The Lord Will Bless You if You Obey
Moses said to Israel:
1-2 Today I am giving you the laws and teachings of the Lord your God. Always obey them, and the Lord will make Israel the most famous and important nation on earth, and he will bless you in many ways.
3 The Lord will make your businesses and your farms successful.
4 You will have many children. You will harvest large crops, and your herds of cattle and flocks of sheep and goats will produce many young.
5 You will have plenty of bread to eat.
6 The Lord will make you successful in your daily work.
7 The Lord will help you defeat your enemies and make them scatter in all directions.
8 The Lord your God is giving you the land, and he will make sure you are successful in everything you do. Your harvests will be so large that your storehouses will be full.
9 If you follow and obey the Lord, he will make you his own special people, just as he promised. 10 Then everyone on earth will know that you belong to the Lord, and they will be afraid of you.
11 The Lord will give you a lot of children and make sure that your animals give birth to many young. The Lord promised your ancestors that this land would be yours, and he will make it produce large crops for you.
12 The Lord will open the storehouses of the skies where he keeps the rain, and he will send rain on your land at just the right times. He will make you successful in everything you do. You will have plenty of money to lend to other nations, but you won't need to borrow any yourself.
13 Obey the laws and teachings that I'm giving you today, and the Lord your God will make Israel a leader among the nations, and not a follower. Israel will be wealthy and powerful, not poor and weak. 14 But you must not reject any of his laws and teachings or worship other gods.
The Lord Will Put Curses on You if You Disobey
(Leviticus 26.14-46)Moses said:
15 Israel, today I am giving you the laws and teachings of the Lord your God. And if you don't obey them all, he will put many curses on you.
16 Your businesses and farms will fail.
17 You won't have enough bread to eat.
18 You'll have only a few children, your crops will be small, and your herds of cattle and flocks of sheep and goats won't produce many young.
19 The Lord will make you fail in everything you do.
20 No matter what you try to accomplish, the Lord will confuse you, and you will feel his anger. You won't last long, and you may even meet with disaster, all because you rejected the Lord.
21-23 The Lord will send terrible diseases to attack you, and you will never be well again. You will suffer with burning fever and swelling and pain until you die somewhere in the land that you captured.
The Lord will make the sky overhead seem like a bronze roof that keeps out the rain, and the ground under your feet will become as hard as iron. Your crops will be scorched by the hot east wind or ruined by mildew. 24 He will send dust and sandstorms instead of rain, and you will be wiped out.
25 The Lord will let you be defeated by your enemies, and you will scatter in all directions. You will be a horrible sight for the other nations to see, 26 and no one will disturb the birds and wild animals while they eat your dead bodies.
27 The Lord will make you suffer with diseases that will cause oozing sores or crusty itchy patches on your skin or boils like the ones that are common in Egypt. And there will be no cure for you! 28 You will become insane and go blind. The Lord will make you so confused, 29 that even in bright sunshine you will have to feel your way around like a blind person, who cannot tell day from night. For the rest of your life, people will beat and rob you, and no one will be able to stop them.
30 A man will be engaged to a woman, but before they can get married, she will be raped by enemy soldiers. Some of you will build houses, but never get to live in them. If you plant a vineyard, you won't be around long enough to enjoy the first harvest. 31 Your cattle will be killed while you watch, but you won't get to eat any of the meat. Your donkeys and sheep will be stolen from you, and no one will be around to force your enemies to give them back. 32 Your sons and daughters will be dragged off to a foreign country, while you stand there helpless. And even if you watch for them until you go blind, you will never see them again.
33 You will work hard on your farms, but everything you harvest will be eaten by foreigners, who will mistreat you and abuse you for the rest of your life.
34 What you see will be so horrible that you will go insane, 35 and the Lord will punish you from head to toe with boils that never heal.
36 The Lord will let you and your king be taken captive to a country that you and your ancestors have never even heard of, and there you will have to worship idols made of wood and stone. 37 People of nearby countries will shudder when they see your terrible troubles, but they will still make fun of you.
