Malaki
2 “Nje-ke nakhu umyalo onikelwa nina baphristi.+ 2 UJehova wamabutho uthi, nangabe anilaleli begodu anikufaki eenhliziyweni zenu ukuphazimulisa igama lami, ngizokuthumela isiqalekiso kini+ begodu ngizokutjhugulula iimbusiso zibe ziinqalekiso.+ Ngizitjhugululile iimbusiso zaba ziinqalekiso, ngombana anikufaki eenhliziyweni zenu lokhu.”
3 “Ngebanga lenu, ngizokutjhabalalisa imbewu eniyitjalileko+ begodu ngizokurhatjha ubuso benu ngobulongwe, ubulongwe beenlwana enenza ngazo umhlatjelo eminyanyenenu; nizokulahlelwa lapha kulahlelwa khona ubulongwe beenlwana zemihlatjelo. 4 Ngemva kwalokho, nizokwazi ukuthi ngininikele umyalo lo bona isivumelwano sami noLevi siragele phambili,”+ kutjho uJehova wamabutho.
5 “Isivumelwano engasenza naye saba ngesisindisa ukuphila. Samenza waphila ngokuthula. Nje-ke ngebanga leembusiswezi, wangihlonipha. Njengombana aphakamisa igama lami, wahloya ukwenza nanyana yini engangithabisiko. 6 Umthetho* weqiniso bewusemlonyenakhe+ begodu ukungalungi bekungekho emlonyenakhe. Wakhamba nami ngokuthula nangokulunga,+ wabuyisa abantu abanengi endleleni engakalungi. 7 Ngombana umphristi kufuze abe nelwazi emlonyenakhe begodu abantu kufuze beze kuye bona bafumane iinqophiso,*+ ngombana usithunywa sakaJehova wamabutho.
8 “Kodwana nina niphambukile endleleni. Ngebanga lenu abantu abanengi baphule umthetho.+ Nitjhabalalise isivumelwano engasenza noLevi,”+ kutjho uJehova wamabutho. 9 “Nje-ke ngizonenza nideleleke begodu nibe phasi kibo boke abantu ngombana akhenge nihlale eendleleni zami kodwana nitjengise ukukhetha ekusebenziseni umthetho.”+
10 “Asinababa munye na?+ Asikabunjwa nguZimu oyedwa na? Nje-ke kubayini sikhohlisana,+ sidelela isivumelwano sabokhokho bethu? 11 UJuda wenze ukukhohlisa begodu kwa-Israyeli nakwaJuda kwenzeke izinto ezinyenyisako; ngombana uJuda akhenge ahloniphe uJehova othanda ukucwengeka,+ utjhade nendodakazi kazimu weentjhaba.+ 12 Ematendeni kaJakopo, uJehova uzokubulala nanyana ngubani owenza lokhu, ophaphemeko nophendulako naloyo oletha umnikelo kuJehova wamabutho.”+
13 “Okhunye enikwenzako, nigubuzesa i-aldara lakaJehova ngeenyembezi, nilila benibibitheke kangangobana akasayinaki neminikelwenu namkha athabele nanyana yini evela esandleni senu.+ 14 Nithi, ‘Kubayini? Kungombana uJehova ube ngufakazi phakathi kwakho nomfazi wobutjha bakho omkhohlisileko, nanyana amnganakho begodu amfazakho wesivumelwano.+ 15 Kodwana ukhona ongakhenge akwenze ngombana bekasese nommoya ocwengileko kaZimu. Yena bekafunani-ke? Bekafuna isizukulwana sakaZimu. Nje-ke zitjhejeni malungana nommoyenu begodu ningabakhohlisi abafazi bobutjha benu. 16 Ngombana ngiyakuhloya ukutlhala,”+ kutjho uJehova uZimu ka-Israyeli begodu ngiyamhloya “umuntu ovala isambatho sakhe ngenturhu,” kutjho uJehova wamabutho. “Nje-ke tjhejani indlela enicabanga ngayo ningakhohlisi.+
17 “Nenze uJehova wadinwa ngamezwenu.+ Kodwana nithi, ‘Simenze njani wadinwa?’ Nimenze ngokuthi nithi, ‘Woke umuntu owenza okumbi muhle emehlweni kaJehova begodu uyamthabisa’+ namkha ngokuthi, ‘Uphi uZimu wobulungiswa?’”