Bible Society of South Africa
Merero ya ho bala
Verse-a-day
An eye on eternity - 23 November 2023

An eye on eternity - 23 November 2023

By Ewald Schmidt

Se(di)ngolwa (t)sa Bibele

MORUTI 3

10Ke bone mosebetsi o boima oo Modimo a o neileng batho hore ba o sebetse.

MORUTI 4

Ho sebeletsa lelea

1Ka boela ka nahana, mme ka bona diketso tsohle tsa kgatello tse etswang mona lefatsheng:

Ka bona meokgo ya ba hatellwang,

feela bona ba se na motshedisi;

bahatelli ba bona

ba ena le matla,

feela ba hatellwang

ba se na motshedisi.

2Kahoo ka lebohela

ba seng ba shwele,

ho ena le bana

ba ntseng ba phela.

3Bobedi ba fetwa

ke ya eso tswalwe,

ya eso ka ba a bona bokgopo,

bokgopo bo etswang mona lefatsheng!

4Ka hlokomela hore boikitlaetso bohle le katleho yohle, di tswalwa ke ho honohelana ha batho. Hona le hona ke lefeela le tshwanang le ho lelekisa moya feela.

5Sethoto se phutha matsoho a sona,

mme se ipolaye ka bosona.

6Seatla se le seng

se fupereng kgotso

se feta tse pedi

tse tshwereng ka thata,

tse lelekisang moya feela.

Ba babedi ba feta ya mong

7Yaba ke boela ke bona mafeela mona lefatsheng:

8Motho ya mong to! ka monwana,

ke eo,

ha a na mora, ha a na ngwanabo,

o sebetsa ka thata a sa kgaotse,

le yena ka boyena

ha a kgotsofalle leruo la hae.

Jwale o a ipotsa:

“Ke sebeletsa mang,

ha ke itima tsa boithabiso?”

Le hona ke lefeela,

ke ho sebeletsa lelea!

9Ba babedi ba feta ya mong,

moputso wa bona o a hlamatseha.

10Ha e mong a ewa,

e mong o a mo tsosa;

ho madimabe ya wang

ho se na mothusi!

11Ba babedi ba a futhumatsana

ha ba kopanetse dikobo;

ya robetseng a le mong

a ka futhumala jwang?

12Ntjapedi ha e hlolwe ke sebata,

thapo e kgwele di tharo

e dieha ho kgaoha.

13Mohlankana ya futsanehileng, empa a le bohlale, o feta kgosi e tsofetseng, e sethoto, e seng e sa tsebe le ho mamela dikeletso. 14Mohlomong mohlankana eo o tswa tjhankaneng ho tla ba kgosi, kapa ebe o tswaletswe bofutsaneng, empa a tswallwa mmusong oo e tla ba wa hae. 15Ke bone batho bohle ba phelang mona lefatsheng, ba tsamayang le mohlankana ya tla hlahlama kgosi. 16Batho bao kgosi e tla ba busa ha ba na palo, empa le yona kgosi ha e se e fetile e ke ke ya thabelwa ke ba tla e hlahlama. Ruri le hona ke lefeela le tshwanang le ho lelekisana le moya feela.

MORUTI 5

Se potlakele ho etsa ditshepiso

1Ha o eya ka tlung ya Modimo, hlokomela mehato ya hao. Atamela haufi, o mamele, ho ena le ho ya etsa nyehelo ya mahlabelo jwaloka dithoto tse sa tsebeng hore di etsa sebe.

2Se potlakele ho ahlamisa molomo,

pelo ya hao e se ke ya ba lehala

ho bua ho hong kapela Modimo.

Modimo o lehodimong,

wena o lefatsheng,

kahoo polelo tsa hao di se be kae.

3Jwalokaha toro

e tswalwa ke metouto,

polelo tsa sethoto

di tswalwa ke ho bua haholo.

