UGenesisi

Isahluko Sokuqala

¹ Ekuqaleni, uNkulunkulu wadala izulu nomhlaba. ² Umhlaba wawulihlane elixokozelayo, ubumnyama bugcwele yonke indawo, umoya kaNkulunkulu uhambahamba phezu kwamanzi. ³ Wayesethi uNkulunkulu, "Makube khona ukukhanya," kwabakhona ukukhanya. ⁴ UNkulunkulu wabona ukukhanya ukuthi kuhle; uNkulunkulu wahlukanisa ukukhanya nobumnyama. ⁵ UNkulunkulu wabiza ukukhanya ngokuthi imini; ubumnyama wabubiza ngokuthi ubusuku. Kwaba ngukuhlwa, kwaba ngukusa, usuku lokuqala. ⁶ UNkulunkulu wathi: “Makube khona umkhathi phakathi kwamanzi, kwahlukaniswe amanzi namanzi.” ⁷ UNkulunkulu wenza umkhathi, wahlukanisa amanzi aphansi komkhathi namanzi aphezu komkhathi; kwaba njalo. ⁸ UNkulunkulu wabiza umkhathi ngokuthi izulu. Kwaba ngukuhlwa, kwaba ngukusa, usuku lwesibili. ⁹ UNkulunkulu wathi: “Amanzi aphansi kwezulu mawaqoqekele ndawonye, kubonakale umhlabathi owomileyo,” kwaba njalo. ¹⁰ komileyo uNkulunkulu wakubiza ngokuthi umhlaba, nokuqoqeka kwamanzi wakubiza ngokuthi ulwandle; uNkulunkulu wabona ukuthi kuhle. ¹¹ UNkulunkulu wathi: “Umhlaba mawuveze utshani, nemifino ethela imbewu, nemithi yezithelo ethela izithelo ngezinhlobo zayo, ekuyo imbewu yayo, emhlabeni,” kwaba njalo. ¹² Umhlaba wawusuveza utshani nemifino ethela imbewu ngezinhlobo zayo, nemithi ethela izithelo ngezinhlobo zayo, ekuyo imbewu yayo; uNkulunkulu wabona ukuthi kuhle. ¹³ Kwaba ngukuhlwa, kwaba ngukusa, usuku lwesithathu. ¹⁴ UNkulunkulu wathi: “Makube khona emkhathini wezulu izinkanyiso ezahlukanisa imini nobusuku, zibe yizibonakaliso zezinkathi, nezezinsuku, nezeminyaka, ¹⁵ zibe yizinkanyiso emkhathini wezulu zokukhanyisa emhlabeni,” kwaba njalo. ¹⁶ UNkulunkulu wazenza izinkanyiso ezimbili ezinkulu, inkanyiso enkulu ukuba ibuse imini, nenkanyiso encane ukuba ibuse ubusuku, kanye nezinkanyezi. ¹⁷ UNkulunkulu wazifaka emkhathini wezulu ukuba zikhanyise emhlabeni, ¹⁸ zibuse imini nobusuku, zahlukanise ukukhanya nobumnyama. UNkulunkulu wabona ukuthi kuhle. ¹⁹ Kwaba ngukuhlwa, kwaba ngukusa, usuku lwesine. ²⁰ UNkulunkulu wathi: “Amanzi mawagcwale uswebezane lwezilwane eziphilayo, kundize izinyoni phezu komhlaba emkhathini wezulu.” ²¹ UNkulunkulu wadala imikhomo emikhulu nezilwane zonke eziphilayo ezihambayo, amanzi agcwala zona ngezinhlobo zazo, nezinyoni zonke ezinamaphiko ngezinhlobo zazo. UNkulunkulu wabona ukuthi kuhle. ²² UNkulunkulu wazibusisa, wathi: “Zalani, nande, nigcwalise amanzi aselwandle, nezinyoni zande emhlabeni.” ²³ Kwaba ngukuhlwa, kwaba