19 Waba uyafa ke ngaloo ndlela uRakeli waza wangcwatywa endleleni yase-Efrata, oko kukuthi, eBhetelehem.+

19 Ke kaloku ngaloo mihla kwakungekho kumkani kwaSirayeli.+ Yaye umLevi othile wayengumhlali wokwexeshana kweyona mimandla ithe qelele yommandla weentaba wakwaEfrayim.+ Ekuhambeni kwexesha wazithabathela ishweshwe+ laseBhetelehem+ yelakwaYuda ukuba libe ngumfazi wakhe.

1 Ke kaloku kwathi ngemihla abagwebi+ babesenza okusesikweni kwabakho indlala+ elizweni, kwaye indoda yasuka eBhetelehem+ yelakwaYuda yaya kuhlala njengomphambukeli kumhlaba wakwaMowabhi,+ yona nomfazi wayo noonyana bayo ababini.

2 “Nawe, Bhetelehem Efrata,+ wena umncinane gqitha ukuba ube phakathi kwamawaka akwaYuda,+ kuwe+ ndiya kuphunyelwa ngulowo uza kuba ngumlawuli wakwaSirayeli,+ omvelaphi yakhe isusela kumaxesha angaphambili, ukususela kwimihla yexesha elingenammiselo.+

2 Emva kokuba uYesu ezelwe eBhetelehem+ yelakwaYuda ngemihla kaHerode+ ukumkani, khangela! abavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi+ abavela kwimimandla yasempumalanga beza eYerusalem,