Exodus

32 But the people see say Moses de take long time to come down from the mountain. So the people gather around Aaron and tell-am say: “Now, make you make god for us wey go direct us, because we no know wetin don happen to this Moses, the man wey lead us come out from the land of Egypt.” 2 So Aaron tell them say: “Make una take the gold earrings from the ears of una wives, una sons, and una daughters, and bring them for me.” 3 So all the people start to remove the gold earrings wey dey for their ears and bring-am come give Aaron. 4 Then e take the gold from them, and e use tool wey them take de carve something to form-am and turn-am to image* of small cow. Them start to talk say: “This one na your God, O Israel, wey lead una come out from the land of Egypt.”

5 When Aaron see this one, e build one altar for front of the young cow. Then Aaron shout say: “Festival to honor Jehovah dey tomorrow.” 6 So them get up early morning the next day and start to do offering wey them de burn, and de give peace sacrifice them. After that one, the people sitdown to chop and drink. Then, them stand up to enjoy theirself.

7 Jehovah come tell Moses say: “Go, go down because your people wey you lead come out from the land of Egypt don spoil theirself. 8 Them don leave the road quick-quick wey I command them to follow. Them don make image* of small cow for theirself, and them continue to bow down for-am and de do sacrifice for-am and de talk say, ‘This one na your God, O Israel, wey lead you come out from the land of Egypt.’” 9 Jehovah continue to talk to Moses say: “I don see say this people dey stubborn.* 10 So now leave me and I go destroy them finish as I de vex no be small, and allow me to make big* nation from you instead.”

11 Then Moses beg Jehovah im God* and talk say: “O Jehovah, why you want allow your vex to make you do this thing to your people after you don bring them come out from the land of Egypt with great power and with mighty hand? 12 Why you want allow Egypt people talk say, ‘E get bad thing for mind when e lead them come out. E be want kill them for the mountains and destroy them finish from the earth’? Stop to vex and think again about* the decision wey you don make to destroy your people like that. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, wey you swear by yourself and talk say: ‘I go make your children* plenty like the stars of the heavens, and I go give all this land wey I don choose to your children,* so that them fit take-am as their property wey go last.’”

14 So Jehovah start to think again about* the decision wey e make say e go destroy im people as e don talk.

15 Then Moses turn and go down from the mountain with the two slates of the Testimony for im hand. Them write for the two sides of the slates; them write for the front and for the back. 16 Na God make the slates, and na God write the things wey them write for the slates. 17 When Joshua start to hear the noise of the people because of their shout, e tell Moses say: “I de hear sound of war for the camp.” 18 But Moses talk say:

19 As Moses just near the camp and see the small cow and the dance wey the people de dance, e really vex no be small, and e troway the slates from im hand and scatter them for the down part of the mountain. 20 E take the small cow wey them don make and e burn-am with fire and grind-am to form powder; then e scatter-am ontop water and e make Israel people drink-am. 21 And Moses tell Aaron say: “Wetin this people do you wey you put this kind big sin ontop their head?” 22 Aaron answer say: “Make you no vex, my lord. You really know say the people de always like to do bad thing. 23 So them tell me say, ‘Make you make god for us wey go direct us, because we no know wetin don happen to this Moses, the man wey lead us come out from the land of Egypt.’ 24 So I tell them say, ‘Anybody wey get any gold, make e remove-am give me.’ Then I throw-am inside the fire and the small cow come out.”

25 Moses see say the people no get control for the way them de behave, because Aaron don allow them to behave anyhow, sotey them bring disgrace for theirself for front of their enemies. 26 Then Moses stay for im position for the gate of the camp and talk say: “Who dey Jehovah side? Make e come meet me!” And all the Levites gather around-am. 27 So e tell them say: “This one na wetin Jehovah the God of Israel don talk, ‘Make each of una ready im sword, and pass inside all the camp from gate to gate, de kill im brother, im neighbor, and im friend.’” 28 The Levites do wetin Moses talk. So them kill around 3,000 men that day. 29 Then Moses talk say: “Make una separate unaself* for Jehovah today, because each of una don fight against im own son and im own brother. Today, God go bless una.”

30 The next day, Moses tell the people say: “Una don commit sin wey really big, and now I go go up to Jehovah to see if I fit beg-am make e forgive una sin.” 31 So Moses go back to Jehovah and talk say: “Na big sin this people don commit! Them use gold make god for theirself! 32 But now if you want, make you forgive their sin; if no be so, abeg wipe my name comot from your book wey you don write.” 33 But Jehovah tell Moses say: “Anybody wey don sin against me, I go wipe im name comot from my book. 34 Make you go now, lead the people go the place wey I don tell you. See! My angel go dey your front, and for the day wey I go judge them, I go punish them for their sin.” 35 Then Jehovah start to punish the people because them don make the small cow, the one wey Aaron don make.