1 Kwathi ngaloo mihla, kungekho kumkani kwaSirayeli, kwabakho indoda engumLevi ephambukele emathambekeni akwaEfrayim, yazeka umfazi olishweshwe eBhetelehem yakwaYuda.
2 Lahenyuza likuyo ishweshwe layo, lemka kuyo, laya endlwini yoyise walo eBhetelehem yakwaYuda, laba khona imihla eziinyanga ezine.
3 Yesuka indoda yalo yaliphuthuma, ukuba ithethe kakuhle nalo ilibuyise, inomfana namaesile amabini. Layingenisa endlwini yoyise walo. Wayibona uyise wentombazana leyo, wakuvuyela ukuhlangana nayo.
4 Wayigcina uyise womfazi, uyise wentombazana leyo; yahlala naye imihla yamithathu, badla, basela, balala khona.
5 Kwathi ngomhla wesine, bavuka kusasa; yesuka yona ukuba imke. Wathi uyise wentombazana kumyeni wayo, Khawuxhase intliziyo yakho ngeqhekeza lesonka, nandule ukuhamba.
6 Bahlala ke badla bobabini ndawonye, basela. Wathi uyise wentombazana kwindoda, Makhe kukholeke kuwe, ulale, ichwayithe intliziyo yakho.
7 Yesuka indoda leyo ukuba ihambe; wayijoka uyise womkayo, yabuya yalala khona.
8 Yavuka kusasa ngomhla wesihlanu ukuba ihambe. Wathi uyise wentombazana, Khawuxhase intliziyo yakho, nizilazile ide ijike imini; badla ke bobabini.
9 Yesuka indoda ukuba imke, yona neshweshwe layo nomfana wakuyo. Wathi kuyo uyise womkayo, uyise wentombazana, Khawukhangele, imini iyemka, kuyahlwa; khanilale; yabona, imini isangene; lala apha, ichwayithe intliziyo yakho, nivuke kusasa ngomso, nihambe ngendlela yenu, uye ententeni yakho.
10 Ayavuma ukulala indoda leyo, yesuka yemka; yafika malungana neYebhusi (yiYerusalem ke leyo), inamaesile amabini ebotshiwe, ineshweshwe layo.
11 Xa babengaseYebhusi, imini yayise ithambamile kakhulu. Wathi umfana kwinkosi yakhe, Khawuze siphambukele kulo mzi wamaYebhusi, silale kuwo.
12 Yathi kuye inkosi yakhe, Asiyi kuphambukela apha kumzi wolunye uhlanga, ongengowoonyana bakaSirayeli; sodlula siye eGibheha.
13 Yathi kumfana wakuyo, Yiza, sisondele kwenye indawo, silale; nokuba kuseGibheha, nokuba kuseRama.
14 Bagqitha, bahamba; batshonelwa lilanga ecaleni laseGibheha yakwaBhenjamin.
15 Baphambukela apho, baya kulala eGibheha; yafika yahlala endaweni yokubutha kwamadoda omzi; akwabakho mntu ubamkelela endlwini yakhe, ukuba balale.
16 Kwathi thu indoda enkulu ivela emsebenzini wayo emasimini, ngokuhlwa; iyindoda yelasezintabeni lakwaEfrayim, ingumphambukeli eGibheha. Ke amadoda aloo mzi abengamaBhenjamin.
17 Yawaphakamisa amehlo ayo, yabona ndoda ingumhambi endaweni yokubutha kwamadoda omzi, yathi indoda enkulu leyo, Uya ngaphi na? Uvela phi na?
18 Yathi kuyo, Siyagqitha, sivela eBhetelehem yakwaYuda; siya emathambekeni akwaEfrayim; endingowakhona. Ndibe ndihambele eBhetelehem yakwaYuda, ngoku ndihambela endlwini kaYehova. Akukho bani ke undamkelela endlwini yakhe apha;
19 kanti ke sinomququ kwaneendiza zamaesile ethu, nesonka newayini eyiyeyam, nomkhonzazana wakho, nomfana okubakhonzi bakho; akusweleke nto.
20 Yathi indoda enkulu, Uxolo malube nawe; ke ukuswela kwakho konke makube phezu kwam; kodwa musa ukulala endaweni yokubutha kwamadoda omzi.
21 Yayingenisa endlwini yayo, yawanika iindiza amaesile; bazihlamba iinyawo zabo, badla, basela.
22 Bakubon’ ukuba bayazichwayithisa iintliziyo zabo, nango amadoda aloo mzi, amadoda angamatshijolo, eyirhawula indlu leyo, emana enkqonkqoza elucangweni; atsho kwindoda enkulu engumninindlu ukuthi, Yikhuphe indoda engene endlwini yakho, siyazi.
23 Yaphuma indoda engumninindlu, yaya kuwo, yathi kuwo, Hayi, bazalwana bam, hayi, musani ukukha nenze into embi. Emveni kokuba le ndoda ingene endlwini yam, musani ukwenza obu budenge.
24 Nantsi intombi yam eyintombi, neshweshwe lale ndoda; makhe ndikhuphe bona, nibone, nenze kubo okulungileyo emehlweni enu; ke kule ndoda ze ningenzi nto yobu budenge.
25 Akavuma loo madoda ukumphulaphula. Yalibamba indoda ishweshwe layo, yalikhuphela phandle kuwo; alazi, afeketha ngalo bonke ubusuku kwada kwasa; alindulula ngesifingo.
26 Yafika inkazana leyo xa kusayo, yawa emnyango wendlu yendoda apho yayikhona inkosi yayo, kwada kwamhlophe.
27 Yavuka inkosi yayo kusasa, yazivula iingcango zendlu, yaphuma ukuba ihambe ngendlela yayo; nantso le nkazana ilishweshwe layo iwile emnyango waloo ndlu, nezandla zayo zisembundwini wawo.
28 Yathi kuyo, Vuka sihambe; ayaphendula. Yayithabatha yayibeka phezu kwe-esile; yesuka loo ndoda, yasinga endaweni yayo.
29 Yafika endlwini yayo, yathabatha isitshetshe, yalibamba ishweshwe layo, yalityatya ngokwamathambo alo laziinyama ezilishumi elinambini, yalithumela kuyo yonke imida yakwaSirayeli;
30 ukuze bonke ababona oko bathi, Okunje akuzanga kubekho; akuzanga kubonwe kususela kumhla abanyuka ngawo oonyana bakaSirayeli ezweni laseYiputa, unanamhla; kubekeleni iintliziyo zenu oku, nicebe, nithethe.