1 Buthana ngamaviyo,ndodakazi yamaviyo;usivimbezele,bayakumshaya umahluleli wakwa-Israyeli ngenduku esihlathini.
2 “Kepha wena Betlehema Efratha,omncane ukuba ube phakathi kwemindeni yakwaJuda,ngiyakuphunyelwa ngovela kuwe,ozakuba ngumbusi kwa-Israyeli,okuvela kwakhe kusukela endulo ezinsukwini zaphakade.”
3 Ngalokho bayakukhashelwa,bese yibuyela insali yabafowabo kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli.
4 Uyakuma, aluse ngamandla kaJehova nangokuphakama kwegamalikaJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe;sebeyakuhlala,ngokuba uzakuba mkhulukuze kube semajukujukwini omhlaba.
5 Ukuthula kuyakuba yilokhu:lapho umAsiriya engena ezweni lakithi,anyathele ezindlini zethu zobukhosi,siyakumvusela abelusi abayisikhombisanezikhulu zabantu eziyisishiyagalombili.
6 Bayakuchitha izwe lase-Asiriya ngenkemba,nezwe lakwaNimrode ezintubeni zalo,asophule kumAsiriya,lapho engena ezweni lakithi,nalapho enyathela emikhawulweni yethu.
7 Insali yakwaJakobe iyakuba phakathi kwabantu abaninginjengamazolo avela kuJehova,ngengezihlambi otshanini ezingahlaleli muntu,zingahlaleli abantwana babantu.
8 Insali yakwaJakobe iyakuba phakathi kwezizwe,phakathi kwabantu abaningi,njengengonyama phakathi kwezilwane zasehlathini,njengebhongo lengonyama phakathi kwemihlambi yezimvu,elithi lapho lidabula,linyathele, lidwengule,kungekho owophulayo.
9 Masiphakanyiswe isandla sakho phezu kwezitha zakho,zinqunywe zonke izitha zakho.
10 “Kuyakuthi ngalolo suku,” usho uJehova,“nginqume amahhashi akho phakathi kwakho,ngichithe izinqola zakho,
11 ngiyinqume imizi yasezweni lakho,ngizidilize zonke izinqaba zakho.
12 Ngiyakunquma ukulumba esandleni sakho,kungabe kusabakho kuwe abahlola imihlola.
13 Ngiyakunquma izithombe zakho ezibaziweyonezinsika zakho phakathi kwakho,ungabe usakhonza imisebenzi yezandla zakho.
14 Ngiyakubasiphula o-Ashera* bakho phakathi kwakho,ngiyichithe imizi yakho.
15 Ngiyakwenza impindiselo ngentukuthelo nangokufuthekakuzo izizwe ezingalalelanga.”