4Ha o etsetsa Modimo kano, o se ke wa dieha ho e phethahatsa, hobane Modimo ha a kgahlwe ke dithoto. Phethahatsa seo o ikanetseng sona. 5Ho molemo ha o ke ke wa etsa kano, ho ena le hore o e etse, ebe ha o e phethahatse. 6Se dumelle leleme la hao ho o kgannela sebeng, ebe jwale o re ho moromuwa wa Modimo: “Ke entse phoso!” Eba o etsetsang hore Modimo a halefiswe ke dipolelo tsa hao, ebe o fedisa mosebetsi wa matsoho a hao? 7Ditoro tse ngata le dipolelo tse ngata ke mafeela, empa wena eka kgona o tshabe Modimo.

Maruo ha a na thuso

8Ha o bona mofutsana a hatellwa, a amohuwa toka le ditokelo tsa hae naheng ya heno, tseo di se ke tsa o makatsa, hobane mookamedi o na le ya mo okametseng, mme baokamedi le bona ba na le mookamedi e moholo. 9Se molemo ho setjhaba sohle ke kgosi e thahasellang temo.

10Ya ratang tjhelete

ha e ke be e mo lekane,

ya ratang leruo

kamehla o a le halala;

hona le hona e sa le lefeela.

11Ha leruo le ata,

bafepuwa ba a ata;

ebe le thusa monga lona ka eng,

haese ho nna a le boha kamehla?

12Mosebeletsi o robala boroko,

ebang o a lapa kapa o a kgora,

empa morui ya hafang ka nkatana

ha a bo hlothe ke maruo a hae!

13Ho na le bobe bo otlang pelo, boo ke bo boneng mona lefatsheng:

Motho o bokella leruo

le tlise bosoto,

14kapa ka bomadimabe

ebe le a senyeha,

mora hae

a qetelle a sa fumana lefa.

15Jwalokaha motho eo

a tswetswe a le feela,

o tla ya lebitleng

a ntsa le feela.

Hara tsohle

tseo a di sebeditseng,

a ke ke a nka le e nngwe

ka letsoho la hae.

16Hona le hona

ke bobe bo otlang pelo:

Motho o ikela a le feela

sa ha a tswalwa;

ebe o fumaneng

ka ho sebeletsa lelea?

17Tshiu tsa hae tsohle

o di qeta hara lefifi,

a swabile haholo,

a kula, a halefile!

18Yaba ke bona hore ho molemo, ho bile ho lokile hore ka matsatsi a seng makae a bophelo, ao Modimo a mo neileng wona, motho a je, a nwe, a ithabise ka tsohle tsa mosebetsi wa matsoho a hae mona lefatsheng, hobane hoo ke yona kabelo ya hae. 19Hape ke mpho ya Modimo ho motho ka mong eo Modimo a mo fileng leruo le matlotlo le matla hore a ithabise ka wona, mme o lokela ho amohela kabelo eo ya hae, a ithabise ka tsa mosebetsi wa matsoho a hae. 20Motho ha a ke a nahana bokgutshwanyane ba bophelo ba hae, hobane Modimo o mo phedisa ka nyakallo.

MORUTI 6

1Ho na le bobe bo bong boo ke bo boneng mona lefatsheng, mme bo imela batho haholo. 2Modimo o fa motho leruo, matlotlo le tlotla, hoo a sa haellweng ke letho la tseo a di labalabelang, empa Modimo ha a ke a mo fa matla a hore tsena a di je, ebe di jewa ke motho e mong. Hona ke lefeela, ke bobe bo otlang pelo.

3Ha monna a ka tswala bana ba lekgolo, mme a phela dilemo tse ngata, ha ho tsotellehe hore na o phela halelele hakae, haeba a ke ke a ithabisa ka maruo ao a hae, le phupu ya hae ya eba e tlontlollang, nna ke re sefolotsana se lehlohonolo ho mo feta. 4Ho tswalwa ha sona ke lefeela, se shwella lefifing, lebitso la sona ha le tsejwe. 5Le hoja se sa ka sa bona letsatsi, leha e le ho le tseba, se phomotse hamonate ho feta motho eo. 6Leha a ka phela dilemo tse dikete tse pedi, mme a se ke a ithabisa ka maruo a hae, feela o ya sebakeng se le seng le sefolotsana seo.

7Tshebetso yohle ya motho

ke ho lemisetsa mmetso,

takatso tsa hae tsona

ha di ke di kgotsofala.