38 You will plant a lot of seed, but gather a small harvest, because locusts will eat your crops. 39 You will plant vineyards and work hard at taking care of them, but you won't gather any grapes, much less get any wine, because the vines themselves will be eaten by worms. 40 Even if your olive trees grow everywhere in your country, the olives will fall off before they are ready, and there won't be enough olive oil for combing your hair.
41 Even your children will be taken as prisoners of war.
42 Locusts will eat your crops and strip your trees of leaves and fruit.
43 Foreigners in your towns will become wealthy and powerful, while you become poor and powerless. 44 You will be so short of money that you will have to borrow from those foreigners. They will be the leaders in the community, and you will be the followers.
More Curses for Disobedience
Moses said:
45 Israel, if you don't obey the laws and teachings that the Lord your God is giving you, he will send these curses to chase, attack, and destroy you. 46 Then everyone will look at you and your descendants and realize that the Lord has placed you under a curse.
47 If the Lord makes you wealthy, but you don't joyfully worship and honor him, 48 he will send enemies to attack you and make you their slaves. Then you will live in poverty with nothing to eat, drink, or wear, and your owners will work you to death.
49 Foreigners who speak a strange language will be sent to attack you without warning, just like an eagle swooping down. 50 They won't show any mercy, and they will have no respect for old people or pity for children. 51 They will take your cattle, sheep, goats, grain, wine, and olive oil, then leave you to starve.
52 All over the land that the Lord your God gave you, the enemy army will surround your towns. You may feel safe inside your town walls, but the enemy will tear them down, 53 while you wait in horror. Finally, you will get so hungry that you will eat the sons and daughters that the Lord gave you. 54-55 Because of hunger, a man who had been gentle and kind will eat his own children and refuse to share the meal with his brother or wife or with his other children. 56-57 A woman may have grown up in such luxury that she never had to put a foot on the ground. But times will be so bad that she will secretly eat both her newborn baby and the afterbirth, without sharing any with her husband or her other children.
Disobedience Brings Destruction
Moses said to Israel:
58 You must obey everything in The Book of God's Law. Because if you don't respect the Lord, 59 he will punish you and your descendants with incurable diseases, 60 like those you were so afraid of in Egypt. 61 Remember! If the Lord decides to destroy your nation, he can use any disease or disaster, not just the ones written in The Book of God's Law.
62 There are as many of you now as the stars in the sky, but if you disobey the Lord your God, only a few of you will be left. 63 The Lord is happy to make you successful and to help your nation grow while you conquer the land. But if you disobey him, he will be just as happy to pull you up by your roots.
64 Those of you that survive will be scattered to every nation on earth, and you will have to worship stone and wood idols that never helped you or your ancestors. 65 You will be restless—always longing for home, but never able to return. 66 You will live in constant fear of death. 67 Each morning you will wake up to such terrible sights that you will say, “I wish it were night!” But at night you will be terrified and say, “I wish it were day!”
68 I told you never to go back to Egypt. But now the Lord himself will load you on ships and send you back. Then you will even try to sell yourselves as slaves, but no one will be interested.
Eyambeko lyoonakuvulika
(Lev. 16:3-13Deut. 7:12-24)1 “Ngele oto vulika kOmuwa Kalunga koye e to dhiginine shili iipango ye ayihe mbyoka tandi yi ku pe nena, ote ke ku nenepeka u vule iigwana ayihe kombanda yevi. 2 Vulika ano kOmuwa Kalunga koye, nomayambeko ngaka agehe otaga ka ninga goye.
3 “Omuwa ota yambeke omikunda dhoye nomapya goye.
4 “Omuwa ote ku yambekele oluvalo lwoye, eloolo lyiimeno yoye niimuna yoye oongombe noonzi.
5 “Omuwa ota yambeke iilya yoye niikulya ya za muyo.
6 “Omuwa ota yambeke ashihe to shi ningi.
7 “Omuwa ota ka dhenga aatondi yoye, uuna taye ku ponokele. Nge taye ya, otaa ziilile kombinga yimwe, ihe otaa ka halakana noondjila heyali taa yi ontuku.
