1Somnini, ngiyazi bona angeze ngakusola
ngombana wena ulungile.
Nokho ngizokhuluma nawe ngeengwebo:
Kubayini iindlela zeenkhohlakali ziphumelela?
Kubayini boke abangathembekiko
baphila ngokuzigedla na?
2Ubatjalile, nje-ke bayadzimelela;
bayatlhurha bathele iinthelo.
Uhlala usemlonyenabo
kodwana ukude neenhliziyo zabo.
3Wena Somnini uyangazi;
uyangibona bese uzizinya imikhumbulwami ngawe.
Bakhuphe njengezimvu eziyokuhlatjwa!
Bahlukanisele ilanga lokuhlatjwa!
4Kuzabe kube nini inarha iqeqebuka,
kutjhwabe utjani kiyo yoke imirhula
ngebanga lobukhohlakali babahlali benarha na?
Ngitjho iinlwana neenyoni kuyatjhabalala
khisibe abantwaba bathi:
“UJoromiya akazukubona isiphetho sethu.”
5USomnini waphendula wathi:
“Nakube uyadinwa nawugijima
nabakhamba ngeenyawo,
alo, ungaphalisana njani-ke neenjomani na?
Nakube ukhutjwa enarheni ephephileko,
uzakghona njani-ke ehlathini eliminyeneko
elihlanu kweJordani na?
6Abafowenu, ngitjho umndenakho
nabo banamaqhinga ngawe;
ngemva kwakho barhuwelela okumbi.
Ungabakholwa lokha nabakhuluma
kuhle ngawe.”
USomnini ulahle ilifa lakhe
7“Ngadela ikumbami,
ngalahla ilifa lami;
nganikela engimthandako
ezandleni zezitha zakhe.
8Ilifa lami kimi selifana nebhubezi ngehlathini.
Liyangirorela, ngalokho ngiyalinyenya.
9Ilifa lami likukudla kwepisi
namadlanga alibungelele.
Khambani nibuthelele zoke iinlwana zommango,
nizilethe ekurhiribideleni.
10Abelusi abanengi batjhabalalise isidiribe sami,
bagugude isabelo sami sesimu,
benze bona isabelo sami esikarisako
sibe libhudu lakobhudu.
11Iye, basenze ibhudu,
ibhudwelo lalilela kimi.
Yoke inarha ilibhudu
kodwana akakho oyelelako.
12Kiyo yoke imizila yemilandelande erhalawumbeni
kuza abatjhabalalisi
ngombana isabula kaSomnini irhiribidela
ukusukela ehlangothini lenarha ukuya kelinye.
Ukuthula akukho ebantwini.
13Batjala ikoroyi kodwana bavuna ameva,
basebenza kabudisi kodwana bangazuza litho.
Ngalokho bheselani ihlazo lesivuno senu
ngebanga letukuthelo kaSomnini evuthako.”
14Nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini: “Kibo boke abomakhelwana abakhohlakeleko abathinta ilifa engilinikele abantu bami u-Israyeli ngithi, ‘Qalani, ngizobaruthula eenarheni zabo, kodwana ngisuse ikumba kaJuda hlangana nabo.’ 15Ngemva kobana ngibaruthulile, ngizakubuye ngibe nomusa, ngibuyisele omunye nomunye wabo elifeni lakhe nenarheni yekhabo. 16Nakube bafunda kuhle iindlela zabantu bami ukuze bafunge ngebizo lami bathi, ‘NgoSomnini ngiqinisile’ njengombana bafundise abantu bami kobana bafunge ngoBhali, khona-ke bazakunzinziswa hlangana nabantu bami. 17Kodwana nakube izizwezi azilaleli, ngizaziruthula ngokupheleleko bengizibhubhise.” Kutjho uSomnini.
