Mabasa 7

¹MuPirisita mukuru akati: Zvinhu izvi ndizvo nhai?Then said the high priest, Are these things so?

²Iye akati: Varume, hama, namadzibaba, inzwai: Mwari wokubwinya wakazviratidza kunababa vedu Abhurahamu, vachiri Mesopotamia, vasati vagara Harani,And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

³akati kwavari: Ibva munyika yako, nokuhama dzako, uende kunyika yandinozokuratidza.And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.

⁴Ipapo akabuda munyika yavaKadhia, akagara Harani. Zvino baba vake vakati vafa, Mwari akamutamisira ipapo kunyika ino yamugere zvino.Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.

⁵Asi haana kumupa nhaka imomo, kunyange paangatsika norutsoka rwake, asi wakamupikira kuti uchamupa iyo, ive yake neyavana vake vaizomutevera, asati atongova nomwana.And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

⁶Mwari akataura, achiti, vana vake vachava vatorwa kunyika yavamwe; vachavaita varanda, nokuvavonesa nhamo makore anamazana mana.And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.

⁷Rudzi rwavachava varanda varwo, ndicharutongesa, ndizvo zvinoreva Mwari; shure kwaizvozvo vachabuda, vachandishumira panzvimbo iyi.And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.

⁸Akamupa sungano yedzingiso, Zvino Abhurahamu akabereka Isaka, akamudzingisa nezuva rorusere, Isaka akabereka Jakobho; naJakobho akabereka mateteguru anegumi namaviri.And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.

⁹Mateteguru zvaakanga achigodora Josefa, vakamutengesa, akaiswa Ijipiti; Mwari akava naye.And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,

¹⁰Akamurwira panhamo dzake dzose, akamubatsira kuti adikanwe naFarao, mambo weIjipiti, ave nokuchenjera pamberi pake; iye akamuita mutariri weIjipiti noweimba yake yose.And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

¹¹Zvino nzara ikasvika paIjipiti yose neKanani, nenhamo huru; madzibaba edu akashaiwa zvokudya.Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.

¹²Zvino Jakobho, wakati anzwa kuti Ijipiti kunezviyo, pakutanga akatuma madzibaba edu.But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.

¹³Parwendo rwechipiri Josefa akazikanwa navakuru vake; rudzi rwaJosefa rukavonekwa naFarao.And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.

¹⁴Zvino Josefa akavatuma kundodana Jakobho, baba vake, nehama dzake dzose, vanhu vaiva namakumi manomwe navashanu.Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

¹⁵Jakobho akaburukira Ijipiti; akazofa, iye namadzibaba edu;So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,

¹⁶vakaiswa Shekemi, vakavigwa pabwiro bwakanga bwatengwa naAbhurahamu nomutengo wesirvheri kuvanakomana vaEmori paShekemi.And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.

¹⁷Zvino nguva yechipikirwa chakanga chapikirwa Abhurahamu naMwari, yakati ichiswedera, vanhu vakawanda, vakaita vazhinji muIjipiti;But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

¹⁸kusvikira mumwe mambo akamuka muIjipiti, wakanga asina kuziva Josefa.Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.

¹⁹Iye akabata rudzi rwedu namano, akatambudza madzibaba edu, akavaraira kuti varashe vacheche vavo, kuti varege kuraramiswa.The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.

²⁰Nenguva iyo Mosesi akaberekwa, wakanga akaisvonaka kwazvo; akarerwa mwedzi mitatu mumba mababa vake;In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months:

²¹zvino wakati arashwa, mukunda waFarao akamunonga, akamurera kuti ave mwanakomana wake.And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.

²²Mosesi akadzidziswa vuchenjeri bwose bwavaIjipiti; akava nesimba pamashoko napamabasa ake.And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

²³Zvino wakati asvika makore anamakumi mana, moyo wake ukada kushanyira hama dzake, vana vaIsraeri.And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.

²⁴Akavona mumwe achiitirwa zvisakarurama, ndokumurwira, akavuraya muIjipiti, achitsiva wakanga achitambudzwa.And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:

²⁵Akati, zvimwe hama dzake dzichanzwisisa kuti Mwari wakanga achida kuvaponesa noruvoko rwake; asi havana kunzwisisa.For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.

²⁶Fume mangwana akavashanyira akavawana vachikakavadzana, akaidza kuvayananisa, achiti: Varume, muri hama, munoitirana zvisakarurama neiko?And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?

²⁷Zvino iye wakanga achiitira wokwake zvisakarurama akamusundira kure, achiti: Ndianiko wakakuita mubati nomutongi wedu?But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?

²⁸Unoda kundivuraya, sezvawakavuraya muIjipiti zuro kanhi?Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?

²⁹Mosesi akatiza achinzwa shoko iri, akandova mutorwa kunyika yeMidiani, kwaakandobereka vanakomana vaviri.Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.

³⁰Zvino makore makumi mana akati apera, mutumwa waShe akavonekwa naye murenje regomo reSinai, mumurazvo womoto mugwenzi.And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.

³¹Mosesi akati achizvivona, akashamiswa nezvaakavona; zvino akati achiswedera kuzocherekedza, inzwi raShe rikanzwika, richiti:When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,

³²Ndini Mwari wamadzibaba ako, Mwari waAbhurahamu, nowaIsaka, nowaJakobho, ipapo Mosesi akadedera akatya kucherekedza.Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.

