Eksodusi
5 Ngemva kwalokho, uMose no-Aroni baya kuFaro bathi: “Yilokhu uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli akushoyo, ‘Khulula abantu bami ukuze bangenzele umkhosi ehlane.’” 2 Kodwa uFaro wathi: “Ungubani uJehova + ukuba ngilalele izwi lakhe ngikhulule u-Israyeli? + Angimazi nhlobo uJehova, ngaphezu kwalokho, ngeke ngimkhulule u-Israyeli.” + 3 Kodwa bathi: “UNkulunkulu wamaHebheru ukhulume nathi. Sicela ukuthatha uhambo lwezinsuku ezintathu ehlane siyokwenzela uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu umhlatshelo; + ngaphandle kwalokho uzosishaya ngesifo noma ngenkemba.” 4 Inkosi yaseGibhithe yabaphendula: “Kungani wena Mose no-Aroni niyekisa abantu imisebenzi yabo? Buyelani emisebenzini* yenu!” + 5 UFaro waqhubeka wathi: “Bhekani ukuthi abantu bakini sebebaningi kangakanani kuleli zwe, kodwa nina nibayekisa ukusebenza.”
6 Ngalolo suku, uFaro wayala abaqondisi bomsebenzi kanye nezinduna zabo wathi: 7 “Ningabe nisabanika abantu utshani bokwenza izitini. + Mabahambe bazibuthele bona utshani. 8 Kodwa inani lezitini abazenza ngosuku kusamelwe lifane. Ningabanciphiseli ngoba bayavilapha. Yingakho bekhala, bethi, ‘Sifuna ukuhamba, sifuna ukuyokwenzela uNkulunkulu wethu umhlatshelo!’ 9 Basebenziseni kanzima, nibagcine bematasa ukuze bangawanaki amanga.”
10 Ngakho abaqondisi bomsebenzi + nezinduna zabo baphuma bathi kubantu: “Yilokhu uFaro akushilo, ‘Ngeke ngisaninika tshani. 11 Hambani nizitholele nina utshani nomaphi lapho ningabuthola khona, kodwa umsebenzi wenu ngeke neze uncishiswe.’” 12 Ngakho abantu basakazeka kulo lonke izwe laseGibhithe bebutha izinhlanga esikhundleni sotshani. 13 Abaqondisa umsebenzi babelokhu bebabelesela, bethi: “Ngamunye wenu kumele aqede umsebenzi wakhe wansuku zonke, njengalapho nisanikezwa utshani.” 14 Izinduna zama-Israyeli, ezazimiswe abaqondisi bomsebenzi bakaFaro phezu kwawo zashaywa. + Bazibuza: “Kungani ningenzanga inani lezitini ebenilenza? Anilenzanga izolo nanamhlanje.”
15 Ngakho izinduna zama-Israyeli zaya kuFaro zayokhalaza, zathi: “Kungani uziphatha kanje izinceku zakho? 16 Akukho tshani obunikwa izinceku zakho, nokho bathi kithi, ‘Yenzani izitini!’ Izinceku zakho ziyashaywa, kodwa abantu bakho abanephutha.” 17 Kodwa uFaro wathi: “Niyavilapha, niyavilapha! + Yingakho nithi, ‘Sifuna ukuhamba, sifuna ukwenzela uJehova umhlatshelo.’ + 18 Ngakho hambani, phindelani emsebenzini! Akukho tshani enizonikwa bona, kodwa kusamelwe nenze inani elifanayo lezitini.”
19 Izinduna zama-Israyeli zabona ukuthi zazisenkingeni enkulu ngenxa yalo myalo: “Akumele neze ninciphise inani lezitini zenu enizenza usuku nosuku.” 20 Ngemva kwalokho zahlangana noMose no-Aroni, ababemi lapho ukuze bazihlangabeze njengoba ziphuma kuFaro. 21 Ngaso leso sikhathi zathi kubo: “Kwangathi uJehova angabheka enikwenzile anahlulele, njengoba nenze uFaro nezinceku zakhe basenyanya,* nabeka nenkemba esandleni sabo ukuze basibulale.” + 22 UMose waphendukela kuJehova wathi: “Jehova, ubahlupheleni laba bantu? Ungithumeleni? 23 Kusukela esikhathini engangena ngaso phambi kukaFaro ngiyokhuluma egameni lakho, + uFaro uye wabaphatha kabi nakakhulu laba bantu + futhi wena awubasindisanga neze abantu bakho.” +