Genesisi 48

₁Emvakwaloko Josefa wabikelwa kutsi uyise uyagula. Ngako-ke Josefa wesuka watsatsa emadvodzana akhe omabili boManase na-Efrayimu, waya nawo kuyise. ₂Wase uyabikelwa Jakobe kwatsiwa: “Indvodzana yakho, Josefa, seyifikile itekuvusela.” Israyeli waticinisa abuyisa emandla akhe, wavuka wahlala ngetibunu embhedzeni. ₃Jakobe wakhuluma kuJosefa watsi: “Nkulunkulu Somandla wabonakala kimi eLuzi, eveni laseKhenani wangibusisa, ₄watsi kimi: ‘Lalela la, ngitakwandzisa ngikwente ube tive letinyenti, lelive ngiliphe titukulwane takho emvakwakho. Liyawuba lato phakadze naphakadze.’ ”

₅Wachubeka watsi: “Lamadvodzana akho lamabili lowawatalelwa lapha eveni laseGibhithe ngisengakafiki mine, nguwona awami. Efrayimu naManase batawuba bami, njengobe Rubeni naSimeyoni babami. ₆Bantfwana lotawubatala emvakwabo batawuba bakho, hhayi bami; lifa labo liyawubitwa ngemagama alaba bomnakabo. ₇Loku ngikwenta ngenca yekudzabuka lengaba nako nangifelwa ngunyoko Rakheli, ngisesendleleni ngisuka eMesophothamiya sengitawufika e-Efratha, eveni laseKhenani. Ngamngcwaba e-Efratha.” Manje leyo ndzawo seyibitwa ngekutsi yiBhetlehema.

₈Israyeli nakabona emadvodzana aJosefa, wabuta watsi: “Bakabani labafana?”

₉Josefa waphendvula uyise watsi: “Ngemadvodzana ami, Nkulunkulu langiphe wona ngisekuleli laseGibhithe.” Israyeli watsi: “Ase uwaletse, khona ngitewabusisa.” ₁₀Emehlo a-Israyeli abengasaboni kahle, ngenca yebudzala, abesafifiyela. Ngako Josefa wawasondzeta kuye. Jakobe wawanga, wawagaca ngemikhono. ₁₁Israyeli wakhuluma kuJosefa watsi: “Ngangingasacabangi kutsi ngiyawuphindze ngibubone buso bakho, kodvwa Nkulunkulu sewungivumele kutsi ngikubone, ngaze ngabona ngisho nebantfwabakho futsi.” ₁₂Josefa wase uyawesusa emadvodzana akhe emadvolweni aJakobe, wakhotsama abhekise buso bakhe phansi.

₁₃Josefa wawatsatsa omabili wawabeka emaceleni a-Israyeli: Efrayimu angesancele, Manase ngesekudla. ₁₄Kodvwa Israyeli welula sandla sakhe sangesekudla wasibeka etikwa-Efrayimu, nome abengulomncane; sandla sakhe sangesancele waselula wasibeka etikwaManase, labelitubulo. ₁₅Jakobe wabe sewubusisa Josefa, watsi:

₁₇Watsi kube Josefa abone kutsi uyise ubeke sandla sakhe sekudla etikwenhloko ya-Efrayimu, wakhubeka. Watsatsa sandla seyise sekudla etikwa-Efrayimu kuze asibeke etikwenhloko yaManase. ₁₈Wakhuluma kuyise watsi: “Cha, phela babe, lona nguyena alitubulo, beka sandla sakho sekudla etikwakhe.”

₁₉Kodvwa uyise wala, watsi: “Ngiyati, ndvodzana yami, ngiyati. Naye utaba sive, naye futsi utaba mkhulu. Kodvwa nome kunjalo, lona lomncane utawuba mkhulu kunaye, netitukulwane takhe tiyawuba tive letinkhulu.”

₂₀Wababusisa ngalelo langa atsi:

Wambeka kanjalo-ke Efrayimu kutsi abe ngetulu kwaManase.

₂₁Israyeli wakhuluma kuJosefa watsi: “Manje sengitawufa, kodvwa Nkulunkulu utawuba nani, aphindze anibuyisele eveni labokhokho benu. ₂₂Lelicele lentsaba iShekhemu lengalitsatsa ngenkemba yami nangebutjoki bami kuma-Amori, ngengeta ngekulinika wena, hhayi bomnakenu.”