ngukusa, usuku lwesihlanu. ²⁴ UNkulunkulu wathi: “Umhlaba mawuveze izilwane eziphilayo ngezinhlobo zazo, izinkomo, nezilwanyana ezinwabuzelayo, nezilo zomhlaba ngezinhlobo zazo,” kwaba njalo. ²⁵ UNkulunkulu wazenza izilo zomhlaba ngezinhlobo zazo, nezinkomo ngezinhlobo zazo, nezilwanyana zonke ezinwabuzelayo emhlabeni ngezinhlobo zazo. UNkulunkulu wabona ukuthi kuhle. ²⁶ UNkulunkulu wathi: “Masenze abantu ngomfanekiso wethu, basifuze, babuse phezu kwezinhlanzi zolwandle, nezinyoni zezulu, nezinkomo, nomhlaba wonke, nezilwanyana zonke ezinwabuzelayo emhlabeni.” ²⁷ UNkulunkulu wamdala umuntu ngomfanekiso wakhe; wamdala ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu; wabadala owesilisa nowesifazane. ²⁸ UNkulunkulu wababusisa; uNkulunkulu wathi kubo: “Zalani, nande, nigcwalise umhlaba, niwunqobe, nibuse phezu kwezinhlanzi zolwandle, nezinyoni zezulu, nezilwanyana ezinwabuzelayo emhlabeni.” ²⁹ UNkulunkulu wathi: “Bhekani, ngiyaninika yonke imifino ethela imbewu, esemhlabeni wonke, nemithi yonke okukuyo izithelo zomuthi oveza imbewu, kube ngukudla kwenu. ³⁰ Kepha zonke izilwane zomhlaba, nezinyoni zonke zezulu, nezilwanyana ezinwabuzelayo emhlabeni, eziphefumulayo, zona nginike yonke imifino eluhlaza ibe ngukudla,” kwaba njalo. ³¹ UNkulunkulu wabona konke akwenzileyo; bheka, kwakukuhle kakhulu. Kwaba ngukuhlwa, kwaba ngukusa, usuku lwesithupha.

Isahluko Sesibili

¹ Izulu nomhlaba kwapheleliswa, nabo bonke ububanzi babo. ² Ngosuku lwesikhombisa, uNkulunkulu wayiqeda imisebenzi yakhe ayenzile; waphumula ngosuku lwesikhombisa emisebenzini yakhe ayenzile. ³ UNkulunkulu wabusisa usuku lwesikhombisa, walungcwelisa, ngokuba ngalolo suku waphumula emisebenzini yonke abeyidalile uNkulunkulu, wayenza. ⁴ Lokhu kungumlando wokudalwa kwezulu nomhlaba ekudalweni kwakho mhla uJehova uNkulunkulu ewenza umhlaba nezulu. ⁵ Kwakungakabikho sihlahla endle, namifino yayingakamili emhlabathini, ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wayengakanisi imvula emhlabeni, kungakabikho muntu wokulima umhlabathi. ⁶ Kepha kwenyuka inkungu ivela emhlabathini, yanisela ubuso bonke bomhlaba. ⁷ UJehova uNkulunkulu wambumba umuntu ngomhlabathi, waphefumulela emakhaleni akhe umoya wokuphila; kanjalo umuntu waba umphefumulo ophilayo. ⁸ UJehova uNkulunkulu watshala insimu e-Edene ngasempumalanga; wambeka khona umuntu amenzileyo. ⁹ UJehova uNkulunkulu wahlumisa emhlabathini imithi yonke ebukekayo, emihle, edliwayo, nomuthi wokuphila phakathi nensimu, nomuthi