8 “Omuwa Kalunga koye ota ka yambeka iilonga yoye nota ka udhitha iigandhi yoye iilya. Ote ku yambeke mevi ndyoka te li ku pe.
9 “Ngele oto vulika kOmuwa Kalunga koye e to gwanitha ayihe mbyoka a popi, ote ku ningi oshigwana she mwene, ngaashi u uvaneke. 10 Nena iigwana ayihe kombanda yevi otayi ka mona kutya Omuwa okwe ku hogolola u ninge oshigwana she mwene, oyo notayi ku tila. 11 Omuwa ote ke ku pa oluvalo olwindji, iimuna oyindji neloolo lyiilya mevi ndyoka e li uvanekele oohokulu te li ku pe. 12 Ota ka lokitha omvula pethimbo lyo opala tayi zi mompungulo ye yeloolo megulu nokuyambeka iilonga yoye ayihe; oto ka lilwa oongunga kiigwana oyindji, ihe ngoye ito pumbwa okuhehela nando okushimwe shayo. 13 Omuwa Kalunga koye ote ke ku ninga omuwiliki mokati kiigwana, hamulandulishinkoti; oto ka kala aluhe u na elago noito shunduka, ngele to vulika shili kiipango mbyoka ayihe tandi yi ku pe nena ndjika. 14 Ihe ino gamuka ko kuyo, u uke kolulyo nenge kolumoho nenge u simaneke nokulongela iikalunga.”
Egeelo lyaatangalali
(Lev. 26:14-46)15 “Ihe ngele ito vulika kOmuwa Kalunga koye noito dhiginine shili omautho niipango ye ayihe mbyoka tandi yi ku pe nena, etulomutima alihe ndika otali ku adha e tali ku thingi:
16 “Omuwa ota ka tula omutima iilando yoye nomalundu goye.
17 “Omuwa ota ka tula omutima iilya yoye niikulya ya za muyo.
18 “Omuwa ote ke ku tula omutima gwoluvalo lwa pumba, gwiilya ya theta noongombe noonzi dhimwedhimwe adhike.
19 “Omuwa ota ka tula omutima ashihe to shi ningi.
20 “Ngele oto ningi nayi nokutinda Omuwa, ote ku undulile omupya, evundakano nomalwa mwaayihe to yi ningi, sigo wa yonuka po thiluthilu. 21 Ote ku tumine omalega, sigo wa pu mo naanaa moshilongo shoka to ka lala. 22 Omuwa ote ku umbu uuvu wepunga, olwiidhi nomuthithilalo; ote ku tumine omutenya gwetokopya noluteni nokukukutika po iimeno yoye. Omupya nguka otagu ku hepeke, sigo wa si. 23 Omvula itayi ka loka we, nevi lyoye otali ka kalanda lya fa emanya. 24 Peha lyomvula Omuwa ote ke ku tumina ontsi nomutoko, sigo wa hanagulwa po.
25 “Omuwa ote ku sinditha kaatondi yoye. Oto ya homona to ziilile kombinga yimwe, ihe oto ke ya ya ontuku wa lamba oondjila heyali, naantu ayehe kombanda yevi otaa ka tila, ngele taa mono mbika tayi ku ningilwa. 26 Uuna tamu ka sa, oondhila niithitukuti otayi ka lya po omidhimba dheni, nokape na ngoka te yi halutha. 27 Omuwa ote ke ku tumina iitumbuka, ngaashi a ningile Aayegipiti. Olutu lwoye ote ke lu tutitha iilalo. Oto ka kakata iitumbuka nomaankadhi e to ka kala to nyu, ihe itaku ka kala omuti gwasha. 28 Omuwa ote ku umbu uuvu woonkwengu e te ku umbile uuposi nepiyagano. 29 Oto ka pampadhala moshanga shomutenya wa fa omuposi, noito vulu okumona ondjila yoye. Ito ka kala u na elago mwaayihe to yi ningi. Oto ka thindilwa pevi aluhe nokuyugwa, nopwaa na ngoka te ku kwatha.
