Genesis 37:1-36
37 UYakobi waqhubeka ehlala elizweni lakwaKanan, apho utata wakhe wayengumntu wasemzini khona.+
2 Le yimbali kaYakobi.
Xa uYosefu+ wayeneminyaka eyi-17, lo mfana wayesalusa umhlambi+ kunye noonyana bakaBhiliha+ nabakaZilipa,+ abafazi bakatata wakhe. Yaye uYosefu waxelela utata wakhe izinto ezimbi ababezenza.
3 USirayeli wayemthanda uYosefu ngaphezu kwabo bonke abanye oonyana bakhe,+ kuba wayengunyana awayemfumene sele emdala, ibe wamenzela isambatho esikhethekileyo.*
4 Xa abantakwabo babonayo ukuba utata wabo umthanda ngaphezu kwabo bonke abanye abantakwabo, bamcaphukela, abakwazi nokuthetha kakuhle naye.
5 Ethubeni uYosefu waphupha waza walibalisela abantakwabo eli phupha,+ baza bona bafumana isizathu esingakumbi sokumcaphukela.
6 Wathi: “Ndicela nimamele eli phupha ndiliphuphileyo.
7 Ndiphuphe sibopha izithungu entsimini, sasuka esam isithungu sema nkqo, zaza ezenu izithungu zasirhangqa, zaqubuda kwisithungu sam.”+
8 Bathi abantakwabo kuye: “Ngaba nyhani uza kuzenza ukumkani wethu, usilawule?”+ Batsho bafumana esinye isizathu sokumcaphukela, ngenxa yamaphupha akhe nale nto wayeyithetha.
9 Emva koko waphinda waphupha, waza wabalisela abantakwabo esithi: “Ndiphinde ndaphupha. Kweli iphupha, ilanga nenyanga neenkwenkwezi eziyi-11 beziqubuda kum.”+
10 Wabalisela utata wakhe nabantakwabo, waza utata wakhe wamkhalimela wathi: “Lithetha ntoni eli phupha lakho? Ngaba nyhani mna, umama wakho nabantakwenu siza kuza siqubude kuwe?”
11 Bammonela ke abantakwabo,+ kodwa utata wakhe wayigcina engqondweni le nto wayeyithetha.
12 Abantakwabo bayokwalusa umhlambi katata wabo ngakwaShekem.+
13 Ethubeni uSirayeli wathi kuYosefu: “Abantakwenu balusa imihlambi ngakwaShekem, andithi? Yiza ndikuthume kubo.” Yena wathi: “Kulungile!”
14 Ngoko wathi kuye: “Ndicela uye khona, uze ubone ukuba basaphila na abantakwenu. Uze ujonge nokuba umhlambi usaphila na, ubuye uzokundixelela.” Wamkhulula ke esuka kwintlambo yaseHebron,*+ waya ngakwaShekem.
15 Wathi ethubeni esabhadula endle, wadibana nenye indoda, yambuza yathi: “Ukhangela ntoni?”
16 Wathi: “Ndikhangela abantakwethu. Khawundichazele, bayalusela phi imihlambi?”
17 Le ndoda yathi: “Bemkile apha, kuba ndibeve besithi, ‘Masiye eDotan.’ ” Ngoko uYosefu wabalandela abantakwabo, wabafumana eDotan.
18 Bambona esekude, baza ngaphambi kokuba afike, baqalisa ukuceba indlela yokumbulala.
19 Ngoko bathi: “Jonga! Nankuya esiza laa mphuphi.+
20 Yizani ke, masimbulale size simphose komnye wale mingxuma yamanzi. Siza kuthi uqwengwe sisilwanyana sasendle esikhohlakeleyo. Siza kubona ke ukuba aza kuphelela phi loo maphupha akhe.”
21 Akuyiva le nto uRubhen,+ wazama ukumhlangula kubo. Ngoko wathi: “Masingambulali.”*+
22 Wathi: “Sanukuchitha gazi.+ Mphoseni kulo mngxuma wamanzi usentlango, kodwa ningamenzakalisi.”*+ Eyona nto wayeyifuna yayikukumhlangula kubo aze ambuyisele kutata wakhe.
23 Wathi nje akufika uYosefu kubantakwabo, bamkhulula isambatho sakhe, isambatho esikhethekileyo awayesinxibile,+
24 bamthatha bamphosa emngxunyeni wamanzi. Ngelo xesha loo mngxuma wawungenanto, kungekho manzi kuwo.
25 Emva koko bahlala phantsi batya. Xa baphakamisa amehlo, babona iqela lamaIshmayeli+ elalivela eGiliyadi. Iinkamela zalo zazithwele intlaka emhlophe, ibhalsam nentlaka emnandi,+ ibe lalisiya eYiputa.
26 Wathi uYuda kubantakwabo: “Kuza kusinceda ngantoni ukubulala umntakwethu size siyifihle loo nto?+
27 Yizani ke, masimthengise+ kumaIshmayeli, isandla sethu singabi phezu kwakhe. Kaloku ngumntakwethu lo, inyama yethu.” Bammamela ke umntakwabo.
28 Bathi xa bedlula oosomashishini bamaMidiyan,+ bamtsala uYosefu bamkhupha emngxunyeni wamanzi, baza bamthengisa kumaIshmayeli ngamaqhosha esilivere ayi-20.+ Wona la madoda amsa eYiputa uYosefu.
29 Ethubeni, xa uRubhen wabuyela emngxunyeni wamanzi, waza wabona ukuba akakho uYosefu kuloo mngxuma, wazikrazula iimpahla zakhe.
30 Wathi xa ebuyela kubantakwabo, wakhwaza wathi: “Umntwana ulahlekile! Yho! Ndiza kuyithini na le nto?”
31 Ngoko bathatha isambatho sikaYosefu, baxhela inkunzi yebhokhwe, basithi nkxu egazini.
32 Emva koko basithumela eso sambatho sikhethekileyo kutata wabo, bathi: “Sichole esi sambatho. Khawuncede ufanise ukuba ayisosambatho sonyana wakho na esi.”+
33 Wasifanisa waza wathi: “Sisambatho sonyana wam esi! Inoba utyiwe sisilwanyana sasendle esikhohlakeleyo! Ngokuqinisekileyo uYosefu uqwengiwe!”
34 Wasuka uYakobi wazikrazula iimpahla zakhe waza wabhinqa ilaphu lokwenza ingxowa, wamzilela iintsuku ezininzi unyana wakhe.
35 Bazama ukumthuthuzela bonke oonyana bakhe neentombi zakhe, kodwa wayengavumi ukuthuthuzeleka, esithi: “Ndiza kude ndingene engcwabeni*+ ndisamzilele unyana wam!” Akazange ayeke ukumlilela.
36 Ngoko amaMidiyan amthengisa eYiputa kuPotifare, igosa lasebukhosini likaFaro,+ umphathi woonogada.+
Umbhalo osemazantsi
^ Okanye “isambatho esihle eside.”
^ Okanye “kwithafa laseHebron.”
^ Okanye “Masingawuxabeli umphefumlo wakhe.”
^ Okanye “ningamsi sandla.”
^ Funda Ingcaciso Yamagama.