wokwazi okuhle nokubi. ¹⁰ E-Edene kwavela umfula owamanzisa insimu; wahlukana khona, waba yizimbaxa ezine. ¹¹ Eyokuqala inegama lokuthi iPishoni; yiyo ezungeza izwe lonke laseHavila, lapho kukhona igolide. ¹² Lihle igolide lalelo zwe. Kukhona nenhlaka yebedola* netshe leshohamu* lapho. ¹³ Igama leyesibili linguGihoni; yiyo ezungeza lonke izwe laseKushe. ¹⁴ Igama leyesithathu linguHidekeli; yiyo egobhoza ngasempumalanga kwase-Asiriya. Eyesine ingu-Ewufrathe. ¹⁵ UJehova uNkulunkulu wayesemthatha umuntu, wambeka ensimini yase-Edene ukuba ayilime, ayigcine. ¹⁶ UJehova uNkulunkulu wamyala umuntu, wathi: “Ungadla kuyo yonke imithi yensimu ngokuthanda kwakho, ¹⁷ kepha ungadli kuwo umuthi wokwazi okuhle nokubi, ngokuba mhla udla kuwo uyakufa nokufa.” ¹⁸ UJehova uNkulunkulu wathi: “Akukuhle ukuba umuntu ahlale yedwa. Ngizakumenzela umsizi onjengaye.” ¹⁹ UJehova uNkulunkulu wabumba ngomhlabathi zonke izilwane zasendle nezinyoni zonke zezulu, waziyisa kumuntu ukuba abone ukuthi umuntu angaziqamba ngokuthini, ukuze kuthi, njengalokhu umuntu eziqamba zonke izilwane eziphilayo, lokhu kube ngamagama azo. ²⁰ Umuntu waziqamba amagama zonke izinkomo, nezinyoni zezulu, nezilwane zasendle. Kepha umuntu akatholelwanga umsizi onjengaye. ²¹ UJehova uNkulunkulu wamehlisela umuntu ubuthongo obunzima, walala; wayesethatha olunye lwezimbambo zakhe, wavala indawo ngenyama. ²² UJehova uNkulunkulu wakha owesifazane ngobambo abeluthathile kumuntu, wamyisa kumuntu. ²³ Wayesethi umuntu: “Lo useyithambo lamathambo ami nenyama yenyama yami; uyakubizwa ngokuthi indodakazi, ngokuba uthathwe endodeni.” ²⁴ Ngalokho indoda iyakushiya uyise nonina, inamathele kumkayo; bayakuba nyamanye. ²⁵ Babehamba ze bobabili, u-Adamu* nomkakhe, bengenamahloni.

Isahluko Sesithathu

¹ Manje ke, inyoka yaba liqili kuzo zonke izilwane zasendle uNkulunkulu ayezenzile. Yathi kowesifazane, "Ingabe uNkulunkulu ngempela ushilo ukuthi, 'Ningadli kunoma yisiphi isihlahla ensimini na?'" ² Owesifazane wathi enyokeni: “Singadla izithelo zemithi yasensimini, ³ kepha ngezithelo zomuthi ophakathi nensimu uNkulunkulu ushilo ukuthi: ‘Ningazidli, ningazithinti ukuba ningafi.’ ” ⁴ Inyoka yathi kowesifazane: “Aniyikufa nokufa; ⁵ kepha uNkulunkulu uyazi ukuthi mhla nizidla, kuyakuvuleka amehlo enu, nibe njengoNkulunkulu, nikwazi okuhle nokubi.” ⁶ Owesifazane ebona ukuthi umuthi ulungele ukudliwa, nokuthi uyabukeka emehlweni, nokuthi umuthi unxanelekile ekuhlakaniphiseni, wathatha izithelo zawo, wadla, wanika nendoda yakhe kanye naye, nayo yadla. ⁷ Ayesevuleka amehlo abo bobabili, babona ukuthi bahamba ze; bathunga amaqabunga omkhiwane, bazenzela izibhinco. ⁸ Base bezwa izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu ehamba ensimini kusihlwa ngokuphola kwelanga; u-Adamu nomkakhe bacasha ebusweni bukaJehova uNkulunkulu phakathi kwemithi yensimu. ⁹ Kepha uJehova uNkulunkulu wambiza u-Adamu, wathi kuye: “Uphi na?” ¹⁰ Wathi: “Ngizwe izwi lakho ensimini, ngesaba ngokuba ngihamba ze; ngalokho ngacasha.” ¹¹ Khona wathi: “Ngubani owakutshela ukuthi uhamba ze na? Udlile kulowo muthi engakuyala ngawo ukuthi ungadli kuwo na?” ¹² U-Adamu wathi: “Owesifazane, owangipha yena ukuba abe nami, unginikile kuwo umuthi, ngadla.” ¹³ UJehova uNkulunkulu wathi kowesifazane: “Yini lokhu okwenzileyo na?” Owesifazane wathi: “Inyoka ingikhohlisile, ngadla.” ¹⁴ UJehova uNkulunkulu wathi enyokeni: “Njengokuba usukwenzile lokho, uqalekisiwe phakathi kwezilwane zonke naphakathi kwazo zonke izilwane zasendle; uzakuhamba ngesisu sakho, udle uthuli izinsuku zonke zokuhamba kwakho. ¹⁵ Ngizakubeka ubutha phakathi kwakho nowesifazane, naphakathi kwenzalo yakho nenzalo yakhe. Yona iyakuchoboza ikhanda lakho, wena uyakulimaza isithende sayo.” ¹⁶ Wathi kowesifazane: “Ngizakukubangela ubuhlungu obukhulu ekukhulelweni kwakho; uyakubeletha abantwana ngobuhlungu. Ukunxanela kwakho kuyakuba sendodeni yakho; yona iyakukubusa.” ¹⁷ Wayesethi ku-Adamu: “Njengokuba ulalele izwi lomkakho, wadla kulowo muthi engakuyala ngawo ukuthi ungadli kuwo, ngalokho umhlabathi uqalekisiwe ngenxa yakho. Uyakudla kuwo ngokukhathazeka zonke izinsuku zokuhamba kwakho. ¹⁸ Uyakukuvezela ameva namakhakhasi, wena udle imifino yasendle. ¹⁹ Ngesithukuthuku sobuso bakho uyakudla isinkwa sakho, uze ubuyele emhlabathini, lokhu wathathwa kuwo; ngokuba ungumhlabathi, uyakuphenduka umhlabathi.” ²⁰ U-Adamu wamqamba umkakhe igama lokuthi u-Eva,* ngokuba waba ngunina wabo bonke abaphilayo. ²¹ UJehova uNkulunkulu wabenzela u-Adamu nomkakhe iziphuku, wabembathisa. ²² UJehova uNkulunkulu wathi: “Bheka, u-Adamu usenjengomunye wethu, uyakwazi okuhle nokubi; kepha manje makangeluli isandla sakhe, athathe nakuwo umuthi wokuphila, adle, aphile kuze kube phakade.” ²³ UJehova uNkulunkulu wammukisa ensimini yase-Edene ukuba alime umhlabathi athathwe kuwo. ²⁴ Wamxosha u-Adamu, wabeka ngasempumalanga kwensimu yase-Edene amakherubi* kanye nenkemba yelangabi ephenduphendukayo, ilinde indlela eya emthini wokuphila.

