Chapter 3
1 Wavuka uYoshuwa kusasa ngengomso. Banduluka eShitim, bafika eYordan, yena noonyana bonke bamaSirayeli; balalisa khona bengekaweli.
2 Kwathi, ekupheleni kwemihla emithathu bacanda ababhali phakathi kweminquba;
3 babawisela abantu umthetho, besithi, Xa nithe nayibona ityeya yomnqophiso kaYehova uThixo wenu, nababingeleli abangabaLevi beyithwele, nonduluka nani endaweni yenu, niyilandele.
4 Kodwa makubekho ithuba phakathi kwenu nayo, elingathi ngokulinganisa libe ngamawaka amabini eekubhite. Ize ningasondeli kuyo, ukuze niyazi indlela enohamba ngayo; kuba anihambanga ngale ndlela ngaphambili.
5 Wathi uYoshuwa ebantwini, Zingcwaliseni; ngokuba ngengomso uYehova uya kwenza imisebenzi ebalulekileyo phakathi kwenu.
6 Wathi uYoshuwa kubabingeleli, Thwalani ityeya yomnqophiso, niwele phambi kwabantu. Bayithwala ke ityeya yomnqophiso, bahamba phambi kwabantu.
7 Wathi uYehova kuYoshuwa, Namhlanje ndiya kuqala ukukwenza mkhulu imihlweni amaSirayeli onke, ukuze azi ukuba ndiya kuba nawe, njengokuba ndibe ndinoMoses.
8 Uze ubawisele wena umthetho ababingeleli abathwele ityeya yomnqophiso, uthi, Xa nithe nafika elunxwemeni lwamanzi aseYordan, zenime eYordan.
9 Wathi uYoshuwa koonyana bakaSirayeli, Sondelani apha, nive amazwi kaYehova uThixo wenu.
10 Wathi ke uYoshuwa, Niya kwazi ngale nto ukuba uThixo ophilileyo uphakathi kwenu, eya kuwagqogqa kuphele phambi kwenu amaKanan, namaHeti, namaHivi, namaPerizi, namaGirgashi, nama-Amori, namaYebhusi.
11 Nantso ityeya yomnqophiso weNkosi yehlabathi lonke, ingena phambi kwenu eYordan.
12 Zithabatheleni ngoko amadoda abe lishumi elinamabini kuzo izizwe zakwaSirayeli, indoda ibe nye, indoda ibe nye esizweni.
13 Kothi ke, xa zithe zamisa emanzini aseYordan iintende zeenyawo zababingeleli abathwele ityeya kaYehova, iNkosi yehlabathi lonke, asuke amanzi aseYordan anqamke, amanzi avela ngasintla eme, abe mfumba-nye.
14 Kwathi ke, ekundulukeni kwabantu ezintenteni zabo, ukuba bawele iYordan, nababingeleli bethwele ityeya yomnqophiso phambi kwabantu;
15 xa bafikayo eYordan abathwele ityeya xa zithi xumbu elunxwemeni lwamanzi iinyawo zababingeleli abathwele ityeya— iYordan izala ihamba ngaphandle kweendonga zayo zonke ngexesha lonke lokuvuna—
16 asuka ema amanzi avela ngasentla, aphakama aba mfumba-nye, kude kakhulu eAdam, umzi ongasecaleni leTsaretan; athi la ahlayo aya elwandle lweArabha, eLwandle lweTyuwa, anqamka aphela. Bawela ke abantu malunga neYeriko.
17 Ababingeleli abathwele ityeya yomnqophiso kaYehova bema bee bhuxe emhlabeni owomileyo phakathi kweYordan; awela onke amaSirayeli kowomileyo, lwada lwagqibela lonke uhlanga ukuwela iYordan.