8Mohlalefi o feta

ya sethoto ka eng?

Mofutsana o fumanang

ka ho tseba ho phela le batho?

9Molemo ke ho kgotsofalla

seo o se bonang,

ho ena le hore

takatso ya hao e kgelekgethe.

Hona le hona

ke lefeela le mafeela,

ho tshwana

le ho lelekisa moya feela.

10Seo motho a leng sona

kgale se tsejwa,

kgale ho tsejwa

hore motho ke motho;

ha ho motho ya ka hwebeshanang,

le senatla se mo feta ka matla.

11Ho bebera haholo

ke ho bua mafeela;

jwale ebe motho

ho ka mo ruisa eng?

12Ke mang ya ka tsebang se molemo ho motho bophelong boo bo bokgutshwanyane, boo a fetang ho bona jwalokaha eka ke seriti? Ke mang ya ka mmolellang se tla etsahala moo lefatsheng ha yena a se a iketse?

MORUTI 7

Bohlale

1Bitso le letle

le feta menkwane ka ho rateha,

tsatsi la lefu

le molemo ho feta la tswalo.

2Ho molemo ho etela

lapa le aparetswe ke bofifi,

ho ena le ho etela

lapa la moketeko,

hoba lefu ke pheletso

ya motho ka mong;

ba phelang

hona ba ho nahane hantle.

3Maswabi a molemo ho feta ditsheho;

pelo e ka thaba

fahleho se ntse se swabile.

4Pelo tsa bahlalefi

di lapeng la bofifi,

pelo tsa dithoto

di lapeng la menyanyako.

5Ho molemo

ho mamela kgalemo ya mohlalefi,

ho ena le ho mamela

pina ya dithoto.

6Meutlwa ha e beseletsa

pitsa e a qhoma;

tsheho la dithoto le lona le jwalo.

Hona le hona

ke lefeela la mafeela.

7Mohlalefi wa mohatelli

o a thotofala,

tjotjo yona e senya pelo ya motho.

8Pheletso ya taba e molemo

ho feta qaleho ya yona,

momamelli o molemo

ho feta moikakasi.

9O se itlwaetse ho halefa kapele,

thoto di kwetlile kgalefo

ka difubeng tsa tsona.

10Se ke wa re:

“Ke hobaneng ha tshiu tsa kgale

di bile molemo ho feta tsa kajeno?”

Ho botsa potso ena

ke ho hloka bohlale.

11Bohlale bo molemo jwaloka lefa,

bo atlehisa batho

ba ntseng ba phela.

12Bohlale bo a sireletsa,

tjhelete e a sireletsa;

molemo o moholo wa tsebo ke ona:

Ba ruileng,

bohlale bo ba nea bophelo.

13Ako tadime mesebetsi ya Modimo:

Se kgopamisitsweng ke Modimo,

se ka kgopamollwa ke mang?

14Mohla tsatsi la thabo

nyakalla le wena,

mohla tsatsi la mahlonoko

ako hopole sena:

Matsatsi ana, bobedi,

a entswe ke Modimo;

kahoo tsa kamoso

motho a ke ke a di tseba.

15Bophelong bona ba ka ba lefeela ke bone dintho tsena:

Motho o a shwa

leha a ntsa lokile,

motho o a tsofala

leha a ntsa le kgopo.

16Se itokafatse

ho feta tekanyo,

kapa wa itlhalefisa

ho feta tekanyo;

ebe o ipolaelang

ka ho etsa jwalo?

17Se be kgopo ho tlola moedi,

le teng o se ke wa iketsa sethoto;

o tla bo shwellang

pele ho nako ya hao?

18Molemo ke ho itshwarella

ka polelo ya pele,

le ya bobedi o se ka e nyahlatsa;

ya tshabang Modimo

o phema tsietsi tsena bobedi!

19Bohlale bo matlafatsa motho,

motho wa mohlalefi,

a fete babusi ba motse

ba le leshome.

20Ha ho ya lokileng mona lefatsheng,

ya etsang ho molemo,

ya sa etseng sebe.

