1 Kwathi abantu beqala ukwanda ebusweni bomhlaba, bezala amadodakazi,
2 amadodana kaNkulunkulu abona amadodakazi abantu ukuthi mahle, azithathela abafazi kuwo awathandayo.
3 Wayesethi uJehova: “UMoya wami awuyikubusa njalo kumuntu, njengokuba eyinyama nje; izinsuku zakhe ziyakuba yiminyaka eyikhulu namashumi amabili.”
4 Ngalezo zinsuku kwakukhona iziqhwaga emhlabeni, nangasemuva futhi, lapho amadodana kaNkulunkulu engena kuwo amadodakazi abantu, awazalela abantwana. Lana ayengamadodana asendulo anamandla, anegama lodumo.
5 Kepha uJehova wabona ukuthi ububi bomuntu bukhulu emhlabeni nokuthi zonke izizindlo zemicabango yenhliziyo yakhe zimbi njalo.
6 Wayesezisola uJehova ukuthi wayebenzile abantu emhlabeni, wadabuka enhliziyweni yakhe.
7 UJehova wathi: “Abantu engibadalileyo ngizakubachitha ebusweni bomhlaba, yebo, abantu, nezinkomo, nezilwanyana ezinwabuzelayo, nezinyoni zezulu, ngokuba ngiyazisola ukuthi ngibenzile.”
8 Kepha uNowa wayetholile umusa emehlweni kaJehova.
9 Lokhu kuyizizukulwane zikaNowa. UNowa wayeyindoda eqotho, engenacala esizukulwaneni sakhe; uNowa wayehamba noNkulunkulu.
10 UNowa wazala amadodana amathathu: ngoShemi, noHamu, noJafete.
11 Umhlaba wawonakele ebusweni bukaJehova; umhlaba wagcwala ubudlwangudlwangu.
12 UNkulunkulu wabona ukuthi umhlaba wonakele, ngokuba inyama yonke yayonakalisile indlela yayo emhlabeni.
13 UNkulunkulu wathi kuNowa: “Ukuphela kwenyama yonke kufikile phambi kwami, ngokuba umhlaba ugcwele ubudlwangudlwangu ngenxa yabantu; bheka, ngiyakubachitha kanye nomhlaba.
14 Yakha umkhumbi ngemithi yegofere,* wenze amakamelo emkhunjini, uwuhuqe ngaphakathi nangaphandle ngekolitayi.*
15 Yikho lokhu ozakukwenza: ubude bomkhumbi buyakuba yizingalo ezingamakhulu amathathu, ububanzi bawo bube yizingalo ezingamashumi ayisihlanu, nokuphakama kwawo kube yizingalo ezingamashumi amathathu.
16 Yenza ifasitele emkhunjini, uligcine ngaphezulu libe yingalo inye, ufake umnyango womkhumbi ohlangothini lwawo, uwenze ube nendlu engaphansi nengaphakathi nengaphezulu.
17 Mina, bheka, mina ngizakuzisa uzamcolo wamanzi emhlabeni ukuba achithe yonke inyama okukuyo umoya wokuphila phansi kwezulu; konke okusemhlabeni kuzakufa.
18 Kepha ngiyakumisa isivumelwano sami nawe, uze ungene emkhunjini, wena namadodana akho, nomkakho, nabafazi bamadodana akho bekanye nawe.
19 Nakuzo zonke izilwane uzakungenisa ezimbili kuzo zonke izinhlobo zenyama ukuba ziphile nawe, kube ngeyeduna neyensikazi.
20 Kuzo izinyoni ngezinhlobo zazo, nakuzo izinkomo ngezinhlobo zazo, nakuzo izilwanyana ezinwabuzelayo emhlabeni ngezinhlobo zazo kuzakufika kuwe ezimbili zezinhlobo zonke, ziphile.
21 Zithathele kukho konke ukudla okudliwayo, ukubuthele kuwe; kuyakuba ngukudla kwakho nokwabo.”
22 UNowa wenze njalo; njengalokho uNkulunkulu emyalile wakwenza.