1 UNkulunkulu wabusisa uNowa namadodana akhe, wathi kubo: “Zalani nande, nigcwalise umhlaba.
2 Uvalo nokwesabeka kwenu akube phezu kwezilwane zonke zomhlaba, naphezu kwazo zonke izinyoni zezulu, naphezu kwakho konke okunwabuzelayo emhlabeni, naphezu kwazo zonke izinhlanzi, kunikezelwe ezandleni zenu.
3 Zonke izilwane eziphilayo ziyakuba ngukudla kwenu; ngiyaninika konke kube njengemifino eluhlaza.
4 “Kepha inyama okukuyo umphefumulo wayo, okungukuthi igazi layo, aniyikuyidla.
5 Kodwa elenu igazi okukulo umphefumulo wenu ngiyakulibiza; kuzo zonke izilwane ngiyakulibiza; nakubo bonke abantu ngiyakubiza umphefumulo wabo, owomunye esandleni somunye.
6 Ochitha igazi lomuntu, igazi lakhe liyakuchithwa ngabantu, ngokuba uNkulunkulu wamenza umuntu ngomfanekiso wakhe.
7 Kepha zalani nina, nande, nichume emhlabeni, nivame kuwo.”
8 UNkulunkulu wakhuluma kuNowa nakumadodana akhe enaye, wathi:
9 “Bhekani, mina ngiyamisa isivumelwano sami nani nenzalo yenu emva kwenu,
10 nezilwane zonke eziphilayo ezinani, izinyoni, nezinkomo, nezilo zomhlaba ezinani, zonke eziphume emkhunjini, yebo, zonke izilwane zasemhlabeni.
11 Ngizakumisa isivumelwano sami nawe; akusayikubhujiswa nyama ngamanzi kazamcolo; akasayikuza uzamcolo ukuba achithe umhlaba.”
12 UNkulunkulu wathi: “Lokhu kuluphawu lwesivumelwano engisenza phakathi kwami nani nazo zonke izilwane eziphilayo ezinani kuze kube sezizukulwaneni zaphakade:
13 ngizakumisa uthingo lwami emafwini, lube luphawu lwesivumelwano phakathi kwami nomhlaba.
14 Kuyakuthi lapho ngiqoqa amafu phezu komhlaba, uthingo lubonakale emafwini.
15 Khona ngiyakukhumbula isivumelwano esiphakathi kwami nani nazo zonke izilwane eziphilayo zenyama yonke; amanzi awasayikuba nguzamcolo wokuchitha inyama yonke.
16 Uthingo luyakuba semafwini; ngizakulubheka, ngikhumbule isivumelwano esiphakade phakathi kukaNkulunkulu nazo zonke izilwane eziphilayo zenyama yonke emhlabeni.”
17 UNkulunkulu wathi kuNowa: “Lokhu kuluphawu lwesivumelwano engisenzile phakathi kwami nayo yonke inyama esemhlabeni.”
18 Amadodana kaNowa aphuma emkhunjini ayengoShemi, noHamu, noJafete; uHamu wayenguyise kaKhanani.
19 Yilawo amadodana amathathu kaNowa; umhlaba wonke wagcwaliswa ngabavela kuwo.
20 UNowa waqala waba ngumlimi, watshala isivini.
21 Waphuza iwayini, wadakwa, walala nqunu etendeni lakhe.
22 UHamu uyise kaKhanani wabona ubunqunu bukayise, watshela abafowabo bobabili bengaphandle.
23 OShemi noJafete bathatha ingubo, bayifaka emahlombe abo bobabili, bahamba nyovane, basibekela ubunqunu bukayise; ubuso babo babubheka emuva, abaze babona ubunqunu bukayise.
24 UNowa waphaphama ekudakweni, wezwa lokho ebikwenzile kuye indodana yakhe encane.
25 Wathi:“Makaqalekiswe uKhanani,abe yisigqila sezigqila kubafowabo.”
26 Wathi futhi:“Ubusisiwe uJehova,uNkulunkulu kaShemi,uKhanani abe yisigqila sabo.
27 UNkulunkulu amandise uJafete,ahlale ematendeni kaShemi,uKhanani abe yisigqila sabo.”
28 Emva kukazamcolo uNowa wahamba iminyaka engamakhulu amathathu namashumi ayisihlanu.
29 Izinsuku zonke zikaNowa zaziyiminyaka engamakhulu ayisishiyagalolunye namashumi ayisihlanu.