21Se mamele dipuo tsohle tsa batho,

esere wa utlwa mohlanka wa hao

a o rohaka.

22Le wena ka pelong o tseba hantle,

ke ka makgetlo

ba bang le wena o ba rohaka.

23Ka bohlale, tsena tsohle ke di lekile, ka re:

“Le nna ke sa tla be ke hlalefe!”

Empa bohlale ke sitwa ho bo fihlela.

24Seo se hole, se tebileng hakaalo,

ebe ya ka se sibollang ke mang?

25Ka pelong

ka labalabela ho batla tsebo,

ho fuputsa le ho sibolla bohlale,

ho fumana mabaka

a boleng ba dintho;

ho tseba ha bokgopo e le bothoto,

bothoto bona e le bohlanya.

26Mosadi ya tshwasang

ka maqiti a hae,

eo pelo ya hae e tshwanang le sefi,

matsoho a hae a kang mahlaahlela,

ka fumana a tshabeha ho feta le lefu.

Ya kgahlisang Modimo

o tla phonyoha atleng tsa hae,

athe moetsadibe yena o tla tshwaswa.

27“Ako bone mona,” ho rialo Moruti, “seo ke se sibolotseng ke sena:

“Ha ke ntse ke nahana taba ka nngwe,

ho fumana mabaka

a boleng ba dintho;

28ha ke ntse ke fuputsa,

ke sa fumane letho,

ka fumana monna wa banna

ho ba sekete,

hara basadi teng

ha ke a fumana le ya mong!

29Seo ke se fumaneng feela ke sena:

Modimo o bopile motho a lokile,

batho ba iqapetse

mamenemene a mangata.”

MORUTI 8

1Ya tshwanang le mohlalefi

ke mang?

Ya tsebang ho hlalosa dintho

ke mang?

Bohlale bo edisa fahleho sa motho,

ho tsunkana ha sona ebe ho a fetoha.

Hlomphang kgosi

2Ke re ho lona: Hlomphang taelo ya kgosi, hobane le entse kano kapele ho Modimo. 3Le se no potlakela ho tloha kapele ho kgosi, le se ke la ngangella tabeng e mpe, hobane kgosi e etsa seo e se ratang. 4Kaha lentswe la kgosi le ena le matla, ke mang ya ka reng ho yona: “Jwale o etsang?”

5Ya hlomphang taelo ya kgosi

a ke ke a tswa kotsi,

mohlalefi o tseba

hore nako ya kahlolo e teng.

6Ntho ka nngwe

e na le nako ya kahlolo ya yona,

empa bokgopo ba motho

bo mo imela haholo.

7Motho ha a na tsebo

ya tse tla etsahala;

tsa maisao

a ka di senolelwa ke mang?

8Motho ha a na matla

a ho busa moya wa hae,

kapa a ho laola

tsatsi la lefu la hae;

ha ntwa e kopane

ha ho bewe dihlomo fatshe,

bokgopo bo ke ke ba lokolla

ba bo etsang!

9Tsena tsohle ke ile ka di elellwa, ha ke ntse ke nahana dintho tsohle tse etswang mona lefatsheng. Ka hlokomela kamoo motho e mong a iketsang mmampodi kateng hodima ba bang, mme a ba hlokofatsa. 10Ka bona le ba kgopo ba epelwa, bona ba neng ba ye ba kene ba be ba tswe sebakeng se halalelang, mme baahi ba motse ba ba rorisetse tseo ba di entseng. Hona le hona ke lefeela.

11Ka baka la hobane ba kgopo ba dieha ho ahlolwa, batho ba ikemiseditse ho etsa bobe ka sebete. 12Leha moetsadibe a ka etsa bokgopo halekgolo, yaba o phela halele, feela ke tseba hantle hore ba tshabang Modimo, ba mo hlomphang, ke bona ba tla phela hamonate. 13Empa ya kgopo a ke ke a phela hamonate, le matsatsi a bophelo ba hae a ke ke a lelefala jwaloka seriti, hobane yena ha a tshabe Modimo.