30 “Oto ka yaleka omukadhona — ihe gulwe te ke mu hokana po. Oto ka tunga ongulu — ihe ito ka kala mo nando. Oto ka tsika omiviinu — ihe ito li omandjembele gadho. 31 Oongombe dhoye otadhi ka tselelwa montaneho yoye, ihe onyama yadho ito ke yi lya. Uusino woye otau ka kookololwa po, manga we u tala, noitau ke ku galulilwa we. Oonzi dhoye otadhi ka pewa po aatondi yoye, nokape na ngoka te ke ku kwatha. 32 Aamwoye aamati naakadhona otaa ka gandjwa po kaakwiilongo, ya ninge aapika, manga we shi tala. Esiku kehe oto ka nzana mo omeho goye to ligamene, pamwe aamwoye otaa galuka, ihe osima yowala. 33 Oshigwana oshikwiilongo otashi ka kutha po iimeno yoye ayihe mbyoka wi ihepekele oku yi kokitha, manga to kala po owala, kakele kedhiginino lyomahepeko nonyanya. 34 Omahepeko goye otaga piyaganeke omutse gwoye. 35 Omuwa ote ku umbu iitumbuka okuza komutse sigo okoshithi shompadhi.
36 “Omuwa ote ke ku kutha po ngoye nomukwaniilwa gwoye e te mu fala kevi lyaakwiilongo, nkoka ngoye mwene nenge oohokulu inaamu kala ko nale; nkoka oto ka longela iikalunga ya hongwa miiti nomomamanya. 37 Miilongo mbyoka Omuwa te ke ku halakanithila mo, aantu otaa ka haluthwa kwaashoka she ku ningilwa: otaye ke ku nyekelela noku ku sheka.
38 “Oto ka kuna ombuto oyindji, ihe oto ka teya oshishonashona, oshoka oombahu otadhi ka lya po iimeno yoye. 39 Oto ka tsika iitsambe yomiviinu e to yi helele, ihe ito ka likola omandjembele nenge u nwe omaviinu gayo, oshoka omazinyo otaga ka lya po oomviinu. 40 Omiolivi otadhi ka mena shaa mpoka mevi lyeni, ihe ito ka kala nando u na omagadhi gooholivi, oshoka ooholivi otadhi ka yagumuka ko. 41 Oto ka kala u na aamati naakadhona, ihe oto ke ya kanitha, oshoka otaa ka kwatwa po oonkwatwa miita. 42 Omiti dhoye adhihe niilikolwa yevi lyoye otayi ka lika po kuupuka.
43 “Aakwiilongo mboka ya kala mevi lyoye, otaye ke ku gwililila po ye ku vule, ngoye noto ka kanitha oonkondo. 44 Otaa ka kala ye na iimaliwa ye ku pe oongunga, ihe ngoye ito ka kala u na sha u ya pe oongunga. Pehulilo otaa ka ninga aapangeli yoye.
45 “Omathingano ngaka agehe otage ku adha, e taga kala ge ku na, sigo wa hanagulwa po thiluthilu, oshoka ino vulika kOmuwa Kalunga koye nokudhiginina omautho niipango ayihe e yi ku pe. 46 Omathingano ngoka otaga ka ninga endhindhiliko sigo aluhe kutya ngoye noluvalo lwoye omwa pangulwa kuKalunga. 47 Omuwa okwe ku yambeke pamikalo adhihe, ihe ino mu longela nenyanyu nonomwenyo gwa tundulukwa. 48 Onkee ano oto ka longela aatondi mboka Omuwa te ku tumine, ye ku kondjithe. Oto ka kala wa sa ondjala nenota nou li omudhuu — u li moluhepo lwiinima ayihe. Omuwa ote ke ku hepeka nayi, sigo wa hanagulwa po thiluthilu. 49 Omuwa ote ke ku tukulila oshigwana tashi zi kokule kooha dhevi, shi ye shi ku kondjithe, oshigwana shoka elaka lyasho kuu li shi. Otashi ke ku fegula po sha fa ekodhi. 50 Otaa ka kala aananyanya, itaa ningile mo molwaakulupe noitaa si ohenda aagundjuka. 51 Otaa ka lya po oongombe dhoye niilikolwa yomevi lyoye, nangoye oto ka sa po kondjala. Itaye ku thigile po nando omuma yimwe yiilya, eta lyomaviinu, uugadhi wooholivi, ongombe nenge onzi; nangoye oto ka sa po. 52 Otaa ka ponokela oshilando kehe moshilongo shoka Omuwa Kalunga koye te shi ku pe sigo omadhingililokuma omaleeleka ngoka wi itula, otaga ka kumunwa po.
