Amadodana kaJuda
1Kwathi ngalesosikhathi uJuda wasuka kubafowabo, wehla, waya kumuntu waseAdulamu ogama lakhe linguHira.
2UJuda wabona lapho indodakazi yomuntu waseKhanani ogama lakhe linguShuwa; wayithatha, wangena kuyo.
3Yakhulelwa, yazala indodana, yaqamba igama layo ngokuthi uEri.
4Yabuye yakhulelwa, yazala indodana, yaqamba igama layo ngokuthi uOnani.
5Yabuye yazala futhi indodana, yaqamba igama layo ngokuthi uShela; uJuda wayeseKesibi ekuyizaleni kwayo.
6UJuda wamthathela uEri izibulo lakhe umfazi ogama lakhe linguTamari.
7UEri izibulo likaJuda wayemubi emehlweni kaJehova; uJehova wambulala.
8UJuda wathi kuOnani: Yiya kumkamfowenu, umngene, umvusele umfowenu inzalo.
9UOnani wayekwazi ukuthi inzalo ayiyikuba-ngeyakhe; kwathi nxa engena kumkamfowabo, wachitha emhlabathini ukuba angamniki umfowabo inzalo.
10Kwaba-kubi emehlweni kaJehova lokho akwenzileyo; wambulala naye futhi.
11UJuda wayesethi kuTamari umalokazana wakhe: Hlala ungumfelokazi endlini kayihlo, aze akhule uShela indodana yami, ngokuba wathi: Ukuba angafi njengabafowabo. UTamari waya wahlala kwabo.
OJuda noTamari
12Emva kwezinsuku eziningi yafa indodakazi kaShuwa umkaJuda; eseduduzekile uJuda wakhuphuka, waya kubo abagundi bezimvu zakhe eThimna, yena kanye nomhlobo wakhe uHira waseAdulamu.
13Kwatshelwa uTamari ukuthi: Bheka, uyihlozala uyakhuphukela eThimna ukuyogunda izimvu zakhe.
14Wayesekhumula izingubo zakhe zobufelokazi, wagubuzela, wazimboza, wahlala esangweni lase-Enayimi ngasendleleni eya eThimna, ngokuba wabona ukuthi uShela usekhulile, engamnikwa nokho abe-ngumkakhe.
15UJuda esembona wacabanga ukuthi uyisifebe, ngokuba wayegubuzele ubuso.
16Waphambukela kuye endleleni, wathi: Woza, ake ngingene kuwe, ngokuba wayengazi ukuthi ungumalokazana wakhe. Wathi: Uyakungiphani ukuba ungene kimi na?
17Wayesethi: Mina ngizakukuthumela izinyane lembuzi elisemhlambini. Wathi: Uzakunginika isibambiso, uze ulithume, na?
18Wathi: Ngikuphe-sibambiso sini na? Wathi: Indandatho yakho, nentambo yakho, nodondolo lwakho olusesandleni sakho. Wamupha, wangena kuye; wakhuliselwa nguye.
19Wasuka, wahamba, wakhumula iveli lakhe, wembatha izingubo zakhe zobufelokazi.
20UJuda wathuma izinyane lembuzi ngesandla somhlobo wakhe waseAdulamu ukuba athathe isibambiso esandleni sowesifazane, kepha akamfumananga.
21Wayesebuza abantu bendawo yakhe, wathi: Siphi isifebe esasise-Enayimi ngasendleleni na? Bathi: Akuzange kubekhona isifebe lapha.
22Wayesebuyela kuJuda, ethi: Angisifumananga; nabantu bendawo bathi: Akuzange kube-khona isifebe lapha.
23Wathi uJuda: Masizithathele sona, funa sibe-nehlazo; bheka, ngithumé lelizinyane, kepha awusifumananga.
24Kwathi emva kwezinyanga ezintathu uJuda watshelwa ukuthi: UTamari umalokazana wakho ufebile; bheka, futhi ukhulelwe ngokufeba kwakhe. UJuda wathi: Mletheni, ashiswe.
25Eselethiwe wathumela kuyisezala, wathi: Ngikhuleliswé yilendoda engumnini walezizinto; wathi futhi: Ake ubone ukuthi ngokukabani lendandatho, nalentambo, naloludondolo na?
26Wakuvuma uJuda, wathi: Ulungile kunami, njengokuba ngingamnikanga uShela indodana yami. Akabange esamazi futhi.
27Kwathi ngesikhathi sokubeletha kwakhe, bheka, ngamawele asesiswini sakhe.
28Kwathi esabeletha, omunye wakhipha isandla; umbelethisi wathatha, wabopha esandleni sakhe ngentambo ebomvu, wathi: Lo uphumé kuqala.
29Kwathi ukuba afinyeze isandla sakhe, nangu umfowabo ephuma; wathi: Ufuzuleleni na? Ngalokho igama lakhe laqanjwa ngokuthi uPheresi*.
30Ngasemuva waphuma umfowabo owayenentambo ebomvu esandleni sakhe; igama lakhe lathiwa uZera.