14Ho na le mafeela a etsahalang mona lefatsheng. Batho ba lokileng ba fumana se lokelang ba kgopo, athe ba kgopo ba fumana se lokelang ba lokileng. Hona le hona ke lefeela. 15Ka baka lena ke thoholetsa boithabiso, hobane mona lefatsheng ha ho ntho e molemo ho motho, haese hore a je, a nwe, mme a nyakalle. O tla nne a nyakalle jwalo ha a le mosebetsing wa hae, ka matsatsi wohle a ho phela ha hae, ao Modimo a mo neileng wona mona lefatsheng.

16Ha ke ntse ke labalabela ho tseba bohlale le ho hlahloba mesebetsi e etswang mona lefatsheng, ka elellwa hore bosiu le motsheare motho ha a robale, 17mme ka bona le mesebetsi yohle ya Modimo. Ka elellwa hore ha ho motho ya utlwisisang se etsahalang mona lefatsheng. Le hoja motho a leka kahohle ho fuputsa mesebetsi ena, o sitwa ho e fihlela. Leha mohlalefi a ithetsa ka ho re yena o a tseba, empa a ke ke a ba a e utlwisisa.

MORUTI 9

Pheletso ya bohle e a tshwana

1Tsena tsohle ke ile ka di nahana, ka leka ho di hlalosa, ka fumana hore ba lokileng le ba bohlale, hammoho le mesebetsi ya bona, ba matsohong a Modimo. Hore na ba a ratwa kapa ba hloilwe, le teng ha ba tsebe; motho ha a tsebe se mo tlelang. 2Bohle ba hlahelwa ke ntho e tshwanang: Ya lokileng le ya kgopo, ya molemo le e mobe, ya hlwekileng le ya sa hlwekang, ya etsang mahlabelo le ya sa etseng mahlabelo. Ya etsang hantle o tshwana le moetsadibe; ya hlapanyang o tshwana le ya sa hlapanyeng.

3Bona ke bona bobe bo teng dinthong tsohle tse etsahalang mona lefatsheng. Bohle ba hlahelwa ke ntho e tshwanang. Dipelo tsa batho di tletse bokgopo, di bile di na le bohlanya ha batho bao ba sa ntsane ba phela, mme hamorao ba balellwa le bafu. 4Ya ntseng a phela o sa na le letshepa, hobane le ntja e phelang e molemo ho feta tau e shweleng.

5Ba phelang bona

ba a tseba hore ba tla shwa,

athe bafu bona

ha ho letho leo ba le tsebang,

moputso le wona

ha ba ka ke ba o fumana,

esita le ho hopolwa

ha ba sa hopolwa.

6Lerato le lehloyo le lefufa la bona,

tsena tsohle di timetse le bona;

ha ba ka ke ba hlola

ba eba le kabelo

ho tsohle tse etswang

mona lefatsheng.

7Eya, o itjelle dijo ka thabo,

o inwelle veine o nyakaletse,

hoba Modimo o sa kgahlisitswe

ke ketso tsa hao.

8Kamehla o apare aparo tse tshweu,

kamehla hlooho ya hao

e tlotswe ka ole.

9Ka matsatsi wohle a bophelo ba hao ba lefeela, boo Modimo a o neileng bona mona lefatsheng, e leng matsatsi a se nang thuso, iphelele ka thabo le mosadi wa hao eo o mo ratang. Ona ke wona moputso oo o o fumanang ha o ntse o phela, mme o sebetsa ka thata mona lefatsheng. 10Tsohle tseo o ka di etsang, o di etse ka matla a hao kaofela, hobane lebitleng, moo o yang teng, ha ho sa na mosebetsi, kapa merero, kapa tsebo, kapa bohlale.

11Ke bone ho hong hape mona lefatsheng:

Ba lebelo

hase bona ba siyang kamehla,

dinatla

hase tsona tse hlolang kamehla,

ba bohlale

hase bona ba tjhayang kamehla,

ba masene

hase bona ba ruang kamehla,

bahlalefi ha ba dule

tulo tse phahameng kamehla;

menyetla e tlela bohle

ka dinako tsa yona.

