhlangana noMosi no-Aroni ebebabalindile nabaphuma kuFaro. 21 Bathi kibo: “Kwanga uJehova angakubona enikwenzileko bekanahlulele ngombana nenze uFaro neensebenzi zakhe basihloya benabeka nesabula ezandleni zabo bona basibulale.”+ 22 Nje-ke uMosi wathandaza kuJehova wathi: “Jehova kubayini uvumela abantwaba batlhage begodu kubayini ungithumile? 23 Kusukela ngesikhathi engaya ngaso kuFaro ngayokukhuluma egameni lakho,+ ubaphathe kumbi khulu abantu+ begodu akhenge ubasindise abantu bakho.”+