Genesise Chapter 48

1. Kwathi emva kwalezo zinto kwathiwa kuJosefa: “Bheka, uyihlo uyagula.” Wayesethatha amadodana akhe omabili, oManase no-Efrayimi.

2. Kwase kushiwo kuJakobe ukuthi: “Bheka, indodana yakho uJosefa iyeza kuwe.” Wayeseziqinisa u-Israyeli, wahlala embhedeni.

3. UJakobe wathi kuJosefa: “UNkulunkulu uSomandla wabonakala kimi eLuze ezweni laseKhanani, wangibusisa,

4. wathi kimi: ‘Bheka, ngizakukuchumisa, ngikwandise, ngikwenze izizwe eziningi, ngiyiphe inzalo yakho leli zwe emva kwakho libe yifa elingunaphakade.’

5. “Manje amadodana akho amabili owazalelwa wona ezweni laseGibithe, ngingakafiki kuwe eGibithe, angawami; o-Efrayimi noManase njengoRubeni noSimeyoni bazakuba ngabami.

6. Kepha inzalo yakho oyizala emva kwabo izakuba ngeyakho; iyakubizwa ngegama labafowabo efeni lalabo.

7. Kepha mina ekusukeni kwami ePhadani Aramu ngafelwa nguRaheli endleleni ezweni laseKhanani, kuse yibangana ukuya e-Efrati; ngammbela khona endleleni eya e-Efrati” (eliyiBetlehema).

8. U-Israyeli wabona amadodana kaJosefa, wathi: “Ngobani laba na?”

9. UJosefa wathi kuye: “Ngamadodana ami angiphe wona lapha uNkulunkulu.” Wayesethi: “Ake uwalethe kimi, ngiwabusise.”

10. Kepha amehlo ka-Israyeli ayefiphele ngobudala, engasenakubona; wawasondeza kuye; wawanga, wawagona.

11. Wayesethi u-Israyeli kuJosefa: “Ngangingacabanganga ukuthi ngizakubona ubuso bakho; bheka, uNkulunkulu ungibonise nenzalo yakho.”

12. UJosefa wawakhipha emathangeni akhe; wakhothama, ubuso bakhe bubheke phansi.

13. UJosefa wayesebathatha bobabili, u-Efrayimi ngesokunene, engakwesokhohlo sika-Israyeli, noManase ngesokhohlo, engakwesokunene sika-Israyeli, wabasondeza kuye.

14. U-Israyeli wayeselula isandla sakhe sokunene, wasibeka ekhanda lika-Efrayimi, kanti ungomncane, nesokhohlo ekhanda likaManase, ephambanisa izandla zakhe, ngokuba uManase wayeyizibulo.

15. Wambusisa uJosefa, wathi: “UNkulunkulu abahamba ebusweni bakhe obaba o-Abrahama no-Isaka, uNkulunkulu ongondlile konke ukuhamba kwami kuze kube namuhla,

16. ingelosi engisindise ebubini bonke mayibusise abafana; mababizwe ngegama lami nangegama lawobaba o-Abrahama no-Isaka; mabande, babe baningi phakathi kwezwe.”

17. Wabona uJosefa ukuthi uyise wabeka isandla sakhe sokunene ekhanda lika-Efrayimi, kwaba kubi emehlweni akhe; wasibamba isandla sikayise ukuba asisuse ekhanda lika-Efrayimi, asibeke ekhanda likaManase.

18. Wayesethi uJosefa kuyise: “Kungabi njalo, ngokuba lo uyizibulo; beka esokunene sakho ekhanda lakhe.”

19. Kepha uyise wala, wathi: “Ngiyazi, ndodana yami, ngiyazi; naye uyakuba yisizwe, abe mkhulu naye; kodwa umfowabo uyakuba mkhulu kunaye, inzalo yakhe ibe yizizwe eziningi.”

20. Wayesebabusisa ngalolo suku ngokuthi: “Ngawe u-Israyeli uyakubusisa ethi: ‘UNkulunkulu makakwenze ube njengo-Efrayimi nanjengoManase.’ ” Wayesembeka-ke u-Efrayimi ngaphambi kukaManase.

21. Wayesethi u-Israyeli kuJosefa: “Bheka, mina ngiyafa, kepha uNkulunkulu uyakuba nani, anibuyisele ezweni lawoyihlo.

22. Wena ngikunike olunye ukhalo ngaphezu kwabafowenu engaluthatha esandleni sama-Amori ngenkemba yami nangomnsalo wami.”