12Hape ha ho motho ya tsebang hore na nako ya hae e tla tla neng:

Jwalokaha tlhapi di tshwaswa

ke tlowa le sehloho,

kapa dinonyana di tshwaswa

ke leraba,

batho le bona ba tshwaswa

ke nako tse mahlonoko,

di ba tsometse ba sa lebella letho.

Bohlale bo molemo ho feta bothoto

13Ke bone bohlale bona bo bong hape mona lefatsheng, mme ha ke bo tadima ke bona bo le boholo: 14Ho kile ha eba le motsana o nang le baahi ba seng bakae. Yaba kgosi e nngwe a matla e a o futuhela, e o etsetsa thibella, e haha marako ho o potapota. 15Motsaneng oo ho ne ho ena le monna e mong ya futsanehileng, ya bohlale, eo ka bohlale ba hae a ileng a o lopolla; feela ha ho ya kileng a mo hopola. 16Yaba ke re: “Bohlale bo molemo ho feta bonatla!” Empa bohlale ba monna ya futsanehileng bo a nyediswa, le dipolelo tsa hae ha di mamelwe.

17Polelo tse bonolo,

tse buuwang ke mohlalefi,

di molemo ho feta mehoo

ya ya busang dithoto.

18Bohlale bo molemo

ho feta hlomo tsa ntwa,

modibe ya mong

o senya tse ngata tse molemo.

MORUTI 10

1Jwalokaha ntsintsi tse shweleng

di nkgisa menkwane,

bothotwana le bona

bo senya bohlale le botumo.

2Pelo ya ya bohlale

e sekamela ho lokeng,

pelo ya ya sethoto

e sekamela bokgopong.

3Sethoto se tsamaya tseleng

se se na kelello,

bohle se ba bolella

hore dithoto ke bona.

4Haeba kgalefo ya mmusi e o tlokela,

tulo tsa hao o se ka sutha ho tsona,

hoba boikokobetso

bo fedisa diphoso tse kgolo.

5Ho na le bokgopo

boo ke bo boneng mona lefatsheng,

phoso eo sesosa sa yona

e leng mmusi:

6Thoto di bewa ditulong

tse phahameng haholo,

barui bona

ba bewe ho tse tlasetlase.

7Ke bone makgoba a kaletse dipere,

mahosana wona

a tasola seka makgoba.

8Ya tjhekang lemena

a ka nna wela ho lona,

ya heletsang lerako

a ka nna longwa ke noha.

9Ya thuang majwe

a ka nna pitlwa ke wona,

ya rathang patsi

a ka nna hlajwa ke phatsa.

10Ha selepe se le nthithi,

se sa leotswe,

eka kgona moratha-patsi a be sefea;

athe setsebi

se thuswa ke bohlale ba sona.

11Ha noha e ka loma

pele e khwefuwa,

mokhwefi wa dinoha

a ke ke a putswa.

12Polelo tsa ya bohlale di a kgahleha,

athe tsa sethoto tsona

di a se timetsa;

13ha se bua se ye se qale

ka ho phorohla,

se qetelle ka ho pota

sa motho wa mapokaetsi.

14Sethoto ha se hehla ha se kgaotse!

Motho a ke ke a tseba

tse tla etsahala;

tse tla hlaha hoba a fete

di ka senolwa ke mang?

15Thoto se tepeletswa

ke mosebetsi wa sona,

le tsela e yang motseng

ha se e tsebe.

16Ho madimabe naha

e buswang ke kgosi ya moshanyana,

eo mahosana a vona

a ketekang e sa le hoseng!

17Ho lehlohonolo naha

e buswang ke kgosi e tswalehileng,

eo mahosana a yona

a ketekang ka nako ya teng,

a jelang ho matlafala,

e seng hore a tahwe.

18Bokgoba bo etsa

hore maballo a ntlo a kobehe,

ha matsoho a sa tshware,

ntlo eo e ye e nele.

19Mokete o etsetswa boithabiso,

veine yona e natefisa bophelo,

empa ka tjhelete

o ka fumana tsohle.

20Se rohake kgosi,

leha e le ka mehopolong ya hao,

kapa morui ha o le ka kamoreng

ya ho robala,

hoba nonyana e fofang

e ka utlwa polelo tsa hao,

tlhatsinyane ha e rura

ya tsamaya e di bolela.

