Genesise
9 UNkulunkulu wabe esebusisa uNowa namadodana akhe, wathi kubo: “Zalani nande nigcwalise umhlaba. + 2 Zonke izilwane eziphilayo zomhlaba nazo zonke izilwane ezindizayo zamazulu, nakho konke okuhamba emhlabathini nazo zonke izinhlanzi zolwandle ziyohlale zinovalo futhi zinesaba kakhulu. Manje nizozibusa.* + 3 Zonke izilwane ezihambayo eziphilayo zingaba ukudla kini. + Njengoba nje ngininike izinto ezimilayo eziluhlaza, ngininika zona zonke. + 4 Kuphela nje inyama enegazi layo, + eliwukuphila* kwayo, akumele niyidle. + 5 Ngaphandle kwalokho, ngiyofuna kulandiswe ngegazi lenu. Ngiyofuna ukuba zonke izilwane eziphilayo zilandise; umuntu ngamunye ngiyofuna alandise ngokuphila komfowabo. + 6 Noma ubani ochitha igazi lomuntu, nelakhe igazi liyochithwa omunye umuntu, + ngoba uNkulunkulu wenza umuntu ngomfanekiso wakhe. + 7 Kodwa nina, zalani nande nibe baningi, nigcwale emhlabeni.” +
8 Ngemva kwalokho uNkulunkulu wathi kuNowa nasemadodaneni akhe ayekanye naye: 9 “Manje ngenza isivumelwano sami nani + kanye nenzalo yenu, 10 nazo zonke izidalwa* eziphilayo ezikanye nani, izinyoni, izilwane, nazo zonke ezinye izilwane eziphilayo zomhlaba ezikanye nani, zonke ezaphuma emkhunjini—zonke izilwane eziphilayo zomhlaba. + 11 Yebo, ngenza isivumelwano sami nani: Inyama* yonke ngeke iphinde ibhujiswe ngamanzi kazamcolo, uzamcolo ngeke uphinde uchithe umhlaba.” +
12 UNkulunkulu wanezela: “Yilolu uphawu lwesivumelwano engisenza phakathi kwami nani nazo zonke izidalwa* eziphilayo ezikanye nani, kuzo zonke izizukulwane ezilandelayo. 13 Ngibeka uthingo lwami efwini, luyoba uphawu lwesivumelwano esiphakathi kwami nomhlaba. 14 Noma nini lapho ngiletha ifu phezu komhlaba, nakanjani kuyovela uthingo efwini. 15 Ngiyosikhumbula nakanjani isivumelwano sami engasenza esiphakathi kwami nani nazo zonke izidalwa eziphilayo zazo zonke izinhlobo; amanzi ngeke aphinde abe uzamcolo ozobhubhisa yonke inyama. + 16 Uthingo luyovela efwini, nakanjani ngiyolubona bese ngikhumbula isivumelwano saphakade esiphakathi kukaNkulunkulu nazo zonke izidalwa eziphilayo zazo zonke izinhlobo emhlabeni.”
17 UNkulunkulu waphinda wathi kuNowa: “Lolu uphawu lwesivumelwano engisenza phakathi kwami nayo yonke inyama esemhlabeni.” +
18 Amadodana kaNowa aphuma emkhunjini kwakunguShemi, uHamu noJafete. + Kamuva uHamu wazala uKhanani. + 19 Lawa womathathu kwakungamadodana kaNowa, futhi bonke abantu emhlabeni bavela kuwo base besakazeka kabanzi. +
20 Manje uNowa waqala ngokuba umlimi, watshala amagilebhisi ensimini. 21 Lapho ephuza iwayini, wadakwa, waba nqunu engaphakathi etendeni lakhe. 22 UHamu, uyise kaKhanani, wabona uyise enqunu, watshela abafowabo ababili ngaphandle. 23 Ngakho uShemi noJafete bathatha ingubo bayibeka emahlombe abo bobabili bangena phakathi behlehla nyovane. Babe sebemboza ubunqunu bukayise kuyilapho ubuso babo bufulathele, abambonanga uyise enqunu.
24 Lapho selisile iwayini kuNowa futhi ezwa ngalokho indodana yakhe encane* eyayikwenzile kuye, 25 wathi:
“Makaqalekiswe uKhanani. +
Makabe isigqila sabafowabo esiphansi kunazo zonke.” +
26 Wanezela:
27 UNkulunkulu makanike uJafete indawo eyanele,
Futhi ahlale ematendeni kaShemi.
UKhanani makabe isigqila sakhe futhi.”
28 UNowa waphila iminyaka engu-350 ngemva kukaZamcolo. + 29 Ngakho sezizonke izinsuku zikaNowa zaba iminyaka engu-950, wayesefa.