1Kwathi lokha uBhiliyamu nakabona bona okuhle kuSomnini kukobana abusise ama-Israyeli, azange aphendukele emilingweni njengesiqhelo, kodwana waqala erhalawumbeni. 2Kwathi lokha nakaphakamisa amehlwakhe, wabona u-Israyeli ahlome amatendakhe ikoro ngekoro. UMoya kaZimu wehlela phezu kwakhe, 3waphimisa umlayezwakhe wathi:
“Isitjho sakaBhiliyamu umsa kaBhewori,
isitjho somuntu onelihlo elibukhali,
4isitjho somuntu olalela amezwi kaZimu,
nobona isambulo soSabekako,
obona kuhle nakasemmoyeni:
5Maye mahle kangangani amatendakho Jakopo,
imitlhatlhanakho wena Israyeli!
6Anjengemithi emide yamasundu,
nanjengeemvande ezimagegana nomlambo,
nanjengesilele esitjalwa nguSomnini,
nanjengemithi yomsedari emile hlanu kwamanzi.
7Amanzi azakukhelelwa ngeenkhwama zabo zesikhumba,
nembewabo izakuba namanzi aneleko.
Ikosabo izakuphakamela ngehla kwaka-Agagi,
nombuswayo uzakuphakanyiswa.
8UZimu wabakhupha eGibhide,
kibo unjengeempondo zekukhama.
Bazakuginya izizwe ezizizitha zabo
bephule amathambazo abe ziinquqwana,
baphihlize ababagandelelako.
9Bayakhothama bazigedagede phasi
njengebhubezi nanjengebhubezikazi;
akakho ongalinga ukubavusa!
Abanibusisako bazakubusiswa,
nabaninikelelako bazakunikelelwa.”
10Ilaka lakaBhalakhi lavutha kuBhiliyamu, wathintitha izandla wathi: “Ngikubizele bona uzongithiyela izitha zami ngemilingo! Qala-ke wena uzibusise bekwaba kathathu! 11Yeke goduka khona nje, utjhinge ekhenu. Bengithi ngizokuvuza kuhle, kodwana uSomnini ukwenze bona ungavuzeki.”
12UBhiliyamu wathi kuBhalakhi: “Angitjho ngizitjelile iinthunywa ogade uzithume kimi ngathi, 13‘Nanyana uBhalakhi gade angangipha isigodlo sakhe sigcwele isiliva negolide bengingeze ngeqa umyalo kaSomnini ngenze okuhle namkha okumbi. Kwaphela lokho uSomnini athi ngikutjho.’ 14Iye, ngiyagoduka-ke nje, ngiya ekhethu. Yizapha ngikulemukise bona abantwaba bazokwenzani ebantwini bakho ngomuso.”
15Nje-ke godu uBhiliyamu waphimisa umlayezwakhe wathi:
“Isitjho sakaBhiliyamu umsa kaBhewori,
isitjho somuntu onelihlo elibukhali,
16isitjho somuntu olalela amezwi kaZimu,
owazi ilwazi lakaZimu ongoPhezulu,
obona isambulo soSabekako
nobona kuhle nakasemmoyeni:
17Ngiyambona yena kodwana ingasi manjesi,
ngiyambona kodwana ingasi eduze.
Iye, ikwekwezi izakuvumbuka kuJakopo,
intonga yobukhosi izakuvela ku-Israyeli;
izakuphihliza iindlani zombili zakwaMowabi,
neenhloko zamaTjhethi woke.
18U-Edomu uzakuba sisabelo sayo,
iye, uSeyiri, isitha sayo, uzakuba sisabelo.
Iye, u-Israyeli uzakubonisa amandlakhe
19lokha loyo ovela kuJakopo nakabusako.
Uzakubhubhisa abasindileko emadorobheni.”
Umlayezo wokugcina kaBhiliyamu
20Nje-ke uBhiliyamu waqala ngaku-Amalekhi waphimisa umlayezwakhe wathi:
“U-Amalekhi uyindlondlo hlangana nezizwe
kodwana ekugcineni uzakuwa ngephondo.”
21UBhiliyamu waqala amaKheni waphimisa umlayezwakhe wathi:
“Indawakho yokuhlala ingeyasafuthi,
isihlakana sakho sakhiwe edwaleni.
22Kodwana uKhayini uzokutjhiswa.
Akuzukuba kade bona u-Asiriya akuthumbe.”
23UBhiliyamu waphimisa nomlayezo lo:
“Maye! Kazi ngubani ozakuphila lokha uZimu nakenza lokho?
24Iye, kuzakuvela iinthayamanzi endaweni yamaKithi,
zihlunguphaze u-Asiriya no-Ebhere;
kanti-ke no-Asiriya uzakuhloma ngephondo phasi.”
25Nje-ke uBhiliyamu wasikima wagoduka waya ekhabo. UBhalakhi naye wabona eze ngayo.