MORUTI 11

Se etswang ke mohlalefi

1Lahlela bohobe ba hao

hodima metsi,

hobane kamoso o tla bo fumana.

2Bo abele ba supileng kapa ba robedi

kaha tsietsi tsa lefatshe

o ke ke be wa di tseba.

3Haeba maru a dusa pula

a tla e nesetsa hodima lefatshe;

fate se ka wela ka borwa

kapa ka leboya,

moo se welang teng

ke moo se tla rapalla teng.

4Ya lebeletseng moya a ke ke a jala,

ya tadimileng maru a ke ke a kotula.

5Jwalokaha tsela ya moya

o sa e tsebe,

kapa popeho ya ngwana

ka popelong,

o ke ke wa tseba

mesebetsi ya Modimo,

e leng yena ya entseng tsohle.

6Peo ya hao o e jale e sa le hoseng,

ho fihlela mantsiboya

matsoho a hao o se a phuthe,

hobane ha o tsebe e tla atleha,

kapa bobedi di tla mela hantle.

7Ruri lesedi le molemo,

le mahlo a thabela ho bona letsatsi.

8Leha motho a ka phela

lemo tse ngata,

a ithabisa ka tsona tsohle,

feela a hopole matsatsi a lefifi,

hobane a tla ba mangata haholo;

tsohle tse tla tla ke lefeela.

Keletso ho batjha

9Wena mohlankana,

ithabise o sa le motjha,

o nyakallele matsatsi

a botjha ba hao;

o latele thato ya pelo ya hao,

o tsamaye ho ya ka tjhadimo ya hao;

feela o tsebe Modimo o tla o ahlola,

a o ahlolele ketso tsohle tsa hao.

10Kahoo fedisa matshwenyeho

a pelo ya hao,

o hlohlolle tsietsi tsa mmele wa hao,

hoba bongwana le botjha

ke mafeelafeelane.

MORUTI 3:10SSO89SOBula ka mmadi wa Bibele

The old Romans had the saying, tempus fugit velut umbra – time flies like a shadow. In this verse, there is a differentiation between human time and eternity (God’s time). Human time is measurable. So many hymns sing of the passing of time, like this one by Sidney Dyer: “Time is earnest, passing by; Death is earnest, drawing nigh; Sinner, wilt thou trifling be, while the voice of God doth call thee?

When we are very young, it feels as if time stands still. It seems to be such a long time before our lunch break or until dinner time. Christmas is still an eternity away. As we grow older, we are more aware of the sand in our hour glass running out. Time feels as if it is going faster. Last year this time, it was still September and now, we are a month away from Christmas. Where has the time gone?

Our human time is measurable. It is the time we are aware of – the time from our birth until our very last breath. We are ever more aware that our time is finite and, therefore, precious. May we pray with Moses in Psalm 90:12: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, Psalm 111:10 teaches us. The art of graceful living is to find every day as a gift from God’s hand. It invites us to make the most of every passing day. We need to make time to celebrate the small things along the way. Its asks of us to spend our precious time on the precious people God has put in our lives. Quality time together is the most valued gift that we can give one another. Time flies, so don’t waste it! Be aware of the things that steal your time – time thieves, like social media.

The secret is to live every day to its fullest, to find the grace and love of God in every moment, because we are also aware of another dimension of time – God’s time, eternity – the time that we are not able to measure. How do I begin to comprehend eternity before I was born? How do I grasp eternity after my death? Eternity is God’s time, where one day is like a thousand years for him and a thousand years, like one day (2 Peter 3:8). God is above time, he is not bound by it. I am too small to comprehend the magnitude of eternal time; I can only stand in awe.

I know that, one day, my time on earth will run out. I am not afraid, for I belong to the God who is in control of eternity. I trust him for my future; his love expels all fear.

Prayer: Lord, you wrote the days of my life even before I was born. You have given me a life, here and now. You fill my life with your beauty. Teach me to number my days, that I may gain wisdom, to serve you more. Thank you that I may leave eternal matters in your capable hands! Amen

Bible Society of South Africav.4.26.9
RE FUMANE HO