Isahluko Sesine

¹ U-Adamu wamazi umkakhe u-Eva; wakhulelwa, wazala uKayini;* wathi: “Ngitholile indoda kuJehova.” ² Waphinda wazala u-Abela umfowabo. U-Abela waba ngumalusi, uKayini waba ngumlimi. ³ Kwathi emva kwezinsuku ezithile uKayini waletha kuJehova umnikelo wezithelo zomhlabathi. ⁴ Naye u-Abela waletha umnikelo kuwo amazibulo ezimvu zakhe ezinonileyo. UJehova wanaka u-Abela nomnikelo wakhe. ⁵ Kepha uKayini nomnikelo wakhe akawunakanga. Wayesethukuthela kakhulu uKayini, ubuso bakhe banyukumala. ⁶ UJehova wathi kuKayini: “Uthukuthelelani na? Ubuso bakho bunyukumeleleni na? ⁷ Angithi uma wenza kahle, uyamukeleka na? Uma ungenzi kahle, isono sihlezi ngasemnyango; ukunxanela kwaso kukuwe, kepha wena umelwe ukusibusa.” ⁸ UKayini wakhuluma ku-Abela umfowabo, wathi: “Masiye endle.” Kwathi besendle, uKayini wasukela umfowabo u-Abela, wambulala. ⁹ Wayesethi uJehova kuKayini: “Uphi umfowenu u-Abela na?” Wathi: “Angazi; ngingumlindi womfowethu na?” ¹⁰ Khona wathi: “Wenzeni na? Izwi legazi lomfowenu liyakhala kimi lisemhlabathini. ¹¹ Usuqalekisiwe emhlabathini ovulile umlomo wawo ukwamukela igazi lomfowenu esandleni sakho. ¹² Uma ulima umhlabathi, awusayikukunika isithelo sawo; wena uyakuba ngumhambuma nozulane emhlabeni.” ¹³ Khona wathi uKayini kuJehova: “Isono sami sikhulu kunokuba ngisithwale. ¹⁴ Bheka, uyangixosha namuhla ebusweni bomhlaba, ngicashe ebusweni bakho; ngiyakuba ngumhambuma nozulane emhlabeni, ongifumanayo angibulale.” ¹⁵ Kepha uJehova wathi kuye: “Ngalokho obulala uKayini uyakuphindiselwa kasikhombisa.” UJehova wabeka uphawu kuKayini, funa omfumanayo ambulale. ¹⁶ Wayesesuka uKayini ebusweni bukaJehova, wahlala ezweni laseNodi ngasempumalanga kwase-Edene. ¹⁷ UKayini wamazi umkakhe; wakhulelwa, wazala u-Enoke. Wakha umuzi, wawuqamba igama lokuthi u-Enoke ngegama lendodana yakhe. ¹⁸ U-Enoke wazala u-Irade; u-Irade wazala uMehujayele; uMehujayele wazala uMetushayele; uMetushayele wazala uLameka. ¹⁹ ULameka wazithathela abafazi ababili; igama lomunye lalingu-Ada, igama lomunye lalinguSila. ²⁰ U-Ada wazala uJabale; yena waba nguyise wabahlala ematendeni, befuya izinkomo. ²¹ Igama lomfowabo lalinguJubale; yena waba nguyise wabo bonke ababetha ihabhu* nomtshingo. ²² USila wazala uThubali Kayini; wayengumkhandi wazo zonke izinto zethusi nezensimbi ezisikayo. Udadewabo kaThubali Kayini wayenguNahama. ²³ ULameka wathi kubo abafazi bakhe: “Ada noSila, yizwani izwi lami; nina bafazi bakaLameka, lalelani ukusho kwami: Bhekani, ngibulala umuntu ngenxeba engilitholayo, nensizwa ngomvimbo engiwuzwiswayo. ²⁴ Yebo, uKayini uyakuphindiselwa kasikhombisa, kepha uLameka kamashumi ayisikhombisa, aphindwe kasikhombisa.” ²⁵ U-Adamu wabuye wamazi umkakhe; wazala indodana, wamqamba igama lokuthi uSeti, ethi: “UNkulunkulu ungibekele enye inzalo esikhundleni sika-Abela, njengokuba uKayini umbulele.” ²⁶ Naye uSeti wazala indodana, wayiqamba igama layo ngokuthi u-Enoshe. Ngaleso sikhathi abantu baqala ukukhuleka egameni likaJehova.