³³Zvino Ishe akati kwaari: Bvisa shangu patsoka dzako, nokuti nzvimbo yaumire pairi itsvene.Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.

³⁴Ndakavona hangu kwazvo kutambudzika kwavanhu vangu vari muIjipiti, ndakanzwa kugomera kwavo, ndaburuka kuzovarwira; zvino vuya ndikutume Ijipiti.I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.

³⁵Uyu Mosesi wavakaramba,vachiti: Ndiani wakakuita mubati nomutongi? Ndiye wakatumwa naMwari, nomutumwa wakavonekwa naye mugwenzi, kuti ave mubati nomudzikinuri.This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.

³⁶Iye akavabudisa, akaita zvinoshamisa nezviratidzo munyika yeIjipiti, nepaGungwa Dzvuku, nomurenje, makore anamakumi mana.He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

³⁷Ndiyeye Mosesi wakati kuvana vaIsraeri: Ishe Mwari wenyu uchakumutsirai Muporofita pakati pehama dzenyu, wakafanana neni uyu ndiye wamuchanzwa.This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.

³⁸Ndiyeye wakanga ari kuvungano murenje, anomutumwa wakataura naye mugomo reSinai, anamadzibaba edu vo, wakagamuchira mashoko mapenyu kuzotipa.This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

³⁹Ndiye, wavakanga vasingadi kumutevera ivo madzibaba edu; vakamuramba, vakadzokera Ijipiti nemoyo yavo.To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,

⁴⁰Vakati kunaAroni: Tiitire vamwari, vangatitungamirira; nokuti kana ari Mosesi uyu, wakatibudisa munyika yeIjipiti, hatizivi zvakaitika kwaari.Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

⁴¹Zvino vakaita mhuru namazuva iwayo, vakavuya nechibayiro kuchifananidzo chavo, vakafarira mabasa amavoko avo.And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

⁴²Zvino Mwari akavafuratira, akavarega kuti vashumire hondo yokudenga, sezvakanyorwa mubhuku ravaporofita, zvichinzi: Ko makandivigira zvipfuwo zvakabayiwa nezvibayiro Makore makumi mana murenje, imi, imba yavaIsraeri here?Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?

⁴³Makatakura tabernakeri yaMoroki, Nenyeredzi yamwari wenyu Remfani, Zvifananidzo zvamakaita kuti muzvinamate; Ndichakutamisai mberi kweBhabhironi.Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

⁴⁴Madzibaba edu aiva netabernakeri yovuchapupu murenje, yakanga yakavakwa sezvaakaraira iye, wakataura naMosesi achiti aite nomufananidzo waakavona.Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.

⁴⁵Yakati yagamuchirwa namadzibaba edu, vakapinda nayo naJoshua munyika yavahedheni,vakadzingwa naMwari pamberi pamadzibaba edu, kusvikira pamazuva aDhavhidhi.Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;

⁴⁶iye akanzwirwa nyasha pamberi paMwari, akakumbira kuvakira Mwari waJakobho pokugara.Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

⁴⁷Soromoni akamuvakira imba.But Solomon built him an house.

⁴⁸Asi Wokumusoro haagari mudzimba dzakavakwa namavoko, sezvakarebwa nomuporofita, achiti:Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

⁴⁹Denga ndicho chigaro changu chovushe. Nenyika chitsiko chetsoka dzangu; Muchandivakira imba yakadiniko? Ndizvo zvinoreva Ishe; Kana nzvimbo yandingazorora pairi ndeipi?Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

⁵⁰Ko ruvoko rwangu haruna kuita izvozvi zvose here?Hath not my hand made all these things?

⁵¹Imi vemitsipa mikukutu, musinakudzingiswa pamoyo nenzeve, munogara muchidzivisa Mweya Mutsvene; samadzibaba enyu, nemi vo.Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

⁵²Ndoupiko pakati pavaporofita, usinakutambudzwa namadzibaba enyu? Vakavuraya avo vaiparidza kuvuya kwoWakarurama, iye wamakapandukira nokumuvuraya zvino.Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

⁵³Iyemi, makapiwa murairo sezvawakarairwa navatumwa, mukasauchengeta.Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

⁵⁴Zvino vakati vachinzwa izvozvo, vakafa neshungu kwazvo, vakamugeda-gedera meno.When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

⁵⁵Asi iye azere noMweya Mutsvene, akatarisisa kudenga, akavona kubwinya kwaMwari, naJesu amire kuruvoko rwurudyi rwaMwari,But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

⁵⁶akati: Tarirai, ndinovona denga rakazarurwa, noMwanakomana womunhu amire kuruvoko rworudyi rwaMwari.And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

⁵⁷Zvino vakadanidzira nenzwi guru, vakadzivira nzeve dzavo, vakamhanyira kwaari vose pamwe chete;Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

⁵⁸vakamubudisira kunze kweguta, ndokumutaka namabwe; zvapupu zvikaisa nguvo dzazvo patsoka dzejaya, rainzi Sauro.And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.

⁵⁹Vakataka Stefano, achidana achiti: Ishe Jesu, gamuchirai mweya wangu.And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

⁶⁰Akafugama, akadanidzira nenzwi guru, achiti: Ishe, musavapa mhosva yechivi ichi, Akati areva izvozvo, akavata rufu.And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.