53 “Uuna aatondi yoye taa kondeke iilando yoye, oto ka pumbwa iikulya, oto kala muuwehame nomeiyekelelo, sigo to li po aamwoye, onyama aamwoye aamati naakadhona mboka Omuwa Kalunga koye e ku pe. 54 Nokuli omulumentu omvalekele nomulelwa ondembula ke na ohenda namumwayina, omukadhi omuholike nenge oyana mboka ya hupu ko; 55 ite ya pe nando okantumba konyama yoyana ndjoka ye mwene ta li muuwehame nomeiyekelelo molwompumbwe yiikulya, sho u li wa kondekwa kaatondi. 56 Omukiintu omvalekele nomulelwa ondembula, ngoka moluuyamba inee enda kolupadhi nando olumwe, ke na ohenda nomulume omuholike nenge omwana omumati nomukadhona. 57 Ite ya pe okahanona e ka vala, nontungwa yako tayi zi moshivalelo she, oshoka muuwehame nomeiyekelelo omolwompumbwe yiikulya ye mwene ote yi li po meholamo, sho u li wa kondekwa kaatondi.
58 “Ngele ito dhiginine shili oompango ndhika adhihe nomalongo ga nyolwa membo ndika, nongele ito simaneke edhina lyOmuwa Kalunga koye ekumithi netilithi, 59 ote ku tumine ngoye noluvalo lwoye omauwehame gaa shi kupangwa, omalega omatilithi nomikithi omiwinayi dhomambwengelela. 60 Ote ku undulile ishewe omikithi omitilithi ndhoka we dhi mwene muEgipiti noito ka hwepopala we. 61 Ote ke ku undulila omavu nomalega ngeyaka gi ili nogi ili inaaga tumbulwa membo ndika lyoompango nomalongo gaKalunga, ongoye noto ka hanagulwa po. 62 Nonando u indjipale u thike poonyothi dhokegulu, yamweyamwe yomune ayeke taa ka hupa ko, oshoka ino vulika kOmuwa Kalunga koye. 63 Omuwa ngaashi a li a nyanyukilwa elago lyoye nokwiindjipala kwoye, osho wo ta ka nyanyukilwa moku ku yona po noku ku hanagula po. Oto ka nakulwa mo mevi ndyoka to ke li lala.
64 “Omuwa ote ke ku halakanithila mokati kiigwana ayihe okuza kooha dhevi sigo okoonkwawo, naankoka oto ka longela iikalunga ya hongwa miiti nomomamanya, iikalunga mbyoka ngoye mwene nenge oohokulu inaaye yi longela nale. 65 Ito ka mona ombili akuhe, kape na ehala to ka tya olyoye. Omuwa ote ke ku tula uumbanda, etyololoko neziyalalo. 66 Okukala kwoye aluhe otaku kala moshiponga. Uusiku nomutenya oto ka kala nomwenyo tagu nuka mo noto ka kala muumbanda weso wa pitilila. 67 Ongula oto ka tya: ‘Ando okwa li ongulohi,’ nongulohi oto ka tya: ‘Ando okwa li ongula.’ Osho u li u na ehaluko lya tya ngeyi momutima nomahaluhalu ga tya ngeyi momeho goye. 68 Omuwa ote ke ku shunithila kuEgipiti mooskepa, nando ye mwene a tile: ‘Ito ka shuna we kuEgipiti.’ Oko hoka to ki ilanditha po kaatondi yoye u ninge omupika, ihe kaku na ngoka ta hala oku ku landa po.”
